Tag: Fiber Optic Patch Cables

Fiber optic patch cables (also is known as optial fiber jumer) are widely used for high speed communication needs and they can be found in routers, fiber patch panels, media converters and even in hubs and switches. Fiber optic patch cables are preferred over normal copper cables because use of fiber optic patch cables result in comparatively lower loss of signal and because they are highly reliable. The military prefers fiber optic patch cables because these cables are hundred percent immune to any electromagnetic interference.

The cost factor effects the choices of many people where the battle between copper cables and fiber optic patch cables are concerned. However, one prominent point to distinguish is that fiber optic patch cables are hundreds of times, if not thousands, faster than regular ones. A cleverly designed and planned out cabling network using fiber optic patch cables could actually end up being less expensive for you.

Also remember the faster the copper cable gets, the more it will cost you. So after all, maybe copper cables might not be as cheap as you think. If you think in terms of networks cost and not just of cabling component costs you might even find that fiber optic patch cables are comparatively cheaper.

If you are looking for quotes for fiber optic patch cabels then you might find thousands of quotes online. But don’t just think about the cost; remember that a cheaper product might end up costing you more in the long run as such a product will likely have a shorter lifetime. Always settle for fiber optic patch cables that come with a good warranty and after service facilites.

Fiber optic patch cables are used in a variety of conditions from local area network to airplanes. Especially with communication industry hiking up the list of importance, fiber optic patch cables have walked hand in hand in the journey, facilitating many a thousand requirements around the globe.

If you by any chance, hope to get in to telecommunications or similar, accquiring thorough knowledge about fiber optic patch cable is a must. To get the basic idea you can get plenty of material online but to get a comprehensive idea about fiber optic patch cables you might need some expert advice and there are probably thousands of detailed books and other material on this subject.

As the professional fiber optic patch cables provider, fiber-mart supply a range of optical patch cord, such as LC fiber cable, ST fiber cable, MTP MPO cable, LC SC patch cord and more. If you would like to purchase our optical patch cables, please contact us.

Times are tough these days, which is why many people are looking to save a few dollars any way they can. A couple weeks ago we made a video showing you How To Build an Inexpensive Wall Mount Fiber Box. We’ve already had quite a few customers thank us for that cost saving solution. Today, let’s talk about making your own fiber optic patch cables.

Seems like just about everyone in the low voltage industry has made their own ethernet cat5e/cat6 cables at least once in their life (me included). And I’m sure you have too. So you’re thinking, those are really easy and only take a few minutes, why don’t I just start making my own fiber cables. Unfortunately, we’re not comparing apples to apples here. Making your own fiber cables CAN be an easy process, but it’s not very economical. I’m talking about the FAST fiber connectors from AFL Telecommunications. Although these connectors require only a couple minutes per strand to complete, they are much pricier than regular connectors and still require a couple expensive tools. It wouldn’t make sense to buy these unless you already had the tools and did fiber terminations regularly. Even then, the cost of the connectors make this an expensive way to make fiber jumpers. If this is still something your interested in, watch the video below.

The other option for making fiber cables would be epoxy fiber connectors. These connectors have been around for quite a while now and are fairly inexpensive. The problem with these connectors is the amount of time involved in terminating them. In addition, you still need all the tools and testing equipment to get the job done. Well, I thought you were going to show us how to make fiber jumpers? That’s where the “kinda” comes in. Watch the video below for a brief explanation on making fiber cables, but when it comes down to it, buying pre-made fiber cables is the way to go. You can order them in any length you need, with any type of fiber, and any type of connector. If you need more than 2 strands of fiber, or plan on using them for a long distance, I would recommend Pre-Terminated Fiber Optic Cable. Pre Terminated fiber assemblies are just like the fiber jumpers, but can be pulled long distances and are much more durable. To order any of the products talked about in this article, simply click the links above or visit fiber-mart.com.

The basic definition of patch cables means an electronic cable which connects electronic devices. It allows the transmission of data between them. There are different types of patch cables in the market with fiber optic patch cables being one of the types. Other types include microphone, headphones, RCA, and ethernet.

Fiber optic patch cable, cord or often known as optical jumper, is a fiber cable terminated with fiber optic connectors (LC, SC, MTRJ, ST, and more) at each of their ends. These connectors allow the cord to stay connected to an optical switch or other computing devices. These cords are ideal for indoor use in server rooms, data centers, medical imaging, mechanical engineering, LAN applications, Cable TV networks, Telephone lines, and more.

If you are looking to buy fiber optic jumper for your system, first you should be aware of its types and functionalities. And then choose according to your requirements.

Let’s dive in!

Armored Fiber Patch Cord: It is stronger than the standard fiber patch cord containing all its features. Armored fiber patch cord is resistant to adults’ stepping and is anti-rodents. It is as flexible as a standard fiber optic patch cord.

Bend Insensitive Fiber Patch Cord: It is resistant to bend related damages. It contains a small cable bending radius and prevents additional bend damages by its inventive core design. And also because of its low macro-bending sensitivity. It supports data center, FTTH applications, and high-density cabling that have to be wrapped and adjusted in the tight corners.

Mode Conditioning Fiber Patch Cord: It is a duplex multimode fiber patch cord which has a small length of single mode fiber at the starting point of the transmission length. It is to solve technical issues involved when using single-mode equipment on the existing multimode cable plant. This type of cables’ major aim is to drive the distance of installed fiber plant beyond its original applications as well as to improve data signal quality.

Low Insertion Loss Fiber Patch Cable: It looks similar to common patch cable by its appearance. But its connectors at the ends contain relatively less insertion loss.

Uniboot Fiber Patch Cord: These cords terminate with specially designed LC uniboot connectors. This fiber patch cable unites two fiber in a single cable which delivers high better performance in the high-density cabling environment. It cuts down the cable count up to 50%. It represents the best fit for places where there’s a scarcity of place.

Switchable Fiber Patch Cord: It enables fast polarity change in the field without needing special tools or training. With a compact design, switchable fiber patch cord attributes to more efficient cable management in high-density environment.

And Here’s How To Choose The Right Fiber Optic Jumper:

Step 1: Choose The Right Connector Type

The ends of fiber optic patch cord contain different connectors including LC, SC, ST, FC, MPO, and MTP. Kindly note that these connectors are for different devices. If you want to connect similar ports type devices, use connectors with the same type of connectors on both ends such as LC-LC, SC-SC, MPO-MPO. If you want to connect different ports type devices, LC-SC, LC-ST, LC-FC cables might help.

Step 2: Consider The Mode

These patches are available in two types of modes: Single-mode and multimode. Single-mode patch cables are ideal for long distance data transmission. If you are looking for relatively shorter distances, multimode fiber optic patch cord could be an ideal choice.

Step 3: Simplex Or Duplex Cable?

Simplex means the fiber patch cable contains a single strand of glass or plastic fiber. It is generally used where only a single receive or transmit line is required between devices. Duplex means two fiber patch cables put side by side for common transceivers. Duplex cable type contains two strands of glass or plastic in comparison with the simplex cable.

Step 4: The Right Cable Length

These cables come in different length. Starting from 0.5m to 50m. It is of utmost importance to choose an appropriate length according to the distance between the devices you wish to connect.

Step 5: Connector Polish Type

There are two connectors available. APC and UPC. APC connectors are suitable for applications like FTTx, passive optical network and wavelength-division multiplexing. However, it is more expensive than UPC connector. For less sensitive digital system, UPC connects would be ideal.

Step 6: Choose The Cable Jacket Type

There are three jacket types: Polyvinyl chloride, Low smoke zero halogen, and Optical fiber nonconductive plenum.

PVC is ideal for horizontal runs from the wiring center.

LSZH is good to use between floors in commercial or residential buildings.

OFNP is good for vertical runs between floors and other applications.

Fiber products offer a wide selection of fiber optic jumpers with a variety of connectors, length, and cable types. The main thing is to consider your key requirement and choose the correct cable according to that to make the most out of it.