Cabling Chronicles
Ethernet Cable Categories Explained: A Brief History
Millennials who entered the workforce between 2003 and 2016 are accustomed to the digital era: high-speed internet access, smartphones, online everything. And while they’ve definitely experienced advancements in technology during their lifetime, they may not be aware of just how far copper Ethernet cabling has come to make it all possible. We thought we’d start off 2022 with a little Ethernet history lesson for the younger generation and a walk down memory lane for those of us that have been in the industry a bit longer than we’d like to admit.
February 24, 2022
February 9, 2022
How to Test an SFP Transceiver and Network Cable
Recently we have been getting questions about how to determine if an SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable) transceiver is working. We refer to SFP generically here to represent a multitude of the various optical modules that are available. Fluke Networks fiber testers can be used to measure the light that is being put out by an SFP.
January 21, 2022
Choosing the Best Fiber Optic Scope for Today’s Fiber Inspection
Contaminated connections remain the number one cause of fiber related problems and failures in data centers, campus, and other enterprise or telecom networking environments. But it’s not enough to just clean every fiber end face—there is no way to know if the end face is clean unless you inspect it.
January 4, 2022
Fiber vs. Copper to the Edge: Why Fiber is a Growing Choice for Smart, Sustainable Buildings
For years, we’ve heard about FTTX making its way into the horizontal LAN — fiber to the desktop, fiber to the office, fiber to the enclosure, fiber to the zone, etc. Often referred to as “fiber to the edge” or FTTE, most of these deployments have traditionally been for high-security government environments or specialty applications or devices. Now, as bandwidth requirements continue to increase and the commercial real estate industry is trending towards smarter and more sustainable buildings, the question of using fiber vs. copper is more relevant.
December 8, 2021
December 1, 2021
Are your fiber optic cables and testers ready for 400G Ethernet?
Driven by large hyperscale and cloud data center providers, advancements in signaling and transceiver technology have led to the development of next-generation transmission speeds. There are now multiple options available for 400G Ethernet applications over multimode and single-mode fiber with more on the horizon. And it doesn’t stop there—big players like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft are driving innovation to support 800 Gig and 1.6 Terabit applications, and the IEEE Beyond 400 Gig Ethernet Study Group is already defining objectives.
September 28, 2021
Insertion Loss
What is Insertion Loss?
Insertion loss is the amount of energy that a signal loses as it travels along a cable link. It is a natural phenomenon that occurs for any type of transmission—whether it's electricity or data. This reduction of signal, also called attenuation, is directly related to the length of a cable—the longer the cable, the greater the insertion loss. Insertion loss is also caused by any connection points along a cable link (i.e., connectors and splices).
Insertion Loss Formula
August 25, 2021
The Metal LC Connector: say goodbye to broken latches on fiber test reference cords
While there are many different types of optical connectors depending on what type of components you’re using, LC connectors have become very common throughout the networking industry.
Plastic LC connectors
Using plastic for connections that are going to be plugged in and rarely touched again works perfectly. But, when those connections need to be repeatedly made and disconnected, for example with fiber test reference cords, the flexible latch on the housing often breaks because of the repeated flexing.
August 23, 2021
PoE Load Testing: Advanced Troubleshooting for Your PoE Systems
Since the original IEEE 802.3af Type 1 power over Ethernet (PoE) standard that delivered up to 15.4 Watts (W) was first introduced in 2003, the technology has evolved to include Type 2 (up to 30 W), Type 3 (up to 60 W), and Type 4 (up to 90 W). That means PoE voltage now supports everything from phones, Wi-Fi access points, and surveillance cameras, to laptops, digital displays, and even facility-wide LED lighting—all requiring various levels of PoE power.
July 27, 2021
