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Fiber Optic Networking over Copper LANs
Advantages & Comparison
Development and introduction of wide band services require high
transmitting speeds as well as more efficient transmission modes. This demand is best served by fiber optics representing an optimal transmission method due to high transmission capacity. A fiber optic
cable with the same bandwidth as a comparable copper cable is less than 2% of both the size and weight. Apart from this characteristic, optical fibers provide a variety of advantages like low attenuation
and insensitivity to electronic interferences. Fiber optics do not use electric current or have interference. It uses less energy, maintenance costs are lower and is easier to install. CATV is also adopting
fiber optics. Only fiber has the necessary bandwidth for carrying voice, data and video simultaneously. Fiber is a secure medium, immune from tapping, because if the signal is tapped, light loss is unavoidable,
and the connection is shut down.
Lifespan:
A currently installed shielded twisted pair system with an expected
lifespan of eight years will have to be re-cabled after only 3-4 years due to the increased bandwidth requirements. Fiber optic cable, on the other hand, is currently ready to accept protocols and interfaces
such as FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface), ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode), ESCON (Enterprise Systems Connection), Fiber Channel and perhaps any additional mode that may arrive or be proposed in the
near future. Because of these capabilities it is believed that the lifespan of a fiber based LAN with multimode fiber goes up to thirty years.
Fiber Optic Networking vs Copper Cable Networking
Comparison Table
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FIBER OPTIC CABLE
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COPPER CABLE
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1.Transmission with Photons
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1.Transmission with Electrons
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2.Does not radiate Radio Frequency nor is susceptible
to Interference.
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2.Radiates signals capable of interfering with other
(RFI) electronic equipment.
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3. Fiber Optic Networks operate at speeds up to 2.5
GB per sec.
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3.Copper wire Networks operate at speeds up to 55 MB
per sec.
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4. Fibers have much higher bandwidth Single mode
>100GHz for 100m.
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4.Bandwidth is lower. 100m - 100MHz.
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5.Signals can be transmitted over much longer
distances > 40,000m for single mode.
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5.Signal attenuation and distortion is much higher
hence distances are about 100m.
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6. Cost is up to 100 times more, but maintenance is
very cheap.
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6.Cost is low, but maintenance is expensive.
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