Fiber Optic Technology
What is it?
Fiber-optic service was created to provide a packaged digital communication service for home and personal use. Although fiber-optic is the fastest communication medium, it was initially primarily used for Internet communication.
FiOS works through a point-to-multipoint network architecture. A single-mode fiber is stretched to the FiOS provider facility. From there, it is distributed to different subscribers through an optical splitter. An optical network terminal (ONT) is installed at the subscriber’s end to convert the fiber based light signal into equivalent signals for the copper based infrastructure found in most homes. FiOS was initially designed for home users but is now available for commercial use.
Fiber optic Internet is the future of broadband. It uses fiber-optic technology to reach the fastest speeds available today, as fast as 10000 Mbps (1Gpbs). Broadband is essential to the modern world we live in. Powered by fiber optic technology, fiber Internet is blowing its competitors out of the water. In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know about fiber Internet, including how it works and the challenges associated with it.
How it works
When we refer to “fiber” we are talking about fiber optic Internet, which is a form of fiber-optic communications. By sending a beam of light through fiber optic glass cables, we are able to transfer information through what is a truly fascinating process.
Light travels down a fiber-optic cable by bouncing repeatedly off the walls. Each tiny photon (particle of light) bounces down the pipe like a bobsleigh going down an ice run. Now you might expect a beam of light, traveling in a clear glass pipe, simply to leak out of the edges. But if light hits glass at a really shallow angle (less than 42 degrees), it reflects back in again as though the glass were really a mirror. This phenomenon is called total internal reflection. It's one of the things that keeps light inside the pipe.
The other thing that keeps light in the pipe is the structure of the cable, which is made up of two separate parts. The main part of the cable in the middle is called the core and that's the bit the light travels through. Wrapped around the outside of the core is another layer of glass called the cladding. The cladding's job is to keep the light signals inside the core. It can do this because it is made of a different type of glass to the core.
What's in a Fiber Optic Cable?
Types of Fiber-Optic Cables
Single-Mode
The simplest type of optical fiber is called single-mode. It has a very thin core about 5-10 microns (millionths of a meter) in diameter. In a single-mode fiber, all signals travel straight down the middle without bouncing off the edges
The first and most important layer is the core. The core is made up of thousands of glass tubes bundled together and supported by acentra; strength element.
The second layer of a fiber optic cable is the protective sheath called cladding. This increases the core's total internal relection to prevent data loss.
Core
Cladding
Plastic Coating
Plastic coating is wrapped around the fiber optic cable to reinforce the core and cladding for the third layer.
The fourth layer of the cable is made of strengthening fibers for added support.
Finally, the layers are wrapped in a cable jacket to protect against elements. This outer layer is found on every cable and wire
Strengthening Fibers
Cable Jacket
How do Fiber Optics transmit data?
After clicking “like” on your coworker’s witty post, that action becomes an electric data signal sent to your internet transmitter. The transmitter then converts the data into a light signal by changing its pulse and intensity.
Light signals travelling long distances pass through regenerators along the way that give boosts to avoid attenuation.
Thanks to the boosts, the strong signal arrives at the destination attenuation-free. The destination’s transmitter receives the signal and decodes it back to digital format to complete the transmission.
Trobleshooting Fiber Network
If you are experiencing issues with your fiber network, the issue is likely related to cleaning in some way. Those who fail to clean their fiber network equipment will often find that a simple cleaning of both hardware and fiber cabling (don’t overlook fiber patch panels) does the trick.
Take a look at your cables every now and then to ensure that they have not accumulated dirt. If they are dirty, grime will be pressed right into the optics. For hardware fiber inputs, you can use the same canned air that cleans off your computer keyboard to blow the dust, dirt and grime out of the optics.
If you run your fiber-optic cables through areas that receive a lot of foot traffic, they might have been compromised by someone’s misstep or a rolling chair. The little bit of pressure provided by a footstep or chair caster can severely compromise fiber integrity.
Even a cleaning crew member scooting a desk out from a wall by a few inches to vacuum can damage cables. Cables will also malfunction when handled in an inappropriate manner.
