Single-Mode

When setting up a network that requires data to travel over long distances, most people opt to install single-mode fiber optic cable. Single-mode Fiber Cable is designed to carry only one ray of light making single-mode extremely useful for long transmission distances (see chart below for estimated distance’s). Single-mode fiber is used for its high carrying capacity, reliability, and lower power consumption.

Single-mode fiber is physically like multi-mode fiber, however, the glass core is significantly smaller – usually around 10 microns in diameter – and the light source enters the core at 90 degrees.

While single-mode fiber cables are physically similar to multi-mode fiber cables, the glass core is significantly smaller – usually around 10 microns in diameter – and the light source enters the core at 90 degrees. These cables are able to transmit data up to 40 miles with a bandwith of 1Gb’s. On the downside, the solid-state laser diodes typically used by single-mode cables make them two to three times more expensive than multi-mode cables.

Once you decide to use single-mode cable, over a multi-mode cable, you’ll then need to decide whether you need a simplex or duplex version. A simplex fiber cable has only one fiber optic strand and is typically used when data only needs to travel in one direction, such as radio, television and public announcement systems. A duplex fiber cable has two strands, which allows data to travel in both directions. Whether you need a simple one-way cable or a multi strand fiber cable, Gruber Communication Products has it all.