Category Archives: Multi Mode Fiber (MMF)

40G Deployment: The Cost Difference Between SMF and MMF

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40G network are now being extensively adopted within LANs and data centers. 100G is still predominantly in the carrier network, but could soon extend its stretch to your local network. There exists much confusion as to whether to choose single-mode fiber (SMF) or multimode fiber (MMF) for deploying 40G bandwidth, considering the single mode vs multimode fiber cost. As well as how to get fully prepared for scaling to higher-speed 100G. If you are hesitating to make the choice, you may find this article helpful.

40G Cost: Difference Between SMF and MMF

Multimode Fiber (MMF): Cost-effective With Higher Tolerance to Dirt

Cost-effectiveness: Multimode fiber (MMF) has been evolving to handle the escalating speed: OM3 has been superseded by OM4 and OM5 is there ready to use. MMF has a wider array of short distance transceivers that are easier to get. One of the liable argument that in favor of using MMF is that multimode optics use less power than single-mode ones, but only in condition that you have tens of thousands of racks. In essence, MMF still has its position under certain circumstances, like cabling within the same rack, in Fiber Channel and for backbone cabling in some new construction buildings.

smf mmf

Tolerance to Dirt: Multimode fiber tends to have a lot more tolerance to dirty connections than single-mode fiber. It can handle very dirty couples or connectors to ensure reliable and consistent link performance. Besides, it is easy to terminate, and more accommodating bend radius. So MMF is preferred by links that change frequently or are less than permanent.

smf mmf

Single-mode Fiber (SMF): Higher Capability and Better Future-proofing

Speed capability: Capacities are really vital for network growth. SMF does so with relatively larger capability than that of MMF. The gap between SMF and MMF cabling is much wider for high-density, high-speed networks. If you want to go further with SMF, say scaling to 100G or beyond, you simply need to upgrade the optics. Unlike using MMF, in which you have to upgrade the glass (OM3 to OM4 to OM5), the labor cost concerning this cannot be underestimated. The capacity for scaling of SMF alone makes it worth the cost. You can use single-mode for almost everything, no need for media conversion. SMF offers enough bandwidth to last a long time, making it possible to upgrade 100 Gbps to Tbps with CWDM/DWDM.

smf mmf

Future proofing: Despite the fact that SM optical transceivers usually cost higher than MM optics, SMF cabling is cheaper and can support much longer distance and reliable performance. Not to mention that bandwidth on SMF keeps going up and up on the same old glass. The good news is that the cost of SMF is dropping in recent years, and it is redesigning to run with less power, thus advocators of SMF think that it is pretty much the only rational choice for infrastructure cabling and the sure winner for today and tomorrow.

SMF and MMF: A Simple Comparison of Cost

There is no doubt that SMF is a better investment in the long run, but MMF still has a long way to go in data center interconnections. In fact the price difference of SMF optics and MMF optics can be minimized if you choose the right solution. Assuming to connect two 40G devices at 70 m away, let’s see the single mode vs multimode fiber cost for deployment in the following chart.

Module Connector Type SMF or MMF Price 2 Connections 4 Connections 6 Connections
40GBASE-SR4 MPO12 MMF, OM4 $49.00 $564.48 $1128.96 $1693.44
40GBASE-BiDi LC MMF, OM4 $300.00 $1534.24 $2734.24 $3934.24
40GBASE-LR4 LC SMF, OS2 $340.00 $1,609.84 $2,969.84 $4,329.84
80 Gbit 160 Gbit 240 Gbit

 

Conclusion

Choosing the right fiber for your network application is a critical decision. Understanding your system requirements in order to select the appropriate fiber will maximize the value and performance of your cabling system. Be sure to select the right cable on the basis of aspects including link length, performance, and of course costs. FS provides a broad range of 40G optical transceivers and fiber patch cables with superior quality and fair price. For more details, please visit www.fs.com.

Related Article: Single Mode vs Multimode Fiber: What’s the Difference? 


Wideband Multimode Fiber: What to Expect From It?

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Multimode fiber (MMF) holds a major position in local area network (LAN) backbone cabling and data center due to its capability to transmit high data rates at relatively low cost. MMF has evolved now to support multi-gigabit transmission using 850 nm VCSEL (vertical cavity surface emitting laser) sources, and the channel capacity of which is greatly improved with the use of parallel transmission over multiple strands of fiber. Wideband multimode fiber (WBMMF), known as OM5, lately comes into our horizon as an alternative to support the escalating data rate and higher bandwidth. Then what can we expect from using WBMMF? This article may give you some hints.

Existing Problems of Multimode Fiber

OM1 and OM2 MMF are developed with the intention to support Fast Ethernet, which fail to support 10 Gbps and 25 Gbps data transmission rates. Hence they are not suggested for new installations. Laser-optimized OM3 and OM4 MMF now play a dominant role in 10G, 40G and 100G Ethernet cabling. However, the demand for bandwidth accelerates so fast, and the VCSEL-based transceiver technology cannot keep pace. Consequently, it’s getting more costly for fiber cabling systems to support next-generation Ethernet migration.

Wideband Multimode Fiber: Taking New Wavelength to Multimode Fiber

Wideband multimode fiber (WBMMF) is designed to carry multiple short wavelength signals that can be aggregated for high bandwidth applications–—a technology known as wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). Unlike conventional multimode fiber that optimally supports a single wavelength, WBMMF can accommodate multiple wavelengths, enabling these multiple wavelengths to simultaneously travel along a single fiber strand.

wideband multimode fiber

In this way, wideband multimode fiber increases each fiber’s capacity by at least a factor of four, allowing at least a fourfold data-rate increase, or a fourfold reduction in the number of fibers. That means, when transmitting four optical signals, instead of using four separate fibers, WBMMF can send down these signals on one fiber over four separate operating windows. For example, 400GbE could be accomplished with 4Tx and 4Rx fibers (today 400GbE over multimode requires 16Tx and 16Rx fibers).

Highlights of Wideband Multimode Fiber

So, what makes wideband multimode fiber standing out from other multimode fibers? Besides that it increases MMF’s utility and extends MMF’s value to customers, WBMMF also has the following advantages:

    • Wideband multimode fiber can support wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) across the 840-953nm wavelength range, at 30nm intervals.

WBMMF wavelength

  • The fiber geometry of WBMMF stays the same as existing OM4 fibers, therefore it is backward compatible with OM4 multimode fiber at 850 nm, making it feasible to retain legacy application support of OM4.
  • Wideband multimode fiber reduces fiber count by a faction of four, but increases capacity to over 100 Gb/s per fiber, enabling Ethernet 100G-SR, 400G-SR4, 1600G-SR16 and Fiber Channel 128G-SWDM4.
Applications of Wideband Multimode Fiber: Short Wavelength Division Multiplexing (SWDM)

Wideband multimode fiber provides better performance for applications using WDM technology. As the parallel multimode fiber MPO cabling is considerably more costly than the multimode fiber LC-duplex patch cord, WBMMF made it possible to use a single pair of LC fiber instead of MPO trunks in direct point-to-point connection. Which helps to reduce fiber count by transmitting multiple wavelengths in the same multimode fiber, and to keep the overall cabling costs to the minimum.

WBMMF and SWDM

Conclusion

Wideband multimode fiber is a reliable medium to expand your data center or enhance network capacity. With the capability of managing multiple wavelengths, it effectively reduces the number of fibers and enhances total channel capacity, proven to be a cost-effective solution for increasing network bandwidth, and to keep pace with the escalating data demands.

Related Article: WBMMF – Next Generation Duplex Multimode Fiber in the Data Center

What’s the Difference: OM3 vs OM4

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OM3 and OM4 are two common types multimode fiber used in local area networks, typically in backbone cabling between telecommunications rooms and in the data center between main networking and storage area network (SAN) switches. Both of these fiber types are considered laser-optimized 50/125 multimode fiber, meaning they both have a 50μm micron diameter core and a 125μm diameter cladding, which is a special coating that prevents light from escaping the core. Both fiber types use the same connectors, the same termination and the same transceivers—vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) that emit infrared light a 850 nanometers(nm). OM3 is fully compatible with OM4. With so many similarities, and often manufactured with the same color aqua cable jacket and connectors, it can be difficult to tell these two fiber types apart. So, what’s the difference between OM3 vs OM4? Do these two types fiber refer to the same thing?

OM3 vs OM4

What’s the Difference: OM3 vs OM4

In fact, the difference between OM3 vs OM4 fiber is just in the construction of the fiber optic cable. The difference in the construction means that OM4 cable has better attenuation and can operate at higher bandwidth than OM3. What is the reason of this? For a fiber link to work, the light from the VCSEL transceiver much have enough power to reach the receiver at the other end. There are two performance values that can prevent this—optical attenuation and modal dispersion.

Attenuation is the reduction in power of the light signal as it is transmitted (dB). Attenuation is caused by losses in light through the passive components, such as cables, cable splices, and connectors. As mentioned above the connectors are the same so the performance difference in OM3 vs OM4  is in the loss (dB) in the cable. OM4 fiber causes lower losses due its construction. The maximum attenuation allowed by the standards is shown below. You can see that using OM4 will give you lower losses per meter of cable. The lower losses mean that you can have longer links or have more mated connectors in the link.

Maximum attenuation allowed at 850nm: OM3 <3.5 dB/Km; OM4 <3.0 dB/Km

Light is transmitted at different modes along the fiber. Due to the imperfections in the fiber, these modes arrive as slightly different times. As this difference increases you eventually get to a point where the information being transmitted cannot be decoded. This difference between the highest and lowest modes is known as the modal dispersion. The modal dispersion determines the modal bandwidth that the fiber can operate at and this is the difference between OM3 and OM4. The lower the modal dispersion, the higher the modal bandwidth and the greater the amount of information that can be transmitted. The modal bandwidth of OM3 and OM4 is shown below. The higher bandwidth available in OM4 means a smaller modal dispersion and thus allows the cable links to be longer or allows for higher losses through more mated connectors. This gives more options when looking at network design.

Minimum Fiber Cable Bandwidth at 850nm: OM3 2000 MHz·km; OM4 4700 MHz·km

Choose OM3 or OM4?

Since the attenuation of OM4 is lower than OM3 fiber and the modal bandwidth of OM4 is higher than OM3, the transmission distance of OM4 is longer than OM3. Details are shown in the table below. According to your network scale, to choose a more suitable cable type.

Fiber Type 100BASE-FX 1000BASE-SX 10GBASE-SR 40GBASE-SR4 100GBASE-SR4
OM3 2000 Meters 550 Meters 300 Meters 100 Meters 100 Meters
OM4 2000 Meters 550 Meters 400 Meters 150 Meters 150 Meters

Since OM4 performs better than OM3 cables, usually, OM4 cable is about twice as expensive as OM3 cable. This may be a big limited factor of OM4 cables’ application. However, if you choose to shop in Fiberstore, you may get much cheaper OM4 fiber nearly the same as the OM3 fiber. Price of different types OM3 and OM4 cables in Fiberstore is listed in the table below:

Fiber Type 3m Standard LC duplex 3m Armored LC duplex 3m HD LC duplex 3m Standard MTP
OM3 US$ 3.30 US$ 7.20 US$ 22.00 US$ 49.00
OM4 US$ 4.00 US$ 8.00 US$ 24.00 US$ 54.00

Either OM3 or OM4 cable can satisfy your unique cabling needs. Just choose the most suitable one for your network to cost less and achieve more.

Related Article: OM3 OR OM4 Cable Which One Do You Need?

Related Article: Multimode Fiber Types: OM1 vs OM2 vs OM3 vs OM4 vs OM5

Does Bend Insensitive Multimode Fiber Make Sense?

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Bend Insensitive MMFAs we all know, when optical fiber exceeds a certain bend radius, some amount of light can be lost, causing signal loss. This can happen during installation or anytime during fiber handling, and is often a concern within the tight spaces of high-density fiber patching areas in the data center. Today, a bend insensitive multimode fiber (BIMMF) was introduced, which can withstand tight bends, or even kinks, without suffering significant loss or any loss in a lot of cases. However, there are no standards around BIMMF and there are concerns about compatibility between BIMMF and traditional fibers. Besides, there are also questions around bandwidth measurements in the factory and actual performance in the fields. So, does BIMMF really make sense? Let’s find the answer together.

What Is Bend Insensitive Multimode Fiber?
Bend insensitive multimode fiber, first introduced in 2009, is quickly becoming the fiber of choice for high-performance enterprise LANs and data centers. With the introduction of BIMMF, installers were finally able to deploy fiber networks without fear of over-bending the fiber and degrading performance. Compared with standard fibers, BIMMF has a specially engineered optical “trench” added between the core and cladding. This trench contains the propagating modes within the fiber core, even in an extreme bend. It retains more of the light that would have escaped the core of a traditional multimode fiber. BIMMF enables more compact fiber management systems and to improve space utilization in modules, enclosures, cabinets and patch fields. Today, BIMMF is widely deployed in data centers and much has been published about its design and benefits.

BIMMF

Is BIMMF Compatible with Non-BIMMF?
The preceding core diameter and numerical aperture discussions revealed that there are mode-field shape differences between traditional MMF and BIMMF. These differences fundamentally reduce the match between these fiber types and can lead to elevated connection loss. However, modeling and testing on BIMMF has shown that an optimized BIMMF is backward compatible and can be mixed with non-BIMMF without inducing exconnection losscess loss. There is also evidence that connector incompatibility and fiber geometry differences (core diameter) may cause direction dependence regardless of fiber type. In fact, according to most fiber manufacturers, BIMMF is fully compatible with OM2, OM3 and OM4 standards for laser-optimized multimode fibers and is also backward compatible with the installed base of non-laser-optimized 50µm multimode fibers.

What Are the Issues?
Except the compatibility of BIMMF, there still exist some other issues. All BIMMF designs exhibit a length dependency if an overfilled launched is used. Higher-order modes that get launched into the trench can remain there for some distance until they attenuate. These modes that are captured and propagate within the trench area are referred to as “leaky modes.” This phenomenon affects splice and connector loss. On the other hand, non-BIMMF does not have a length dependency. An encircled flux launch mitigates the core diameter and numerical aperture length dependency for all BIMMF designs. Further, an encircled flux launch accurately depicts the system performance.

leaky modes of BIMMF

Conclusion
BIMMF allows cabling installers to deploy a network with less worry about inducing bend loss due to workmanship. Besides, it is also comparable and compatible with other non-bend insensitive multimode fiber such as OM3 and OM4. For proper operation of BIMMF links, either homogenous or mixed with legacy fiber, it is important to use a more tightly controlled launch—encircled flux. An overfilled launch will trap more high-order modes in the trench and performance will be compromised. With more and more fibers are being installed in smaller areas, requirements for a higher bend radius become crucial. BIMMF helps mitigate link failures when optical cables undergo small-diameter bends, particularly when applied in data center jumpers/modules and for high-performance computer applications, which really makes sense.

Source: http://www.fs.com/blog/does-bend-insensitive-multimode-fiber-make-sense.html

WBMMF – Next Generation Duplex Multimode Fiber in the Data Center

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Enterprise data center and cloud operators use multimode fiber for most of their deployments because it offers the lowest cost means of transporting high data rates for distances aligned with the needs of these environments. The connections typically run at 10G over a duplex multimode fiber pair—one transmit (Tx) fiber and one receive (Rx) fiber. Upgrading to 40G and 100G using MMF has traditionally required the use of parallel ribbons of fiber. While parallel transmission is simple and effective, continuation of this trend drives higher cost into the cabling system. However, a new generation of multimode fiber called WBMMF (wideband multimode fiber) is on the way, which can enable transmission of 40G or 100G over a single pair of fibers rather than the four or ten pairs used today. Now, let’s get close to WBMMF.

What Is Wideband Multimode Fiber?
WBMMF is a new multimode fiber type under development that will extend the ability of conventional OM4 fiber to support multiple wavelengths. Unlike traditional multimode fiber, which supports transmission at the single wavelength of 850 nm, WBMMF will support traffic over a range of wavelengths from 850 to 950 nm. This capability will enable multiple lanes of traffic over the same strand of fiber to transmit 40G and 100G over a single pair of fibers and to drastically increase the capacity of parallel-fiber infrastructure, opening the door to 4-pair 400GE and terabit applications. Multimode fiber continues to provide the most cost-effective platform for high bandwidth connectivity in the data center, and with the launch of the WBMMF solution, that platform has been extended to support higher speeds with fewer fibers and at greater distances.

Wideband Multimode Fiber

What Is the Technology Behind WBMMF?
WBMMF uses short wavelength division multiplexing (SWDM) to significantly increase its transmission capacity by four times. WDM technology is well known for its use in single-mode transmission, but has only recently been adapted for use with vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), which have been proven in high-speed optical communications and are widely deployed in 10G interconnection applications. SWDM multiplexes different wavelengths onto duplex MMF utilizing WDM VCSEL technology. By simultaneously transmitting four VCSELs, each operating at a slightly different wavelength, a single pair WBMMF can reliably transfer 40G (4x10G) or 100G (4x25G). The use of SWDM then enables WBMMF to maintain the cost advantage of multimode fiber systems over single mode fiber in short links and greatly increases the total link capacity in a multimode fiber link.

SWDM WBMMF

Why Does WBMMF Make Sense?
In order to increase transmission speeds up to 10G or 25G, transceiver vendors simply increased the speed of their devices. When 40G and 100G standards were developed, transmission schemes that used parallel fibers were introduced. This increase in fiber count provided a simple solution to limitations of the technology available at the time. It was accepted in the industry and allowed multimode links to maintain a low cost advantage. However, the fiber count increase was not without issues. At some point, simply increasing the number of fibers for each new speed became unreasonable, in part because the cable management of parallel fiber solutions, combined with the increasing number of links in a data center, becomes very challenging. Please see the picture below. Usually, 40G is implemented using eight of the twelve fibers in an MPO connector. Four of these eight fibers are used to transmit while the other four are used to receive. Each Tx/Rx pair is operating at 10G. But if we use WDMMF, two fibers are enough. Each Tx/Rx pair can transmit 40G by simultaneously transmitting four different wavelengths. This enables at least a four-fold reduction in the number of fibers for a given data rate, which provides a cost-effective cabling solution for data center.

Parallel fibers vs WBMMF

Conclusion
WBMMF is born at the right moment to meet the challenges associated with escalating data rates and the ongoing need to build cost-effective infrastructure. Besides, WBMMF will support existing OM4 applications to the same link distance. Optimized to support wavelengths in the 850 nm to 950 nm range to take advantage of SWDM, WBMMF ensures not only more efficient support for future applications to useful distances, but also complete compatibility with legacy applications, making it an ideal universal medium that supports not only the applications of the present, but also those of the future.

Related Article: OM5 Multimode Fiber FAQs

What are OM1, OM2, OM3 and OM4?

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There are different types of fiber optic cable. Some types are single-mode, and some types are multimode. Multimode fibers are described by their core and cladding diameters. Usually the diameter of the multimode fiber is either 50/125 µm or 62.5/125 µm. At present, there are four kinds of multi-mode fibers: OM1, OM2, OM3 and OM4. The letters “OM” stand for optical multimode. Each type of them has different characteristics.

Standard

Each “OM” has a minimum Modal Bandwidth (MBW) requirement. OM1, OM2, and OM3 fiber are determined by the ISO 11801 standard, which is based on the modal bandwidth of the multimode fiber. In August of 2009, TIA/EIA approved and released 492AAAD, which defines the performance criteria for OM4. While they developed the original “OM” designations, IEC has not yet released an approved equivalent standard that will eventually be documented as fiber type A1a.3 in IEC 60793-2-10.

Specifications

  • OM1 cable typically comes with an orange jacket and has a core size of 62.5 micrometers (µm). It can support 10 Gigabit Ethernet at lengths up 33 meters. It is most commonly used for 100 Megabit Ethernet applications.
  • OM2 also has a suggested jacket color of orange. Its core size is 50µm instead of 62.5µm. It supports 10 Gigabit Ethernet at lengths up to 82 meters but is more commonly used for 1 Gigabit Ethernet applications.
  • OM3 fiber has a suggested jacket color of aqua. Like OM2, its core size is 50µm. It supports 10 Gigabit Ethernet at lengths up to 300 meters. Besides OM3 is able to support 40 Gigabit and 100 Gigabit Ethernet up to 100 meters. 10 Gigabit Ethernet is its most common use.
  • OM4 also has a suggested jacket color of aqua. It is a further improvement to OM3. It also uses a 50µm core but it supports 10 Gigabit Ethernet at lengths up 550 meters and it supports 100 Gigabit Ethernet at lengths up to 150 meters.

OM1, OM2, OM3 and OM4 multi-mode fiber

Differences

There are several differences between four kinds of multi-mode fiber, and we can see them clearly from the table below:
OM1, OM2, OM3 and OM4 multi-mode fiber

  • Diameter: The core diameter of OM1 is 62.5 µm , however, core diameter of the OM2, OM3 and OM4 is 50 µm.
  • Jacket Color: OM1 and OM2 MMF are generally defined by an orange jacket. OM3 and OM4 are usually defined with an aqua jacket.
  • Optical Source: OM1 and OM2 commonly use LED light source. However, OM3 and OM4 usually use 850 nm VCSELs.
  • Bandwidth: At 850 nm the minimal modal bandwidth of OM1 is 200MHz*km, of OM2 is 500MHz*km, of OM3 is 2000MHz*km, of OM4 is 4700MHz*km.

OM3 & OM4 are Superior to OM1&OM2

10G OM3Both OM1 and OM2 work with LED based equipment that can send hundreds of modes of light down the cable, while OM3 and OM4 are optimized for laser (eg. VCSEL) based equipment that uses fewer modes of light. LEDs can not be turned on/off fast enough to support higher bandwidth applications, while VCSELs are capable of modulation over 10 Gbit/s and are used in many high speed networks. For this reason, OM3 and OM4 are the only multi-mode fibers included in the 40G and 100G Ethernet standard. Now OM1 and OM2 are usually used for 1G which are not suitable for today’s higher-speed networks. OM3 and OM4 are used for 10G mostly at present. But in the future, since OM3 and OM4 can support the 40G and 100G, which may make them the tendency.

Related article: Singl-mode vs. Multimode Fiber Cable

The types of Fiber Optic Cable

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Fiber optic cables are the medium of choice in tele communications infrastructure, enabling the transmission of high-speed voice, video, and data traffic in enterprise and service provider networks. Depending on the type of application and the reach to be achieved, various types of fiber may be considered and deployed.

Multimode vs. Single-Mode Cable

Multimode cable has a large-diameter core and multiple pathways of light. The two most commnon are 50 micron and 62.5 micron.

Multimode fiber optic cable can be used for most general data and voice fiber applications, such as bringing fiber to the desktop, adding segments to an existing network, and in smaller applications such as alarm systems. Both 50- and 62.5-micron cable feature the same cladding diameter of 125 microns, but 50-micron fiber cable features a smaller core (the light-carrying portion of the fiber). Also, both also use either LED or laser light sources.

Although both can be used in the same way, 50-micron cable is recommended for premise applications (backbone, horizontal,and intrabuilding connections) and should be considered for any new construction and installations. The big difference between the two is that 50-micron cable provides longer link lengths and/or higher speeds, particularly in the 850-nm wavelength. 50 micron OM4 fiber optic cable now save up to 30% off sale in our store, if have interest, search Fiberstore on google.

Single-mode cable has a small 8–10-micron glass core and only one pathway of light. With only a single wavelength of light passing through its core, single-mode cable realigns the light toward the center of the core instead of simply bouncing it off the edge of the core as multimode does.

Single-mode cable provides 50 times more distance than multimode cable does. Consequently, single-mode cable is typically used in high-bandwidth applications and in long-haul network connections spread out over extended areas, including cable television and campus backbone applications. Telcos use it for connections between switching offices. Single-mode cable also provides higher bandwidth, so you can use a pair of single-mode fiber strands full-duplex for up to twice the throughput of multimode fiber.

Fiber Optic Cable

Simplex vs. duplex Patch cables

Multimode and single-mode patch cables can be simplex or duplex.

Simplex has one fiber, while duplex zipcord has two fibers joined with a thin web. Simplex (also known as single strand) and duplex zipcord cables are tight-buffered and jacketed, with Kevlar strength members. Because simplex fiber optic cable consists of only one fiber link, you should use it for applications that only require one-way data transfer. For instance, an interstate trucking scale that sends the wieght of the truck to a monitoring station or an oil line monitor that sends data about oil flow to a central location.

Use duplex multimode or single-mode fiber optic cable for applications that require simultaneous, bidirectional data transfer. Workstations, fiber switches and servers, Ethernet switches, backbone ports, and similar hardware require duplex cable.

Indoor/Outdoor Cable

Indoor/outdoor cable uses dry-block technology to seal ruptures against moisture seepage and gel-filled buffer tubes to halt moisture migration. Comprised of a ripcord, core binder, a flame-retardant layer, overcoat, aramid yarn, and an outer jacket, it is designed for aerial, duct, tray, and riser applications.

PVC (Riser) vs. Plenum-Rated

PVC cable (also called riser-rated cable even though not all PVC cable is riser-rated) features an outer polyvinyl chloride jacket that gives off toxic fumes when it burns. It can be used for horizontal and vertical runs, but only if the building features a contained ventilation system. Plenum can replace riser, but riser cannot be used in plenum spaces.

“Riser-rated” means that the jacket contains PVC. The cable carries a CMR (communications riser) rating and is not for use in plenums.

Distribution-Style vs. Breakout-Style

Distribution-style cables have several tight-buffered fibers bundled under the same jacket with Kevlar or fiberglass rod reinforcement.These cables are small in size and are used for short, dry conduit runs, in either riser or plenum applications. The fibers can be directly terminated, but because the fibers are not individually reinforced, these cables need to be broken out with a “breakout box” or terminated inside a patch panel or junction box.

Breakout-style cables are made of several simplex cables bundled together, making a strong design that is larger than distribution cables. Breakout cables are suitable for conduit runs and riser and plenum applications.  Fiberstore supply high quality Multi-purpose Breakout Cables which facilitates easy installation of fiber-optic connectors. Buy Bulk Fiber Optic Cable on our worldwide online store with your confidence.

Loose-Tube vs. Tight-Buffered Fiber Optic Cable

There are two styles of fiber optic cable construction: loose tube and tight buffered. Both contain some type of strengthening member, such as aramid yarn, stainless steel wire strands, or even gel-filled sleeves. But each is designed for very different environments.

Loose-tube cable is specifically designed for harsh outdoor environments. It protects the fiber core, cladding, and coating by enclosing everything within semi-rigid protective sleeves or tubes. Many loose-tube cables also have a water-resistant gel that surrounds the fibers. This gel helps protect them from moisture, which makes loose-tube cable great for harsh, high-humidity environments where water or condensation can be a problem. The gel-filled tubes can also expand and contract with temperature changes. There are many fiber cable types of loose tube, for example, ADSS Cable is used by electrical utility companies as a communications medium.

But gel-filled loose-tube cable is not the best choice when cable needs to be routed around multiple bends, which is often true in indoor applications. Excess cable strain can force fibers to emerge from the gel.

Tight-buffered cable, in contrast, is optimized for indoor applications. Because it’s sturdier than loose-tube cable, it’s best suited for moderate-length LAN/WAN connections or long indoor runs. It’s easier to install, as well, because there’s no messy gel to clean up and it doesn’t require a fan-out kit for splicing or termination. You can install connectors directly to each fiber.

Information About Cable Components

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Pick up any cabling catalog, and you may locate a variety of components and associated buzzwords that you never dreamed of. Including patch panel, wall plate, plenum, modular jacks, raceways, fiber optic pigtails and patch cords are only a few. Exactly what do all of them mean, and just how are these elements used to create a structured cabling system?

In this blog, we’ll provide some information about the structured cabling system so that you won’t feel so confused next time you select up a cabling catalog or assist professional cabling installers. Today, we mainly explain the cable components relevant information. If you wish to find out about components, pls visit FiberStore Tutorial, we provide some detail information regarding the fiber optic components.

We’ll describe the constituents involved with transmitting data from the work area towards the telecommunications room or enclosure. These major cable components are horizontal cable, backbone cable, and patch cords used in cross-connections and then for connecting to network devices.

Horizontal and Backbone Cables

The terms horizontal cable and backbone (sometimes called vertical or riser) cable do not have anything regarding the cable’s physical orientation toward the horizon. Horizontal cables run between a cross-connect panel in a telecommunications room and a telecommunications outlet located near the work area. Backbone cables run between telecommunications rooms, and enclosures,as well as the main cross-connect point of a building (usually found in the equipment room). The photo illustrates the standard components seen in a structured cabling environment, like the horizontal cable, backbone cable, telecommunication outlets, and patch cords.

Fiber Patch cord

Fiber patchcord can be used in patch panels to supply the link between field-terminated horizontal cables and network connectivity devices (for example switches and hubs) and connections between the telecommunications outlets and network devices (including computers, printers, as well as other Ethernet-based devices). They are the part of the network wiring you could see. As the saying goes, a sequence is merely as strong since it’s weakest link. Due to their exposed position in structured cable infrastructures, patch cords are nearly always the weakest link.

Whereas horizontal UTP cables contain solid conductors, patch cords are created with stranded conductors because they’re more flexible. The flexibility allows them to withstand the abuse of frequent flexing and reconnecting. Although you could make your own field-terminated patch cords, we strongly suggest against it.

The manufacture of patch cords is quite exacting, and even under controlled factory conditions it is difficult to attain and guarantee consistent transmission performance. The first challenge lies inside modular plugs themselves. The parallel alignment from the contact blades forms a capacitive plate, which gets to be a source of signal coupling or crosstalk. Further, the untwisting and splitting of the pairs as a result of the termination process raises the cable’s susceptibility to crosstalk interference. In the event that weren’t enough, the mechanical crimping method that secures the plug towards the cable may potentially disturb the cable’s normal geometry by crushing the conductor pairs. This is another supply of crosstalk interference along with a source of attenuation.

Tip:Patch cords which were factory terminated and tested are required to achieve consistent transmission performance. At first, patch cords seems to be a no-brainer, nevertheless they could possibly function as the most important element of accurately specify. When specifying patch cords, it’s also possible to require your patch cords be tested to make sure that they fulfill the proper transmission-performance standards for category.For more information about fiber optic patch cable types or want to buy the patch cable, pls contact this email: sales@fs.com.

Introduction on Several Types Of Fiber Optic Cable

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There are many types of fiber optic cable. However, how much do you know about them? Don’t worry. Read through this post to learn different types of fiber optic cable and have a general understanding of them in case of needing.

Types Of Fiber Optic Cable

Similar Two Types Of Fiber Optic Cable: Simplex and Duplex

1 or 2 fibers (zip cord) cable. This flexible yet durable bulk fiber cable is perfect for building duplex fiber or simplex fiber optic cable assemblies or any project that requires a more durable single or dual core fiber connection. Multimode or Single mode. This series features 125μm fibers with a tight buffer, then the aramid yarn for strength and a final outer jacket for protection. There are multiple fiber modes and jacket colors to choose from OM3 fiber optic cable, 50/125, 62.5/125 or 9/125. Our bulk fiber cable is sold by the meter and there is no minimum or maximum order. Contact us today for large project volume discounts.

900um Tight Buffer Cable
This flexible yet durable bulk fiber cable is perfect for building your own Multimode or Singlemode fiber jumpers or for fiber optic pigtails.This series features a 900um outer jacket and single fiber. There are multiple fiber modes and jacket colors to choose from 10Gb OM3, 50/125, 62.5/125 or 9/125. Our bulk fiber cable is sold by the meter and there is no minimum or maximum order. Contact us today for large project volume discounts.

Fiber Optic Distribution Cable
4 to 144 fiber distribution cable. This is a flexible yet durable bulk fiber cable. Multiple fibers, each wrapped inside a .9 mm (900um) jacket, then a Aramid yarn strength member surrounds the buffer, and all in finally wrapped is a Riser, Plenum, or LSZH Jacket.There are multiple fiber modes and jacket colors to choose from 10Gb OM3, 50/125, 62.5/125 or 9/125. Our bulk fiber cable is sold by the meter and there is no minimum or maximum order. Contact us today for large project volume discounts.

OM4 OM3 10G Fiber Cable
OM4 fiber & OM3 multimode fiber 10G Fiber Cables are used in any data center looking for high speeds of 10G or even 40G or 100G. OM3 & OM4 multimode fiber are ideal for using in many applications such as Local Area Networks (LAN) backbones, Storage Area Networks (SAN), Data Centers and Central Offices.

Indoor/Outdoor Cable
FiberStore Offers a wide range of Indoor/Outdoor Cable in Distribution Cable. 900um buffered fiber that are easy to splice or termi-nate, surrounded by Aramid Yarn and wrapped in a OFNR (Riser rated) or OFNP (Plenum Rated) Jacket.

Breakout Cable
Breakout cable flexible and easy to terminate, with individual 900um buffered fibers, then each is separately cover in Aramid Yarn and individually jacketed with a 2-2.5mm tube, then a final Riser Rated (OFNR) jacket adds the final protection. Good for indoor and out-door use.

Fiber Optic Ribbon Cable
12 fiber or 8 fiber, jacketed or bare ribbon cable. This flexible yet durable bulk fiber cable is perfect for building MTP / MPO fiber assemblies or any project that requires a fiber array. Multimode or Singlemode. This series features 250μm fibers with a matrix on the out side for protection. Then a outer jacket with Kevlar support. There are multiple fiber modes and jacket colors to choose from 10Gb OM3, 50/125, 62.5/125 or 9/125. Our bulk fiber cable is sold by the meter and there is no minimum or maximum order. Contact us today for large project volume discounts.

Loose Tube Cable
Loose tube cables are the most widely used cables for outside plant trunks because it offers the best protection for the fibers under high pulling tensions and can be easily protected from moisture with water-blocking gel or tapes.These cables are composed of several fibers together inside a small plastic tube, which are in turn wound around a central strength member, surrounded by aramid strength members and jacketed, providing a small, high fiber count cable. Some outdoor cables may have double jackets with a metallic armor between them to protect from chewing by rodents or kevlar for strength to allow pulling by the jackets.

Aerial Self Supporing Figure 8
Multiple Fiber , each being 250um fibers that are in bundles with a max of 12 fibers per tube, Then a water blocking filling compound. All is then wrapped in a loose tube, then Aramid yarn is wrapped around the tubes and a central strength member. A poly sheath is wrapped around and A cable is added for aerial support. and finally wrapped all with a Poly jacket. Available in All fiber modes.

Armored Double and Single Jacket
Multiple Fiber , each being 250um fibers that are in bundles with a max of 12 fibers per tube, Then a water blocking filling compound.All is then wrapped in a loose tube, then Aramid yarn is wrapped around the tubes and a central strength member. Armored layer is added to all and some cases a double layer. All is finally wrapped with Poly jacket.

By the way, FiberStore is a professional fiber optic cable manufacturer. It offers competitive fiber optic cable prices. For more cables info or price, you can visit FS.COM for more details.

types of fiber optic cable

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