What is the difference between Single mode and Multimode Fiber Optic Cable? How to Choose?

What is the difference between Single mode and Multimode Fiber Optic Cable? How to Choose?

Blog Article

Single-mode fiber (usually yellow) is suitable for long-distance communication

transmission, and multimode fiber (usually orange, aqua blue and other colors) is

suitable for short-distance communication transmission. This article will

introduce the difference between single mode and multimode fiber optic cable in

detail.

What is Single Mode Fiber Optic Cable?

In fiber optic communication,
rel="noopener">single-mode fiber (SMF) is a fiber that directly

transmits light signals in the transverse mode. Single-mode fiber operates at a

data rate of 100M/s or 1G/s, and the transmission distance can reach at least 5

kilometers. Usually, single-mode fiber is used for long-distance signal

transmission.

src="https://toem.com.cn/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/single-mode-fiber-optic.jpg"

alt="single mode fiber optic" width="751" height="427" >

What is Multimode Fiber Optic?

Multimode

fiber (MMF) is mainly used for short-distance fiber optic

communication. Such as within a building or on a campus. The typical transmission

speed is 100M/s, and the transmission distance can reach 2km (100BASE-FX). 1G/s

can reach 1000m, and 10G/s can reach 550m. There are two types of refractive

index: graded refractive index and step refractive index.

Basic differences between single-mode and multi-mode optical fibers

Single-mode optical fibers (Single Mode Fiber) transmit in one mode. The fiber

core is 9μm, and the rate is 100M/s or 1G/s. The transmission distance is more

than 5km, and the light source is a laser light source. The cable color is mostly

yellow, and the connector is mostly blue or green. The applicable wavelength is

1310nm~1550nm.



src="https://toem.com.cn/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/multimode-fiber-optic.jpg"

alt="multimode fiber optic" width="788" height="387" sizes="(max-width: 788px)

100vw, 788px">

Classification of Single Mode and Multimode Optical

Fibers

Single-mode optical fibers include
href="https://toem.com.cn/product-category/products/optical-fiber/single-mode-

fiber-optic/g-652-d/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">G652, G655, and


rel="noopener">G657. Multimode optical fibers include
href="https://toem.com.cn/product-category/products/optical-fiber/multimode-

fiber-optic/om1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OM1,
href="https://toem.com.cn/product-category/products/optical-fiber/multimode-

fiber-optic/om2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OM2,
href="https://toem.com.cn/product-category/products/optical-fiber/multimode-

fiber-optic/om3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OM3, OM4,

and OM5.

Most new OM5 fiber optic patch cords are lime green. Compared with OM4 fiber

optic patch cords, OM4 only supports single wavelength transmission at a time.

OM5 can support 4 wavelengths at a time, and the transmission distance is longer,

which will be widely used in 40G/100G data center cabling. OM1/OM2 is widely used

indoors, mostly orange. OM3/OM4 is mostly aqua blue, but also violet, magenta,

etc. It is mostly used in data centers for 10G-40G/100G.

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