| While intimidating in the abstract, fiber optic cables are in fact common facets of many modern data networks. Fiber optic cables, connectors, and patch panels are tools, and they can be employed as such, provided you know a few of the basic facts about fiber optic technology and the way in which it works.
Fiber optic cables are made from an incredibly pure glass known as silica. Because of its lack of impurities, silica can be used to transmit light from one location to another without altering the wavelength. A fiber optic cable uses this light to transmit data quickly and with little to no loss or interference.
Anatomy of a fiber optic cable Properly understanding fiber optics means properly understanding the anatomy of a fiber optic cable. Much of the jargon surrounding fiber optics helps to describe how fiber optic cables are constructed and what purpose they are designed to serve.
In addition to several strands of silica, fiber optic cables also include a cladding layer and at least one of several types of shielding. The cladding layer is placed directly around the silica strands, its purpose being to hold these strands in place and prevent them from being scored or jostled. When placed together with their cladding layer, a fiber optic cable's silica fibers are then referred to as the cable's core.
A plastic polymer covers the cladding layer, helping to prevent further damage and circumvent a bothersome type of interference known as crosstalk. On top of this polymer cover is placed a plastic shell, often constructed from a firm but lightweight substance such as Twaron or Kevlar. These shells are thicker on cables intended for outdoor use, and thinner on cables intended for indoor use.
Once surrounded by these protective layers, the silica cores of a fiber optic cable can serve as waveguides, safely moving light waves up and down their length. An important distinction that you'll want to keep in mind is the difference between singlemode and multimode fiber optic cables. Multimode fiber optic cables support multiple propagation paths along which information can travel, whereas singlemode fiber optic cables only support one such path. Because of their ability to transmit larger amounts of data at the same time, multimode fiber optic cables are often used for such purposes as setting up networks on business or academic campuses. However, multimode fiber optic cables begin to lose their reliability when cabled over long distances and singlemode fiber optic cables are often used when cabling over distances greater than 1,050-meters.
Another important distinction to keep in mind is that between simplex and duplex fiber optic cables. Simplex fiber optic cables can transmit data in only one direction, whereas duplex fiber optic cables can transmit data in two directions at once.
Once you've got a hold on the basic terms pertaining to fiber optic cables, it's time to take a look at fiber optic connectors.
Fiber Optic Connectors There are many different types of fiber optic connectors currently on the market, and in this introduction we're only going to go over some of the most common types. However, if you have a specialized optical fiber project in mind, there are many different resources for finding out the details about the different sorts of fiber optic connectors you can buy.
Probably the two most common types of fiber optic connector are ST-type connectors and SC-type connectors.
Most ST fiber optic connectors feature a 2.5mm ceramic ferule, though ST connectors with metallic or plastic ferules are available as well. ST connectors are spring-loaded to make sure that they seat properly. The most common application for ST fiber optic connectors is in large-scale multimode networks, such as those found on campuses or within office buildings. ST connectors are probably the most widely used connector type for this purpose.
SC fiber optic connectors have a 2.5mm ferule as well, though their design is a bit different from that of ST-type connectors. SC connectors feature a snap-in desgn that can be easily connected and disconnected from other network facets. Though they used to be more expensive than ST connectors, SC connectors have dropped in price over the past few years and are now used more often because of their easy utility and reliable performance.
Another fiber optic connector you should at least be aware of is the MTRJ (Mechanical Transfer Registered Jack) connector. This connector type is designed to emulate the shape of an RJ-45 connector, which you'll find on the end of almost any Cat5, Cat5e, or Cat6 network cable. If you plan on interfacing between your fiber optic network and a traditional Ethernet network, you might want to look for fiber optic cables with MTRJ connectors, as these cables will be able to serve as the connecting point between your electronic and fiber data systems (provided you have the proper adapters).  | |||
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