Selecting the right optical fiber connector depends upon the installation it will be used in. If there is already existing optical fiber infrastructure, the first thing you should do is check which type of connectors are being used with that equipment because your connectors will have to be compatible.

It is important to remember that every optical fiber connector has two main properties: the connector type and the polishing type of the fiber inserted into it. This means that for an existing installation, the male and female connectors plugged into each other must be compatible in terms of both properties. The same connector type (SC, FC, LC, ST) must always be used to ensure proper mechanical coupling. The fiber polishing types (APC, PC, UPC) do not necessarily have to be the same, but they should be if you want to minimize loss. APC polishing must be matched with that same type, but the PC and UPC polishing types are compatible with each other. The quickest and easiest way to ensure compatibility is to make sure that the connector ends are the same color.

Finally, if your optical fiber infrastructure is being designed as completely new, you Will have more freedom to choose your connector types. In this case, you should always try to maintain as much uniformity as possible throughout the entire design. Here are some other best practices we recommend:

• In applications involving CATV, SMATV, or MATV, we recommend SC/APC for indoor use and FC/APC for outdoor use.
• For applications involving FTTH, we recommend SC/APC or LC/APC, depending on how much space is available for the connectors.

Connectors with APC polishing tend to be more expensive, but they can prevent return loss problems that can interfere with the signal. SC and LC connectors are simple but effective (an LC takes up half as much space as an SC), while FC connectors are threaded to improve attachment, which is needed in some outdoor applications.

Manual attachment is a common way to attach a female RJ45 connector to an Ethernet cable. However, the process can be done more quickly and easily by using a termination and cutting tool. First, let’s review the steps to follow for attaching a female connector manually:

1. Strip the cable and put each wire pair into its proper location, using the TIA‑568 A or B standard
2. Once the wires are over the correct pins, pull downward on them with some force
3. Trim the excess wire
4. Reattach the plastic piece with the wires to the rest of the connector, and press inward until the wires are fully inserted

Now, let’s compare this method with the termination and cutting tool. This time there is no need to pull downward on the pairs with force to insert them into their corresponding pins. In addition, the tool puts the connector in the correct position, and applying pressure with the tool crimps the pins and wires together and simultaneously trims the excess wire. It can be seen that using the tool makes attachment of the connector faster, easier, and more precise.

The video below demonstrates the time difference between the two options, and how easy it is to use the termination and cutting tool. You will see how 20 seconds can be saved for each connector, by watching this tutorial video.

Video-tutorial

Yes, an Ethernet switch can be used with optical fiber infrastructure, as long as it includes ports that are compatible with SFP. These ports allow connection of SFP devices, which are adapters that can expand the switch’s functionality through the use of single mode and multimode optical fiber cables.

In general, the most common types are known as SFP and SFP+ ports.

• SFP ports: these are designed for interconnection of SFP modules, and they support speeds of up to 1 Gbps.
• SFP+ ports: these allow interconnection of SFP+ modules, and they support speeds of up to 10 Gbps.

Various methods can be used to join two sections of optical fiber, although the most common methods are mechanical splicing and fusion splicing. A mechanical splicer is an acceptable option for occasional use. However, even though the tool is affordable, this advantage has to be weighed against the cost of the splice materials, which is 10 times higher than the cost of a fusion splice. If a poor result is achieved, the splice material cannot be reused, and specific optical equipment must also be available just to detect the problem. For all these reasons, fusion splicing is the best option for professionals who regularly work with optical fiber infrastructure. A fusion splicer measures optical losses after the fusion splice is completed. This provides secure information that the fusion has been performed correctly, and if it has not, the splice can be repeated at no extra cost. This method greatly reduces uncertainty and the possibility of flaws in the optical fiber cable.

In the case of specific applications where the lambdas are defined, it is possible to find devices that automatically take all of the optical measurements. This saves time and effort for the installer because the same process does not have to be repeated for each lambda.

Finally, a professional fusion splicer presents a fast, simple, and reliable fusion process as long as the steps are performed in the appropriate order.

Video-tutorial