UPCOM TECHNOLOGY LIMITED

Difference Between Fiber Optic Cable vs Copper Cable



◆ Transmission Rate: Comparing the speed of data transmission, fiber optic cables are more than a hundred times faster than the transmission speed of electrons on copper conductors, at present, copper cable reach up to 40 Gbps, while OM5 optical fiber can reach 100 Gbps.



◆ Transmission distance：Both fiber optic cable and copper fibers are experienced signal losses over long distances, but this attenuation is much greater with copper. Over 100 meters, it is estimated that the optical fiber will only lose 3% of the signal strength, while within the same distance, the copper cable will lose 94% of the signal strength.



◆ EMI - Copper wires generate electromagnetic interference fields, which can cause signal errors in other cables. on the other hand, Fiber optic cabling is resistant to electromagnetic interference, making it ideal for industrial environments.



◆ Electrical Isolation - Because fiber optic cables do not carry electricity, there is no need for transmitters and receivers to the ground.



◆ Appearance - Fiber optic cables are about a quarter the diameter and a tenth the weight of copper cables, making them easier to install and promoting better air circulation in the cabinet.



Fiber optic cable vs Copper cable.jpg



There are two basic modes of fiber optic cabling: single mode and multi-mode.



Single mode cables have a small diameter 9micron core allowing one pathway of light, Multimode cables have two different large diameter core sizes 50 and 62.5micron allowing multiple pathways of light.



Single mode cables have theoretically unlimited bandwidth whereas multimode cables have a limited bandwidth. it's more suitable for long-distance applications, while multimode cables are better suited for short distance applications.



Single mode and multimode cables are available in Duplex and Simplex



Duplex fiber optic cables consist of two fibers, usually in a side-by-side style.they are used in applications that require simultaneous bi-directional data transfer, such as Fiber Media Converters, Industrial Ethernet Switches.



Simplex fiber optic cables consist of a single strand of glass plastic fiber and an outer sheath. They are used in applications that require one-way data transfer. Single mode fiber optic is typically used in applications such as telephone signals, cable TV, RS232/422/485 to Fiber Converter.


More Info:https://www.upcomnet.com/blog/single-mode-vs-multimode-fiber-5.html