Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for an extended range Ethernet line code are provided. A local PHY may enable converting Ethernet media independent interface (MII) data from a 4-bit packet stream to a 3-bit packet stream. The 3-bit packet stream may be mapped to first and second ternary bits streams, for example, for communication to a remote PHY utilizing PAM-3 over one or more twisted-pair wires. The 3-bit packet stream may be scrambled and/or aligned before mapping. When a single twisted-pair wire is available, the local PHY may multiplex the ternary bits streams into a single stream. Start-stream delimiters (SSD) may be inserted before the ternary bits streams and end-stream delimiters may be inserted after the ternary bits streams. Idle signals may be inserted after the ESDs and before the start of the next frame of MII data.