Which fiber optic cable is optimal for my installation?

Choosing a fiber optic cable can be a complicated process. Which fiber optic cable is optimal for my installation should consider many factors, including transmission speed, link attenuation, environment, cable types, fiber types, available equipment, optical connectors , splices, standards, and others.

However, the process can be simplified by following the manufacturer's and equipment instructions at the time of installation. These instructions usually provide enough information to select the appropriate fiber optic for easy installation.

Other considerations that must be taken into account when choosing the type of fiber cable for the installation should be the environment where it will be placed, the route through which our cable will pass, etc.

The first decision to make is whether to install a mono or multimode fiber optic system. Both are feasible but with different characteristics, necessary for depending on the type of installation.

Advantages of a single-mode fiber optic system

Singlemode fibers have the ability to transmit higher bandwidth and are ideal for long distance transmission links, and have lower attenuation than multimode fibers.

Singlemode fiber cables are cheaper than multimode cables and singlemode fibers can be found for optical wavelengths of 1310 and 1550 nm.

Advantages of a multimode fiber optic system

Multimode fiber is best suited for distances below 2 km and for wavelengths of 850 and 1310 nm. The bandwidth of a multimode fiber system is more dependent on its length.

Optical equipment for this type of fiber is generally cheaper than singlemode, however, multimode fiber optic cable is normally more expensive than singlemode fiber optic cable, but for short distances, savings in optical equipment can balance the cost.

62.5 / 125 um multimode fiber optic is the standard for LAN communications , as well as for Ethernet , Token Ring and FDDI networks careers in optics.

The conclusion can be drawn that single-mode fiber systems are generally used for long distances (above 2 km). Multimode fibers are intended for short-distance applications, as specified by optical equipment manufacturers.

The second decision to choose our fiber cable is the speed at which you will want to work. Below is the type of core of each of the optical fibers, the speed and the distance that each of them will support.