When choosing a fiber optic transceiver, the first question after speed is whether to use single fiber or dual fiber. This choice directly determines how many optical fibers are occupied by the link, the cost of fiber core rental in the future, and the troubleshooting ideas. If you make the wrong choice, you will often need to exchange the entire batch. This article gives comparisons and criteria.
How the two links work
The dual-fiber transceiver occupies one optical fiber for transmitting and receiving, and the two ends transmit with the same wavelength. The structure is simple and straightforward.100M single-mode dual-fiber one optical and one electrical fiber optic transceiverIt falls into this category. The single-fiber model uses two wavelengths for bidirectional transmission on an optical fiber. One end transmits 1310 nanometers and receives 1550 nanometers, and the other end is exactly the opposite. Therefore, ends A and B must be used in pairs, for example100M single mode single fiber one optical one electrical fiber optic transceiver. Another advantage of dual-fiber is that the equipment at both ends is of the same model, and spare parts management is simple; for single-fiber spare parts, one copy must be prepared for each end.
Cost and operation and maintenance comparison
- Fiber core cost: A single fiber saves half of the fiber, which has obvious advantages when the pipe location is tight or across leased lines.
- Device cost: Single fiber has built-in multiplexer and demultiplexer, which is usually slightly more expensive than dual fiber at the same speed.
- Operation and maintenance: For double-fiber troubleshooting, you can directly change the fiber and try to connect; for single-fiber, you must first confirm that the pairing of both ends is not reversed.
- Spare parts: Dual fibers need to be of the same model, single fibers need to be prepared separately for A and B ends.
How to choose without suffering a loss
The criterion is simple: count fiber cores. There are no less than two optical fibers available between the two ends of the link and there is no rental fee. Double-fiber is preferred, as it is cheap and easy to repair. If only single-core is available, or the construction cost of re-laying the optical cable far exceeds the price difference of the device, single-fiber is selected. EB-LINK recommends separately listing the material codes for single fiber and dual fiber and marking their ownership on the distribution frame. In park projects, the two types often coexist. If the lists are clearly separated, there will be less trouble on the construction day.