Fiber Optic Installation

can be installed in the same topology as copper cable using distribution frames and switches
long-distance cables are laid as trunks or rings with repeaters or amplifiers to strengthen signal
duplex fiber is installed in pairs of strands
- one strand for transmit (Tx)
- one strand for receive (Rx)
Fiber optic connectors are quite easy to damage and should not be repeatedly plugged in and unplugged
Unused ports and connectors should be covered by a dust cap to minimize the risk of contamination

Fiber Optic Patch Cords

can come with same connector on each end or a mix of connectors
- E.g., ST to ST or ST-SC
duplex patch cords must maintain the correct polarity
- Tx port on transmitter is linked to the Rx port on the receiver and vice versa
- TIA/EIA standard sets out a system of A to B polarity
- each element in the link must perform a crossover
- must be an odd number of elements
  - E.g., two patch cords and a permanent link (3 elements)
connectors are keyed to prevent incorrect insertion
can use an optical power meter to determine whether an optical signal is being received from a particular fiber

core of a fiber optic connector is a ceramic or plastic ferrule that holds the glass strand and ensures continuous reception of the light signals
tip of ferrule can be finished in several formats:
- Physical Contact (PC)
  - common choice for standard fiber optic applications
- Ultra Physical Contact (UPC)
  - faces of the connector and fiber tip are polished so that they curve slightly and fit together better
  - has high-quality polish
  - significantly reduces back reflection compared to PC
    - crucial for high data transmission quality
  - ensures light signals are transmitted with greater clarity and strength
  - suitable for applications that demand high performance and reliability
    - e.g., high performance office building network
- Angled Physical Contact (APC)
  - faces are angled for an even tighter connection
  - angled polish provides greatest reduction in back reflection
  - typically used in applications that are highly sensitive to back reflections
    - e.g., long-distance and high-bandwidth transmissions
  - more expensive than UPC,
  - cannot be mixed with PC or UPC
must match finishing type when choosing a connector type
- APC finishing is not often supported by patch panels, transceivers, or switch ports designed for Ethernet
cable jacket and connector color-coding conventions: