Fiber-Mart, worldwide leading supplier in fiber optic network, fttx, fiber cabling, fiber testing.

  by www.fiber-mart.com Multimode optical fiber  is the most common media choice for both backbone and horizontal distribution within the local area network (LAN) including campuses, buildings, and data centers. Let's take a closer look at the types of multimode fiber options based on bandwidth and distance needs.   1 GB/S NETWORKS The majority of enterprise fiber networks today still run 1000BASE-SX, delivering up to 1 Gb/s over multimode. OM1 cable will support 1000BASE-SX out to 275 meters, and that distance jumps to 550 meters with OM2 cable. OM3 and OM4 came after the 1000BASE-SX standard was written, so the distances up to 860 meters listed in the chart below are based on the gigabit Fibre Channel values. When IT managers require distances upwards of 860 meters, they will likely want to consider single-mode cable instead of multimode.   10 GB/S NETWORKS Many enterprise networks are moving beyond 1000BASE-SX and transitioning to 10 gigabit networks, such as 10GB...

  by www.fiber-mart.com With more than 100 fiber optic connector styles and types available today, the right choice for a particular application can often be difficult to figure out. Design and performance of both the optical fibers and connectors has become more sophisticated over the years. Today’s fiber connectors provide end-to-end solutions that cover a wide range of applications and, in many cases, can be easily terminated in the field.   Some early fiber optic connectors, used in telephone central offices, such as AT&T’s single mode Biconic and D4 style connectors were terminated with heat-cured epoxy adhesive and polished, at the factory, onto single mode optical fibers. They were used to connect high speed digital outside plant (OSP) fiber links. alt   These connectors have threaded nuts that tighten onto threaded equipment port receptacles. In the case of the D4 and FC, built-in keys provide repeatable optical coupling when mated to other FC/PC and FC/UPC bu...

  by www.fiber-mart.com Today’s networks require higher performance from the network cabling, as well as cost effective connectivity. Direct attach copper and fiber cables provide both of these with their factory terminated performance and reduction in costs associated with field terminations. Let's begin with the types of direct attach cables on the market today, advantages and disadvantages to each, and which cables are best for various applications.   What is a high speed direct attach cable?   A high speed direct attach cable is a type of factory terminated cable assembly used in data centers for point-to-point connections of active network equipment. These cable assemblies consist of fixed lengths of shielded copper coaxial or fiber optic cable with pluggable transceivers factory terminated on either end.  Direct attach cables  are available in popular transceiver form factors, including SFP, SFP+ and QSFP . You will typically find high speed interconnect c...

  by www.fiber-mart.com Fiber Optic Cable are composed of fine hair-like glass fibers and messages are transmitted by sending light beams down the thin strands of glass through a shielded cable. Fiber Optics Cables are comprised of three main areas:   1) Core: Designed as the light carrier of the optical fiber. It is made from a doped glass(Silica).The silica material of the core allows the light signals to be carried efficiently and effectively across the fiber.   2) Cladding: It is made up from a different type of silica and surrounds the core. The glass of the cladding is made to contain the light within the core.   3) Plastic Coating: This piece surrounds the Cladding and acts as a protector for the glass. It is normally clear (color), but for all Outdoor cables the coating is color coded to help identify the individual fibers. The coating has to be removed to connect the fiber to a connector or splice.   Bandwidth   Investing in Fiber Optic Cables can ...

  by www.fiber-mart.com Fiber Optic connectors are definitely distinctive compared to the traditional copper cable connectors. Instead of the metal-to-metal contact, fiber optic connectors need to align microscopic glass fibers in order for the communication data to carry efficiently.    Each connector contains three key components: Ferrule, Connector Body and Coupling Mechanism.   The ferrule is the thin structure that holds the glass fiber in place and they are generally made of ceramic, metal or plastic. The connector body is what holds the ferrule in place and allows it to attach to the members within the cable fiber. A coupling mechanism which essentially holds the connector while it is linked to another device. It may contain a clip or bayonet nut depending on the connector type.    Now, let's look at some popular connectors and what they are used for within networking applications:   SC Connector-(also known as the square connector) this type of...

  by www.fiber-mart.com Fiber optic cable has the ability to provide any business with safe, fast installations with higher bandwidth frequencies. In order to understand what fiber optic cable can do for your business or home, it's important to understand the basic construction.   Core- this is the very center of the cable and the light is guided down through by light transmission. The core is a single strand of glass that is measured in microns (µm). The larger the core, the more light the cable can carry.   Sizes of the core:  8μm (8.3 or 9μm) Single Mode 50μm - Mulit-mode 62.5μm - Multi-mode Cladding- this is a thin layer of glass that surrounds the core and serves to contain the light within the core. The cladding has a different index of refraction than the core so the light waves that are re-directed back into the core allow for continuous light transmission within the fiber.   Size of the cladding: 125 µm. Coating- This surrounds the cladding and acts as ...

  by www.fiber-mart.com As industry shifts begin to change, bandwidths continue to increase, and fiber prices have fallen, many organizations are asking the question, "When should I use fiber optic cables?"   Below is a list to consider when looking to use fiber optic cable:     1. Type of Project:   If a building is already primarily copper, it may make the most sense to stick with copper cables rather than making the switch to fiber optic. However, a cost-benefit analysis could be used to determine which choice to make. Depending on the amount of cable installed, there comes a point where it may be more cost-effective to install fiber. Also, if it is a new project, it may make more sense to install fiber instead of copper.    Evaluating the building's occupants will also give insight into which type of cables should be installed. If they will be looking to stay long term in a new space, then fiber optic cable may be the way to go. Depending on the de...

  by www.fiber-mart.com We have most likely seen an installation that has had little to no organization. Those long cables that help connect equipment to end devices without any type of patch cord or patch panel to help organization. Although some companies may take this approach to save money, any future need to add or move devices will be affected by this. When there is a need to add a new device, it can result in a mess that can cost even more than expected- Yikes!   ethernet-cables   Instead, using patch cables and patch panels helps to create a central point for an installation helping to condense cables, organize and streamline any connected devices. Another added benefit is being able to change or move cables when attaching new devices, etc. Using patch panels and patch cords offer a neat, concise and manageable way to connect different cables and lines to different servers and port across a location or building.   Listed below are several benefits in AV appli...

  by www.fiber-mart.com When it comes to installing cables outside or underground for ensuring that there is continued performance, there are a few different types of outdoor cabling products to consider:   Outdoor Cable Underground Burial Cable Direct Burial Cable However, not every cable that is technically outdoor-rate can be directly buried underground. So, let's take a closer look at these cables and the differences between them and how to use them in outdoor applications.   Outdoor Cable:   Outdoor cables feature an outdoor rating and can maintain performance despite harsh elements and conditions. For example, moisture, high/low temperatures, and tearing affecting signal integrity. But this cable is not designed to be buried underground.    Underground Burial Cable:    Underground cables can be installed - when it sits inside a conduit. This added protection allows the cable to sit underground and withstand exposure to the elements. These ca...

  by www.fiber-mart.com Fiber Optic cables offer a business many benefits for safe, fast installations with higher bandwidth frequencies. Fiber optic cables provide extreme pull tensions up to 600 lbs and a bend radius equal to coax cables.    If loss of fiber does occur it can result in disrupted communications and negative effects to local businesses. Review the steps below in order to repair any tainted connections quickly and effectively.   Making a plan of how to respond to any cable failure is a great idea. Have questions answered ahead of time such as: Do we have the proper equipment if a loss occurs? Who will have proper training and materials to fix the issue? How will we know if the issue occurs? How quickly do we want to be able to resolve any issues?   Important Factors to Restoring a proper connection effectively   1) Documentation- Producing accurate documentation during the installation process and making updates is critical. Start with manuf...

  by www.fiber-mart.com When selecting the right fiber optic connector to use for any job or installation there are a few key features to make note of. Not doing the proper preparation cable make the customer go from satisfied to unsatisfied pretty quickly. So what are some keys factors to look at when selecting the right connector for a fiber optic installation?   What is the equipment or panel that the fiber optic cables are connecting to? Match the class size to the appropriate connector glass type 1.OM1 to a beige color OM1 connector 2.OM2 50 micron black connector or aqua 3.OM3/4 50 micron aqua or maroon connector 4.OS2 single-mode blue connector   The termination Method: Mechanical, Epoxy Style (Termination Technique)   1.Mechanical – termination of a connector can take less than 2 minutes.   The disadvantages are the overall pull tension, but the connector can be reused. 2. Epoxy Style Termination: This termination technique requires a lot of time an...

  by www.fiber-mart.com Everyone knows that approx.. an year ago we use copper cables while using the internet connection of any brand. The service providers come up with copper cable to install the internet connection and provide the required service to them. But at present time, fiber optic cable is in demand. The users are quite happy with its performance as it rarely gets out of connection. On the other hand, it also gives a good speed to the user in comparison to the copper cables. Let’s discuss some other best advantages of fiber optic cable over the copper cables.   Greater BandwidthThe    copper cable has the capacity to handle greater bandwidth as originally it was designed for voice transmission and have a limited bandwidth. So, now it is used as a greater bandwidth device. It carries more data than copper cables at the same diameter. Within the fiber cable group, only single mode fiber can delivers up to twice the multimode fiber. So, users are fine with w...

  by www.fiber-mart.com In the past ten years, the traffic volume on China Telecom’s backbone networks has been growing at an astonishing rate of 47% per year. This poses a range of challenges to equipment investment, equipment room construction, power consumption and loading, and system operations. In an attempt to address some of these challenges, China Telecom is shifting from All-Optical Network 1.0 to All-Optical Network 2.0. The company plans to build a brand new network in line with its CTNet 2025 strategy through interconnection at the optical layer. The new network would be based on an “integrated, concise, agile and open” architecture and lay a solid foundation for future services such as 5G and cloud services.   Project Introduction China Telecom had good reasoning behind choosing the middle and lower region of the Yangtze River to pilot its All-Optical Network 2.0 project. The region holds 25% of China’s population and 30% of its GDP. It boasts a vibrant and innova...

  by www.fiber-mart.com It has been almost 20 years since DWDM came on the scene with Ciena’s introduction of a 16 channel system in March of 1996, and in the last two decades it has revolutionized the transmission of information over long distances.  DWDM is so ubiquitous that we often forget that there was a time when it did not exist and when accessing information from the other side of the globe was expensive and slow.  Now we think nothing of downloading a movie or placing an IP call across oceans and continents.  Current systems typically have 96 channels per optical fiber, each of which can run at 100Gbps, compared to the 2.5Gbps per channel in the initial systems.  All of this got me thinking about how it often takes two innovations coupled together to make a revolution.  Personal computers did not revolutionize office life until they were coupled with laser printers.  Similarly, the benefits of DWDM were enormous because of erbium doped fiber ...