We know that both optical fibers and optical modules have single-mode and multi-mode types, so we may have questions in use, how to use single-mode/multi-mode optical fibers and single-mode/multi-mode optical modules together? Can they be mixed? The following question and answer will answer this question for you.
Question 1: What is the difference between single mode fiber and multimode fiber?
Answer: single-mode fiber uses solid-state laser as light source; multi-mode fiber uses light-emitting diode as light source; single-mode fiber has a long transmission frequency bandwidth and long transmission distance, but because it requires a laser source, the cost is high; multi-mode fiber transmission speed is low, The distance is short, but its cost is relatively low; the core diameter and dispersion of single-mode fiber are small, allowing only one mode of transmission; the core diameter and dispersion of multi-mode fiber are large, allowing hundreds of modes to transmit.
Question 2: What is the difference between a single-mode optical module and a multi-mode optical module?
Answer: The working wavelength of the multi-mode optical module is 850nm; the working wavelength of the single-mode optical module is 1310nm and 1550nm; the devices used in the single-mode optical module are twice that of the multi-mode optical module, so the overall cost of the single-mode optical module should be Much higher than multi-mode optical modules; the transmission distance of single-mode optical modules can reach 100km; the transmission distance of multi-mode optical modules can reach 2km.
Question 3: Where are single-mode/multi-mode optical fibers and single-mode/multi-mode optical modules used?
Answer: Single-mode fiber can directly launch the fiber to the center, which is generally used for long-distance data transmission; in multi-mode fiber, the optical signal propagates through multiple channels, so multi-mode fiber is often used in short-distance data transmission.
Single-mode optical modules are often used in long-distance and relatively high transmission rate metropolitan area networks; multi-mode optical modules are used in short-distance transmission.
Question 4: Can multimode fibers be used with singlemode optical modules? If not, what is the reason?
Answer: No. Multi-mode fiber is best used with multi-mode optical modules, because multi-mode and single-mode converters must have corresponding wavelengths and optical transceiver functions to achieve photoelectric conversion, so multi-mode fibers can be used together with single-mode optical modules can not be guaranteed. Effect.
Question 5: All the optical modules in our computer room are single-mode optical modules, and the optical fibers are multi-mode. Do all the optical modules in the computer room need to be replaced with multi-mode?
Answer: It is best to replace all optical modules with multi-mode optical modules. Single-mode and multi-mode optical modules cannot be mixed, because the core diameters of single-mode optical fibers and multi-mode optical fibers are very different, which will cause too much insertion loss when the two are matched.