What is The Difference Between OM3 and OM4 Fiber? Know 2 Key Differences Today!

Multimode fibre has been particularly preferred by Ethernet users and obtained the most comprehensive reputation in network backbones wherein it has furnished customers the possibility to increase link distances, boom network reliability, and lower costs via centralizing electronics. Its discovery in the world of cables just came at the proper time. The power of OM3 fiber is because it uses laser-optimized fibre, this is the highest-ability medium for quick-wave 10G optical transmission. To meet the requirements of more extended variety packages, OM4 fibre joined multimode fibre circle after OM3 fibre. In this blog, we'll know what OM3 and OM4 fibre, and their differences with their applications.

What Are The OM3 and OM4 Cables?

OM3 and OM4 are common kinds of multimode fiber used in area networks, usually in backbone cabling among telecommunications rooms and within the data center amongst fundamental networking and storage area network (SAN) switches. Each of those fibre sorts is considered laser-optimized 50/125 multimode fiber, meaning they both have a core of 50μm micron diameter and a 125μm diameter cladding, that's a unique coating that prevents light from escaping. Each fibre type uses the identical connectors, the equal termination and the same transceivers—vertical-cavity floor emitting lasers (VCSELs) that emit infrared at 850 nanometers(nm). There are so many things in common with the MPO OM3 and OM4 cable. With such lots of similarities, and often are available in the same colors too, it becomes difficult to differentiate between them. So, here's a difference between OM3 and OM4 Cables.

Difference Between OM3 and OM4 Cables:

Modal Dispersion:

As is understood to most of the people, modal dispersion has more significant importance when it comes to bandwidth. The decrease in the modal dispersion, the higher the modal bandwidth and the more the quantity of data that may be transmitted. The minimum OM3 and OM4 fiber cable bandwidth at 850nm: OM3 2000 MHz·km; OM4 4700 MHz· km. It means that with OM4 cable, when higher bandwidth is available, smaller modal dispersion would happen and accordingly cable links could be longer or allow losses through mated connectors.

Optical attenuation:

Attenuation is because of losses in light via passive additives, which includes cables, cable splices, and connectors. Attenuation is the discount in the energy of the mild sign as it is transmitted (dB). The most attenuation of OM3 and OM4 fiber allowed at 850nm: OM3<3.5 dB/Km; OM4 <3.0 dB/Km. So, it's far apparent that OM4 fibre causes lower losses because of one of a kind of structure.

Selecting OM3 or OM4 cables depend upon your needs. If you are to set up 10 GB ethernet within 300 m, OM3 is the cable, and for up to 550 m, OM4 is the cable. It is dependent on your needs and future expansions which cable would work for you.

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