How to connect fiber to an apartment. Fiber optic from the operator Rostelecom for houses and apartments. Fiber optic cable is a unique high-tech product

From time to time I am asked about what methods of Internet connection exist and what type of access to the global network is better to choose for a country house or a house located within the city. Indeed, the IT market is literally overgrown with companies that provide Internet access services. What technologies are not used today in wireless and wired connections in order to cover the hard-to-reach area as much as possible, increase the data transfer speed, improve the quality of communication ...

As you know, Internet providers differ in the provision of services, namely the type of access to the Internet.

Internet service provider - a company that provides Internet access to its client and provides other related services.

There are types of Internet connections such as broadband, dial-up, and wireless. All of them are able to open the world of the Internet to you, although they work on a different principle. But first things first.

Ethernet - local network connection.

This is a fixed broadband Internet access via a dedicated line. The line laid by the provider is built on a fiber-optic or copper cable, which makes it possible to transfer data to computers at high speed. The material for creating a fiber optic cable is glass or plastic, and information on it is transmitted not by an electrical signal, but by a light signal, which allows the signal to be transmitted over huge distances with negligible attenuation.

A copper cable is a twisted pair (described here) through which information is transmitted by an electrical signal. Due to its peculiarity, twisted pair, unlike fiber optic cable, has a significant signal attenuation rate and is susceptible to electromagnetic interference. To increase the length of the communication channel, you should use cables with protection against interference and pickup, and to reduce the signal attenuation coefficient, you need to use special equalizers or signal buffers.

However, do Internet providers do it in practice where it is needed? It should be said that usually a fiber-optic cable is used to connect a sub-provider with a backbone provider and connect various buildings (multi-storey buildings, hotels ...) to the global network, and then there is a twisted pair.

True, the GPON technology (gigabit passive optical network) is already actively developing. Its essence lies in the fact that the provider starts the fiber-optic cable directly to your apartment and puts a special dividing box. In this situation, you technically have the ability to connect to the global network at a speed of 1 Gbps, in other cases the speed will not exceed 100 Mbps.

Be that as it may, a dedicated line is most optimal for connecting to the Internet at home (read more about that) or for obtaining shared access to the network in the office. As a rule, providers with this type of connection offer unlimited Internet, which means that you will not need to worry about the spent network traffic downloading information or walking around the network. Using a Wi-Fi router, you can connect other digital devices to the Internet (smartphone, tablet, laptop, Smart TV ...).

The high speed of the Internet channel in Ethernet technology makes it possible to quickly download impressive amounts of information, comfortably work in the network with multimedia and hold various video meetings online. Many providers providing Internet access via a dedicated line offer ip-television (IPTV) as an additional service, where some channels can be presented in HD format. Perhaps this is one of the best ways to connect to the Internet.

Modem connection (ADSL and Dial-Up).

This is a dial-up Internet access via a telephone line using a modem. You can connect to the Internet via a telephone line using the old Dial-Up technology or the more advanced ADSL technology. Connecting with a provider using ADSL, in contrast to Dial-UP, makes it possible to surf the Internet and simultaneously make phone calls. This is achieved through an ADSL splitter that splits the telephone signal into a regular telephone signal and a high-frequency modem signal.

Compared to a dedicated line connection (the method is described above), the advantage of a modem connection is that existing telephone cables are used, but this is where the advantage of this Internet access ends. The maximum data transfer rate for Dial-Up is 56 Kbps, and for ADSL technology is 24 Mbps, but given the state in which the telephone lines are located, the stability of the connection and such indicators may not be.

As you can imagine, the telephone line is inferior to the leased line in all respects, given the stable growth of multimedia and the volume of transmitted data. Just a few years ago, this type of connection was considered one of the best, but nowadays it has practically outlived its usefulness, despite the fact that it is still used as an alternative connection to the Internet where, for some reason, using another connection is not relevant.

Internet connection using DOCSIS technology.

Literally DOCSIS (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications) is translated as a standard for data transmission over coaxial (television) cable. Data transmission according to this standard from the provider is carried out to the client (downstream) at a speed of 42/38 Mbit / s, and from the user (upstream) 10/9 Mbit / s. It is worth saying that the bandwidth in this technology is divided between all connected participants who are currently receiving or sending information flow. Consequently, the available bandwidth at the time of data transmission or reception for each user can vary widely.

This method of connecting to the Internet, like the previous one, is performed through a special modem. This is a cable modem for DOCSIS technology with a built-in network bridge, which enables data exchange over coaxial or optical cable in two-way mode. It should be noted that in the network of such a provider there is a CMTS device - Cable Modem Termination System. In short and simple, this device is a large modem in the backbone network to which the subscribers' modems are attached.

From an economic point of view, laying a coaxial cable in order to get access to the Internet is not very reasonable, it is better to have a dedicated line (ethernet connection), because according to the technical characteristics, such a line is better, but if there is a television cable in the house and your KTV operator provides such service, then why not use it. However, if your provider can provide you with access to the Internet using FTTB, PON or HCNA technology, then for a number of technical advantages, it is better to choose one of them instead of the traditional DOCSIS.

Mobile Internet access (GPRS, EDGE, 3G).

This type of Internet connection is popular because it makes it possible to get access to the Internet in areas where there is no telephone or dedicated line. You can connect to an Internet provider using a USB 3G modem or a mobile phone (iPhone, smartphone, communicator) with a modem function. A USB modem is visually similar to a USB flash drive and has a SIM card slot inside.

Connecting to the Internet, via a USB modem or a mobile phone, is performed by "contacting" the base station of the cellular operator you are servicing, and depending on what equipment is installed at the mobile provider, communication is established using GPRS, EDGE, 3G or HSDPA (4G). Thus, after connecting a USB modem or phone (via a USB cable, infrared port or Blurtooth) with a computer, you will get access to the Internet using one of the mentioned technologies.

The mobile Internet has an unstable connection quality and a rather low speed, but it is quite suitable for normal loading of pages into the browser. The maximum data transfer rate in the presented technologies is on average 20-40 Kbit / s in GPRS; 100-236 Kbps in EDGE; 144 Kbps - 3.6 Mbps in 3G and 4G can exceed 100 Mbps, and for stationary subscribers it can be 1 Gbps.

The speed characteristics, depending on the technologies used by the Internet provider, in some cases may be higher, but in practice they are most often lower. The mobile Internet, of course, has many drawbacks, but being able to access the global network from anywhere in the country captivates many of us.

Now let's analyze the wireless Internet connection (satellite, WiMAX). These types of wireless Internet connections are good because they can be used where it is not yet possible to access the network via cable for some reason.

Using wireless technologies, you can access the Internet outside the city, where wired Internet is not available. For example, in a country house, warehouse, office or some other facility. It must be said that such methods of Internet connection require additional equipment, and its purchase in some cases may "pour out" a round sum for you.

Internet via satellite dish.

For example, to connect a one-way satellite Internet, you need a small set of equipment. You need to buy a satellite dish, a converter amplifier (matched to the C, Ka or Ku band and the operator's linear or circular polarization), a satellite receiver (PCI card or USB receiver), an RG-6 cable of the required length (75 Ohm) and a pair F-connectors.

For two-way access to satellite Internet, you need a transceiver antenna (with a diameter of about 1.2 - 1.8 meters), a transmitting BUC (block-up converter) and a receiving LNB (low-noise block) block and a satellite modem to which more than one can be connected and several computers and provide them with Internet access. Use the range recommended by the satellite operator.

Each of the quiet satellite internet connections has its own characteristics. For one-way access, you need an existing Internet access (for example, GPRS or EDGE), through which the sent requests will be processed by the Internet provider (one-way access), and after processing the received data will be sent to your client via the satellite corridor.

With two-way Internet access, no additional channels are needed, since data is sent and received via satellite. Many satellite internet operators can offer both unlimited packages and pay-per-traffic tariffs. Two-way satellite Internet for some operators works faster than in 3G technology, and the speed in Ka-band can be up to 20 Mbps.

The disadvantages of this technology can be considered the high cost of equipment, the complexity of setting up the equipment for a technically inexperienced user and a long response time (latency). Usually they use satellite Internet in remote parts of the country, where there is no other acceptable alternative. Using a Wi-Fi router with a satellite connection to an ISP, as well as in other technologies, will give you the ability to distribute the Internet wirelessly and LAN cable to other digital devices (laptop, tablet) in the house.

We have already discussed with you different ways of connecting to the Internet, including here and mobile access, but I would like to draw your attention to another type of Internet connection using WiMax technology. Often this Internet access technology is used where DOCSIS cable Internet is not available, there is no dedicated network in the home or office, or there is no telephone line for ADSL connection. Access to the global network using WiMax technology, as well as a satellite connection, in such cases often plays a decisive role.

WiMax technology theoretically has a data transfer rate of about 70 Mbit / s, but in practice this speed is several times lower. To connect to the Internet using WiMax technology, you need to contact the providing provider, who, using the network coverage map, will determine whether your location is within the coverage area. If it turns out that your location does not fall within the coverage area, then specialists will need to determine the distance to the nearest base station to you.

It is desirable that the base station is in line of sight (not necessarily) from you, and the distance is no more than 10 kilometers. Depending on the results obtained (distance and condition of signal reception), you will need to select a WiMax modem and an antenna with the required gain. In addition, you will need a cable to connect the antenna to the modem and a USB extension cable to connect the modem to a router or computer.

The antenna is usually installed at the highest possible point and directed (for the calculation, the Google Earth program can be used) it as accurately as possible to the base station. After that, the antenna connects to the modem, connects to the network and adjusts to the maximum signal level. Very often, to receive the Internet via WiMax, a specialized Wi-Fi router with a USB port is used, which can work as a WiMax modem.

Thus, over a wireless Wi-Fi network (read if) you can open Internet access to other digital devices (tablet, laptop ...). Both Wi-Fi and WiMax technologies are wireless and are used to gain access to the Internet, but despite this they solve a different range of problems. Typically, Wi-Fi is used to build wireless local area networks with a range, depending on the environment, from 50 to 100 meters.

Unlike WiMax, Wi-Fi technology is used by Internet providers a little, but this type of wireless Internet connection has gained great popularity in hotels, airports, cafes, clubs, apartments and houses. Because this technology allows you to quickly, easily and conveniently provide everyone who wants to access the global network with wireless Internet. Check out the comparison chart of these standards and read.

Now, in general terms, you know what methods of Internet connection exist. Of course, information technologies do not stand still, but are rapidly developing in our world and the data transfer rate is constantly growing.

2018-09-05T13: 52: 24 + 00: 00

Guys are such bullshit. I bought the Internet 1000 Mbps what happens if I connect it to a router that only pulls 100 Mbps?

2018-08-15T17: 46: 57 + 00: 00

People, is it possible to add traffic from the network and from the mobile Internet like a thread on an ordinary PC? The Internet is slow at work, but lags on the phone. At the same time, how can it be tamped into one channel?

2018-06-20T23: 07: 08 + 00: 00

This article really needs to be completed, but I don’t have time for that yet. If you manage to assemble a team, then the entire article will be rewritten or supplemented. In the meantime, everyone is free to supplement it in the comments, but there are not many of them, but there are many more criticizing them. But this is good, because I point out mistakes, which means there is room to grow.

2018-06-16T16: 07: 22 + 00: 00

Dmitry, what the hell is a satellite dish I mean. It's a hundred times cheaper to make a transfer over a cable. And Kizeev meant Kharchenko's antennas or a wave channel (Yaga). Do you agree? And for the article, thank you. Just about the dedicated line (Ethernet) in more detail: it is expensive and there is a stat. IP address?

2017-12-15T15: 51: 45 + 00: 00

Hello Dmitry. I read a lot of reviews, but only yours interested me. Since I am a lonely pensioner, one cable is enough for me, an ordinary Internet connection without a router, but everywhere there is only a router and a fiberglass cable, and this, accordingly, is the price. Now I have a Beeline, but all the time there are some tricks - I pay only 450 rubles. but you need 900 rubles. And so with my pension I am spinning: I have to pay for a mobile phone and for electricity and utilities. So I win. And we, pensioners, also want to live, of course, not like everyone else, but we try not to hit our faces in the dirt. Sorry. Perhaps you have your own business, and you are not up to us. Sincerely, Ludmila

High-speed Internet, digital television, mobile communications are possible thanks to thin glass threads stretching along the seabed between continents. If not for fiber optic, you would hardly have read these lines.

The fundamental foundations of this technology are described in the middleXIXcentury. Then they tried to use water as a signal conductor - unsuccessfully. Materials suitable for the implementation of a bold idea were developed only after more than a hundred years.

Light conductor

In a normal wire, the signal is transmitted over a copper conductor. Information is carried by a stream of electrons - an electric current. Data is transmitted encrypted in binary code. If the impulse passes - it means one, does not pass - zero.

In a fiber-optic communication line, the coding principle is the same, but information is carried by photons or light waves, more precisely, both at the same time. Scientists have argued about the nature of light for so long that they have eventually combined incompatible theories. But you don't need to understand quantum wave duality to understand how light is used to transmit information in telecommunication networks.

It is enough to understand how to make light flow through wires for kilometers.

The first thing that comes to mind is mirrors. Make a metal tube and coat the inside with a smooth layer such as silver.

Light entering from one side will bounce off the walls until it reaches the exit on the other side. Not a bad idea, but it won't work.

Firstly, making such a tube of the required length is an extremely difficult and therefore expensive task.

Secondly, the reflectance of silver is 99%, that is, the light entering the tube will lose energy and after 100 reflections it will completely go out.

It is much better to do without mirrors. The foundations of geometric optics laid down in the 19th century will tell you how to do this.

The basic idea is easy to demonstrate with an example of an aquarium. A light beam from a source under water passes through the border of water and air - two media with different optical properties - and partially changes the direction of movement, and partially reflects from the border of the two media as from a mirror.

If the angle of incidence of the beam is reduced, at a certain moment the light will stop coming out of the water at all and will be reflected completely, by 100%. The border of two environments works better than any mirror.

As it turned out, water is not needed to create such a border. Any two materials that transmit light differently - with different refractive indices - will do. Even a 1% difference is sufficient to create a fiber.

Glass wires

In lamps and toys, light guides are made of plastics, but more expensive and more transparent materials are needed to obtain a suitable fiber for communication.

Scientists have adapted quartz glass for this purpose. The core of the fiber preform is most often made from pure silicon dioxide. The outer layer is also made of quartz, but with an admixture of boron or germanium to reduce the refractive index.

Previously, to get such a blank, they simply inserted two glass tubes into each other, but today they often do differently. Hollow tubes of pure quartz are filled with a mixture of gases with a high germanium content and slowly heated until the germanium settles in a uniform layer on the inner surface.

After a sufficiently thick layer of germanium oxide has grown on the quartz glass, the pipe is heated until softened and pulled out until the cavity inside collapses.

Thus, a rod with a diameter of 1 to 10 centimeters and a length of approximately 1 meter is obtained, already containing quartz in the core with the addition of germanium, having an increased refractive index and a shell of pure quartz around it.

Such a blank is delivered to the top of a tower up to several tens of meters high. There, the lower part of the workpiece is again heated to one and a half thousand degrees - almost to the melting point, and the finest thread is pulled out of it. On the way down, the glass cools down and is dipped in a bath of polymer, which forms a protective layer on the quartz surface. With this method, up to 100 km of fiberglass is obtained from one workpiece. At the base of the tower, the cooled fiber is wound on a bobbin.

Yes, it is precisely wound: oddly enough, quartz fiber bends easily.

The resulting fibers are collected in bundles of several pieces and sealed in polyethylene. Then cables are woven from these bundles.

Each cable can contain from two to three and up to several hundred optical fibers. Outside, for strength, they are braided with a polymer thread and receive another protective shell made of polyethylene.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Fiber Optic

All these difficulties are justified because light is the fastest in the universe.

Due to this property of light, optical fiber has an unsurpassed information capacity. Twisted pair, like a telephone line, or coaxial cable, a conductor with a shield, transmits 100 megabits per second.

The most common for computer networks, an eight-core cable of 4 twisted pairs transmits up to 1000 megabits per second. Fiber optic on one core is three times more, up to 3000 megabits per second, and with the help of various experimental tricks, this threshold can also be overcome.

In addition, fiber is much lighter than copper. With a thickness of 9 microns - thinner than a human hair - a 100 km long quartz thread weighs about 15 g.

Almost all modern data transmission lines are laid from fiber optic cables. They connect continents, countries and data centers.

In large cities, "optics" is also used when connecting apartment buildings to the global network, but the fiber is laid between the provider and the house, and ordinary twisted pair cables are distributed among the apartments.

With this connection scheme, the maximum network access speed for the subscriber still does not exceed 100 Mbps. For comparison, by laying an optical cable directly into an apartment, you can get a 1 Gbps channel, and yet the consumer rarely encounters a fiber-optic Internet.

It's not just that fiber is expensive to manufacture. Laying the cable is just the beginning. Signals passing through the communication line accumulate errors with distance and eventually completely fade. For a twisted pair cable, this happens after 1 km, for a coaxial cable, after about 5 km. After that, the signal has to be restored and amplified - regenerated.

In optical fiber, the regeneration distance is several times longer, but no matter how clean the quartz glass is, impurities, for example, millionths of a percent of water, remain in it.

The length of the fiber can be hundreds of thousands of kilometers, but after 100-200 km, the attenuation of the optical signal still manifests itself.

Therefore, on the fiber-optic communication lines, intermediate amplifiers are installed, which restore the amplitude of the optical signal, and regenerators, which remove interference. Such equipment is much more expensive than amplifiers on traditional communication lines and requires qualified maintenance.

But most importantly, at the moment, gigabit communication channels are in little demand by ordinary people. Perhaps with the advent of smart homes, wearable computers, and the spread of ultra-high-definition video streaming, the demand for them will increase, but so far the speed provided by twisted pair cable is enough for the average consumer.

Without even coming into direct contact with this technology, each of us takes advantage of its benefits. Connection stability, low latency in signal transmission to the most remote servers and high speed of receiving a response from them, the ability to withdraw money from any ATM and make a call to any country in the world - all this is the merit of fiber, and it has no competitors in the project either.

In just a couple of the last decades, computer devices for communication, communication, work or entertainment have appeared in almost every family. Subscribers are connected via telephone lines, radio channels, and recently, fiber optic has been widely used.

I had to evaluate the capabilities of this technology from my own experience. On its basis, I publish advice to the home master on connecting his computer to the Internet using a fiber optic cable and creating an apartment wired and wireless network with explanatory pictures, diagrams and a video.

First acquaintance with new technology

A decade and a half ago, a new equipment came to the 330 kV substation where I worked, which records and processes information of electrical signals from the network of a very large number of sensors located in different places - the Parma recorder.

This is an ordinary computer with its own software, performing purely electrical tasks.

Its installation, connection and commissioning were entrusted to us, with the exception of the assembly and configuration of fiber-optic lines. We had no experience of working with them.

Up to this point, communication with these sensors took place through ordinary electrical circuits, which are called secondary. However, a whole group of these devices were at a great distance. The project provided for the exchange of information with them via fiber optic cable. We put it inside the cable channel ourselves, and a representative of the manufacturer who came from St. Petersburg was engaged in the connection and verification.

It was then that it became clear that it was impossible to work with fiber without specialized equipment and proper skills. It is impossible to do anything with it with your own hands.

Fiber Optic Cable Construction

Information transmission occurs via optical highways, consisting of separate carriers, united into a common structure - an optical fiber cable.

How optical media works

Information exchange occurs due to the passage of laser light from the built-in LED. Its transmission is carried out by pulses of a binary code in one direction. Therefore, for the exchange of information, two individual channels were created at once.

About cable construction

Glass is a fragile material. It can be easily broken, and the optical fiber works by using glass fibers. It is clear that they require reliable protection from both mechanical damage and loss of light energy.

For this purpose, optical carriers are combined in various ways into rigid modules and a fiber-optic cable is formed from them. It can be of different designs. One of them is shown in the diagram.

At our substation, we used two types of cable: one with a diameter of 6 mm, and the second with the thickness of the index finger.

The issue of this technology is described in some detail in the GalileoRU video "Fiber".

Laying fiber optic on the ground

Last winter, a mechanized laying of such a cable was carried out near us directly into the ground.

The work was carried out by three, and on difficult terrain by four tractors, coupled in a train. They were pulling a cable-laying plow, buried one and a half meters into the ground. A large cable reel is located on the trolley of this mechanism, which, when manually untwisted by the operator, feeds the cable through the plow channels into the trench to be cut.

A highly visible signal tape is automatically laid on top of the fiber on the ground layer. Immediately, it is backfilled with soil, and on the surface of the soil there is a trace of a deepening of the order of twenty centimeters or a little more.

After some time, all the irregularities were leveled with a bulldozer knife of a light wheeled tractor. In summer, the route was overgrown with grass. But on the ground, it can be restored using concrete pillars.

Connectivity technology

On the driveway, I saw a message from Beltelecom that interested me.

It was also placed on all adjacent buildings. In this original way, the provider reported that the era of using copper telephone cables in our area is ending, and the nearby automatic telephone exchanges will soon cease their work.

All landline phone users must make a choice:

agree to the transition to new equipment offered by the provider;
or refuse, staying on the old copper cable.

The choice is voluntary, but very soon the PBX will be stopped: the telephone connection via copper cable will automatically switch to the Internet. You will have to conclude a second contract and pay money for this service. The provider is now performing the replacement of old equipment and the installation of new ones at his own expense, all this is provided to customers free of charge.

I’ll notice right away that it didn’t satisfy me. I was interested in unlimited Internet at a favorable rate from the provider.

Therefore, I agreed to the provider to connect the Internet via fiber.

The work carried out was carried out in three stages:

Fiber optic network installation;
Obtaining a new modem and installing it;
Creation and connection of home network equipment to the Internet via fiber.

Installation work

Literally a few days after the ads were posted, teams of installers appeared in the house. The roar from them did not stop for two days. The panel structure of the five-story building has good acoustics: sounds spread in all directions.

The work was carried out simultaneously in entrances and apartments.

Installation of equipment at the entrance

Two separate teams worked inside the house.

First day

Electricians punched small holes through the floor slabs, fastened plastic cases and laid 6 mm fiber-optic cables in them.

By the end of the day, it hung in coiled rings over each door.

The end of each was closed with a special plug.

The days that followed

In the middle of the landing along the wall, holes were punched in concrete slabs for plastic pipes with a diameter of 4 cm.

This is the loudest period of work. If the rumble of the first day can be satisfactorily endured while in the apartment, then at this stage it is better to retire and spend time in another place until the evening.

The process ends with the installation of equipment for optical distribution boxes and plastic pipes for the optical fiber cables.

To power a powerful puncher, electricians used an extension coil and connected to the intercom socket, opening the general access box.

By pulling out the power cord of the door electromagnets, they created unauthorized access of any people to the staircase. They plugged their extension cord into this outlet.

What were in the air and what was scattered around the entrance will not describe. It took more than one day to restore the usual order.

Installation of equipment in the apartment

In parallel with the work at the entrance, the provider's specialist entered into an agreement with clients, explained the safety requirements for handling fragile optical fiber, and helped with advice on choosing a location for installing an optical outlet.

Its installation can be done anywhere. I chose the corner of the corridor near the intercom and the old one. The height of the modem at the knee level was fine.

The length of the fiber-optic cable around the apartment was only a few tens of centimeters. The hole was punched with a puncher at the level of the plinth.

A piece of steel wire was pushed through it from the side of the entrance.

On the reverse side, the end of the fiber optic cable was tied with electrical tape.

From this place, plastic boxes were fixed.

We installed the housing of the optical socket on the wall.

We laid the fiber optic by making a small bay in special grooves.

We closed the boxes with lids.

The completion of these works was recorded in the documentation of the wizard of electricians and certified by my signature.

An important requirement at the place of installation of the modem is the presence of an electrical outlet next to it for connecting the power supply. Its relatively short cord is limited to a distance of one meter.

I had to do some extra work specifically for the modem. : near the baseboard. The location in the corner restricts accidental access to it.

Receiving a Modem and Preparing for Fiber Optic Switches

A few days later, a notification from the provider appeared in my mailbox with a proposal to come to the service center to document a new contract.

Organizational matters

When I came to the service center, there was no congestion of customers and there was no queue. The specified date and time of arrival met my expectations.

The operator of the provider quickly completed her job, and I received the completed documentation and a box with a modem in my hands.

I was surprised that, last time receiving an ADSL modem and corresponding accessories to it, all the equipment was packed in a branded plastic bag with the company's advertising. Now this box had to be tucked under the arm: the provider saved on packaging.

The operator explained that a team of electricians would come from it to install the modem and lay the wired network. The work will be carried out alongside. She put the completed form for it in the box. I am obliged to confirm the moment of completion of the installation with my signatures and must transfer the completed document to the master.

Then the next stage will follow: a service center specialist will arrive to connect my equipment to the Internet via fiber optic. His task is to remove the telephone network ADSL modem, splitter and extra cables.
As a client of the provider, I am obliged to return the removed equipment to the service center on the day of switching to fiber, or in extreme cases, the next.

Technical activities

A few days after visiting the service center, two electricians arrived at my apartment. I gave them a fiber optic modem to mount on the wall.

Its installation was done quickly: we punched two holes with a puncher and fixed the case with screws through the dowels, inserted a modem into it, and connected a fiber-optic cable.

The apartment has plastic skirting boards around the perimeter of the floor. Inside them secretly laid two twisted pair wires from the modem to the phone and TV. I was worried about their length: I assumed that it was limited to standard sizes.

But the question was solved very simply. The installers have a large bundle of such a cable. They cut the required piece, lay it, and then end it on all sides.

Crimping the terminals with RJ-45 connectors of the cable of the interactive television set-top box and RJ-11 for the telephone was performed using REXANT pliers.

After completing these operations, I signed the outfit and gave it to the master of electricians.

Creation and settings of the Internet

Input scheme

In fact, the network for connecting the fiber optic modem to the Internet was assembled. It remains to reconnect the control of the phone, TV and computer to it, apply the power supply, and adjust all the devices.

This circuit is very similar to working over a copper telephone cable. The difference is that here the landline phone is connected after the modem and loses its autonomy when it is disconnected.

If the supply voltage of a 220 volt household network is lost, then any modem is always turned off. When it works using ADSL technology, the telephone with the PBX line remains connected through the splitter, and the connection of old devices without a separate power supply unit is not lost. The subscriber can call anywhere, including emergency services to resolve their issues.

In the scheme of connecting to the Internet via fiber optic, this is not possible. There remains only hope for mobile communications.

Commissioning work

After completing all the operations, the electricians left to connect the fiber-optic equipment, configure the computer, Wi-Fi network, phone, TV for its characteristics. These issues were dealt with by the provider's specialists, who arrived after three days of waiting.

One of them applied power to the fiber optic modem, took out a laptop and began to configure its settings.

Entered the necessary data to connect the phone to the new network.

The password for the Wi-Fi network and all equipment is configured by the provider's specialist. This is in contrast to connecting to the Internet via a cable telephone line, where an ordinary user can enter the modem settings via a patch cord and change passwords at his own discretion.

However, an advanced user has the ability to change the settings of the fiber-optic modem by logging into the router at 192.168.100.1 through the factory login and password, which the provider does not change.

During this time, the second employee disassembled the ADSL modem power circuit, switched the TV and telephone control cables to fiber optic. He also collected all the old equipment, which is subject to delivery.

We checked the internet speed on the computer.

I was once again warned that it was necessary to go to the service center of the provider, hand over the old equipment: ADSL modem, splitter and cables to them, transfer money from the old account to the new one.

When switching to fiber optic, the user is provided with a new account on the provider's service, and the old one ceases to function: until the money is replenished, the Internet will stop working on it.

The prospect of being left without the Internet for more than a day did not suit me. He asked how this issue could be resolved. They helped me to arrange the promised payment, which must be confirmed by real payment within three days.

All these operations took about 10 minutes. I thanked the provider's specialists for the work done and went to the service center, where I quickly managed to resolve all issues and change the tariff plan to a more profitable one.

When I came home in the evening, I found that the landline telephone had stopped working. It was upsetting. It was too late to look for specialists. I left this occupation the next day.

In the morning, the phone was already working on the new number, and the Internet speed increased dramatically.

Thus, there was a connection to the Internet through the fiber optic of my computer.

The owner of the video, Diplomatrutube, explains in detail how “PON technology goes from the telephone exchange to the apartment”.

If you still have questions on this topic, then ask them in the comments.

According to experts, for the next few years, the most effective data transmission in the Network will be provided by fiber optic, and we will mainly use the fiber-optic Internet. It is already widely used in Western Europe and the USA, as well as in the Russian Federation in places of dense high-rise buildings. But the properties of fiber-optic cable today make it possible to connect to high-quality high-speed Internet and Vacation home.

What is Fiber Optic Internet

To connect it, optical waveguides are used. The signal moves along them in the form of a light wave at high speed (at the speed of light). Since today all transmitting and receiving equipment is electronic, converters of electronic signals into optical ones and vice versa are needed. Such converters - fiber optic modems - have long been developed, widely and successfully used.

Fiber optic cable is a unique high-tech product

Fiber optic technology dates back to the 50s of the twentieth century and still remains complex and laborious. Therefore, the cost of fiber optic cable cannot be low. But with his help we got fast internet and the ability to use it over large areas. The huge bandwidth of the optical cable allows you to transfer a large amount of information per unit of time. The optical signal in it is almost not distorted and does not attenuate when transmitted over long distances.

In addition, the material from which fiberglass is made - quartz - is very lightweight, durable, little susceptible to atmospheric influences and the influence of electromagnetic fields. Its chemical inertness makes it fireproof. The disadvantages of fiberglass include:

the complexity of the repair, which is why, in case of local damage to the cable, sometimes it is necessary to change it completely;
the complexity of matching with electrical circuits (modems are needed).

Unfortunately, these difficulties objectively lead to an increase in the cost of connecting fiber-optic communication systems.

Benefits of Fiber Optic Internet

The remarkable properties of optical cable have led to significant advantages of fiber-optic communication systems over traditional cable or DSL technologies:

very high speed of information transfer, including during peak network loads in the evenings and on weekends;
high noise immunity;
there is practically no signal delay - a delay of a few ms, while for the 3G Internet the values of the order are 100ms, and for the satellite one they can reach 1000ms;
unauthorized access to the transmitted information is difficult - insert, induction reading and other threats;
the ability to connect video surveillance, security systems, IP-telephony, interactive television, etc .;
the possibility of laying fiber-optic cable over long distances;
chemical resistance of fiberglass in aggressive environments;
good cable flexibility;
small size and weight;
protection from open fire and explosion;
durability.

According to Point Topic, the total number of those who preferred fiber optic internet, already today exceeds the number of cable users. The listed advantages of fiber-optic communication systems give rise to confidence that in the coming years the entire Internet in developed countries will become fiber-optic and accessible to residents of any locality. In Russia, the Asarta company contributes to this.

High speed internet is best achieved with optical links. Now this technology has come to almost every apartment. The question of how to connect an optical cable is of interest not only to specialists, but also to ordinary users. We will try to expand on the topic in more detail.

We will consider the connection using PON technology (passive optical networks) as the most modern and becoming more widespread today, displacing conventional wired lines.

Let's start with the basics in order to understand what we will have to face, because the optical communication technology differs from the usual and usual wires for us, both in terms of the principle of operation and in the way of installation. Of course, this section can be omitted and proceed immediately to solving practical problems, but, nevertheless, knowing the theory it is easier to solve many problems that arise in practice. We will try not to bother you with complicated terms, but to explain everything in a simple and popular way.

How does fiber optic transmission work?

The transmission of a signal through ordinary wires using an electric current runs into two obstacles that limit the speed limit.

A signal with a high frequency decays quickly over a long distance.
High-frequency currents have large losses of energy through radiation into the environment.
Nearby wires and equipment are interfering with the signal.

These negative factors are fought by using intermediate amplifiers, screens, twisting wires. But there is a limit to everything. Today, increasing the speed of information transfer is mainly solved by dividing it into parallel streams. For example, USB 3.0 differs from earlier USB 2.0 in that it uses more than one pair of wires to transfer data.

The issue could be fundamentally resolved only with the help of fiber-optic cables. In them, the signal is transmitted using light, more precisely laser radiation, which weakly attenuates at large distances. For communication, glass fibers are used, in which, due to the specially selected properties of the core and the outer layer, the effect of complete reflection of the light beam appears.

Also, due to their small diameter, they are flexible (we also find thin flexible glass fibers in such familiar materials as glass wool and fiberglass).

The system works extremely simply - on one side of the cable, the laser radiation is modulated, encoding information in it, which is decoded by the photodetector at the other end. Multiple streams can be transmitted over one fiber, using lasers with different spectra in parallel.

The transmission speed over optical fiber is orders of magnitude higher than the capabilities of metal conductors and reaches several terabits per second.

Has fiber and other advantages:

Absolute protection against external interference, it is impossible to direct an extraneous signal to such a cable.
Due to the absence of metal conductors, such lines cannot be damaged by breakdown of insulation from high voltage, therefore they are also safe for users.
Modern fiber optic cable has a small diameter and takes up a lot of space in trays and sewers.
It is impossible to read information without damaging the cable, and without disrupting its performance by known methods (for example, fixing electromagnetic radiation).

Another advantage of optical fiber is that it is not of interest to attackers, since it does not contain non-ferrous metals.

But there are also some downsides:

such cables cannot be connected with ordinary soldering or twisting, glass must be welded or special connecting elements must be used;
fiberglass cables must not be bent in a small radius;
equipment for receiving and transmitting is complex, although with waste and mass production, as for any electronics, its price is constantly decreasing.

How PON Technology Works

At first glance, building a subscriber network can be done in two ways:

Run cables from the base station to each user. This is how the standard city network works - a pair of wires go from the PBX to each telephone.
Conduct several high-bandwidth trunk lines to which active switches are connected - switches that distribute access between subscribers. This is how the first networks were built using twisted pairs (LAN) and later optical fibers as backbones. For example, there was a fiber-optic line to the house, access to which was distributed among the apartments using twisted pairs connected through switches. These networks were called FTTB (Fiber To Building) - fiber to the building.

PON technology works on a slightly different principle:

Active equipment is mounted only by the provider and the client.
Up to 128 receivers can be connected per fiber. The network is built according to the principle of a tree, where branches are branches from the line, and branches of the second order go from them, and so on.
All subscriber devices connected to the same fiber gain access to the time-division network. That is, a packet of information is immediately transmitted to one client, then to the second, and so on in turn. Due to the high bandwidth of the line, this does not in any way reduce the data transfer rate. There is also communication in the opposite direction, but a different laser wavelength is used.

This approach became possible due to the use of special devices - splitters. They split the flow of one fiber into multiple fibers. Radiation losses, of course, are great, but they are compensated for by using high-power lasers, for today the price for them is not so high.

The advantages of splitters are that they are relatively uncomplicated, do not require connection to power grids (this is a passive element, hence the name of the technology) and maintenance.

These features of PON technology make it possible to develop networks in any conditions. If for older methods of distributing the Internet, in contrast to the city, where ordinary switches and servers can be placed without problems in any attic or basement and there are no problems with connecting the power supply, in rural areas there were big difficulties, for PON there are no such problems.

The splitter can be hung on any wall or power line support and even placed in a well, the devices are not afraid of moisture.

PON network

To make it more clear how the PON technology works, we will give a diagram of how such a network is organized.

Let's explain the scheme a little:

The Internet provider or PBX has an OLT (in English - Optical Linear Terminal) from which the distribution is going. Cable lines are connected to it. This is a rather compact device, the photo below shows a rack that can serve several thousand subscribers.

Several cables extend from each OLT, the diagram shows only one, for four cores. They are bred throughout the entire serviced area in the cable duct, along the supports or in another way.

Due to the high power of lasers, the length of cables can reach up to 60 kilometers, although usually manufacturers guarantee a high-quality signal at a distance of up to 20 km, but this is quite enough for an average city.

A splitter is hung on each core (on the diagram these are boxes with the Spliter inscription), from them there are branches either to other splitters, or directly to customers. The diagram shows a split into two cables at the top and four at the bottom, but the signal can branch to more cables, although multi-output devices are usually rarely used.

After the first splitter, several more can be installed.
At the end of the line, the subscriber has an ONU (in English Optical Network Unit - Optical Network Unit), it can also be called ONT (in English Optical Network Terminal - Optical Network Terminal) to which a LAN cable can be connected. The device is sometimes referred to as an optical modem.

In addition to LAN connections, ONU almost always has sockets for a telephone, since almost always a PON connection provides a package of services: Internet, telephone, television.

As you can see from the diagram, the network can be easily developed without high costs. For example, in the upper part, instead of the first ONU, install another splitter, to which two subscribers can already be connected. You can also replace two-channel splitters with four-channel ones, such as at the bottom of the diagram.

What problems can a regular PON user have?

Our article, as we said above, is not intended for specialists, they already know perfectly well how to connect a fiber-optic cable and set up equipment. When connecting to PON for the first time, providers also usually provide assistance (though more often for a fee, so by doing everything yourself you can save money) with setting up equipment and networks.

How does the connection usually work?

Contact the provider and write an application, if necessary, make an advance payment.
After a while, several network installation wizards appear at your entrance. As a rule, these are not employees of the company of the Internet provider, but third-party contractors. They poke holes in the wall in your hallway, run the fiber-optic cable from the switchboard at the entrance to the apartment, weld it and install an optical socket near the entrance.

Then the servicemen of the provider appear, who hang up the optical modem (usually it is rented), connect it with a cable to the socket, and then configure it. The Internet is already in the house, it remains to distribute it.

The process is approximately the same in a private house, although the distribution boards will either be located on the supports of power lines (telecommunications), in wells, or not at all, and the subscriber cable will be connected from a separate splitter.

These three stages cannot be completed on your own, only if you hire a contract from a provider. In addition, under contracts, networks to the boundaries of the household or even to the outlet are served by the Internet provider free of charge (if they are not intentionally damaged), after the boundaries of the division of the line, they are considered the property of the client and all the costs of their operation are borne by him.

ONT connection in the apartment

The figure below shows a typical diagram for connecting devices to an optical terminal. We will immediately analyze its implementation with our own hands, then we will tell you how you can adjust it depending on the capabilities of the equipment, and how to improve it.

Please note that you will have to deal with optics the least, it is enough to know how to connect a fiber-optic cable to a modem, and all other networks are ordinary wired.

Standard service connection

We will describe in detail all the nodes of the circuit, since not everything is clear to a non-specialist.

The optical socket, as in most cases, is located near the entrance to the hallway. It is connected to the distribution board with a welded optical cable, which was mounted during installation.
The socket with the terminal is also connected with an optical cable, but it is connected to the connectors. This is a patch cord (this is the name for any fiber-optic and wired connecting cables, we will use this term further), as a rule, purchased.

A regular telephone cable is used to connect to the telephone. Instead of a telephone socket, it is plugged into the ONT connector, which corresponds to a standard telephone one, and is laid through the apartment to the place where the device is located.

To connect to a stationary computer, a twisted pair (LAN cable) is laid around the apartment, which is connected to the corresponding connectors of the ONT and PC. The connection is similar to connecting through a regular switch.
In order to connect a laptop, Wi Fi is used; for this, a router is placed next to the terminal. In the diagram, it is designated as a PPPoE / Wi-Fi router. It also connects to the ONT using a twisted pair.

The last connection is a TV, for this a digital TV receiver is placed next to it (in the Set Top Box diagram, this is the English designation of the device). To connect the receiver to the ONT, a twisted pair is used again, with a TV, standard HDMI, SCART or Composite (bells) connectors that connect any video device.

Now let's move on to how to implement this scheme:

It is best to use a ready-made optical patch cord to connect to the outlet. Such a wire of short length is easy to obtain at any store. You can also make it yourself by purchasing a fiber-optic cable and connectors, we will talk about this below when we describe how to move the terminal further from the outlet.
Then we connect the phone - for this, you can also buy a ready-made wire of the required length with connectors. If it is difficult to choose the length, but you do not want to make a stock, we make it ourselves.

For manufacturing we need:

special crimping (crimper) for RJ11 - 14 connectors or universal (it will also help when crimping twisted pairs);
cable of the required length;
RJ 11 or 14 plug (they cost a penny);
insulation cleaning tool (nippers knife).

Advice. Do not buy a four-core cable for the RJ14 standard, for standard devices, 2 cores are enough.

We remove the top insulation from the wire, for this you can use a knife or nippers or crimper blades (if any).
We expose the top insulation by 6-8 millimeters, we do not touch the insulation of individual conductors.
We push them into the body all the way. Moreover, if we use, as we have already said, a two-core wire, then the conductors must lie in the sockets of the two central contacts. Which side will be red and which side will be green is not important, despite the fact that there is a wiring diagram for these connectors, it is not necessary to follow it, telephones are not sensitive to polarity.

Then we insert the connector into the crimper, it should fit correctly into the corresponding socket and squeeze its handles. The bar will slide inward, the knives will cut through the insulation of the cores and reliably connect the contacts.

Advice. You can try to crimp the connector without a crimper. To do this, after installing the wires, press the knives separately with a screwdriver with a sharpened tip, and then the bar to fix the wire inside. The work must be done carefully, however, the plugs themselves cost a penny, so you can break a few pieces until you can achieve a normal result.

The phone can also be connected using standard short patch cords. To do this, we install sockets near the phone and ONT.

Conductors in them are usually clamped with terminals. In this case, you need to connect 2 and 3 contacts (red and green wires are suitable for them, just like in a telephone cable). This approach is even more convenient.

We connect the computer using a twisted pair. As with the phone, you can try to find a ready-made cable of the required length or purchase a twisted pair cable and plugs. Crimping occurs in the same way, but with one feature, before installing the conductors in the nests, you need to develop the ends of the conductors and arrange them in the correct order, it is shown in the figure below.

When preparing a LAN line, do not forget one more feature - twisted pairs have different bandwidth, in order to fully realize the possibilities of optical connection, you need to choose cables of at least category 5, they provide gigabit speed.

Then we connect the TV receiver and Wi Fi router, everything is exactly the same as for a computer - we stretch a twisted pair cable, which we plug into the appropriate connectors. For the latter, if it is located as in the diagram, it is easier to use a ready-made short patch cord. The router will need to be configured, as this is described in the instructions for its operation.

Simplifying the circuit

The standard circuit is designed for components with minimal functionality. But modern devices have advanced capabilities, we will tell you how to use them.

As a rule, almost all ONT terminals can distribute Wi-Fi, so you can refuse a router.
TVs with the Smart TV function also most often have a LAN input and do not need a receiver for them.

If you use a radiotelephone, then its base station can be placed next to the terminal and not run a telephone wire around the house. Moreover, many people already have devices in the hallway where a digital outlet is most often installed.

In general, using a Wi-Fi connection, you can refuse wires, except for the telephone. Many TVs include a module for receiving wireless networks, and for a stationary computer, you can buy a receiver that either plugs into a USB connector or is installed on the motherboard in PCI slots.

However, when connecting via Wi-Fi, you will not be able to achieve the high speeds that an Internet connection via a fiber optic cable implies. Wireless network capabilities are limited and depend on the distance to the router and the presence of obstacles (walls).

Schema improvements

Now let's talk about the possibilities for improving the circuit. There is much more to offer. It is difficult to systematically give options and describe them all, but we will try.

Phone line

Let's start with the simplest thing - a telephone, in a house there may be more than one device in the office, as in the diagram, but several, in the bedroom, in the kitchen, in the living room. An optical modem most often has only one RJ 11 (RJ 14) connector. Therefore, the line from him will have to be branched. This can be done in three ways.

Install a telephone splitter - a box with three outputs for RJ connectors in the place required for branching. Alternatively, install a double socket. This option may even be preferable, since later, in case of breakdowns, by disconnecting the sections, it will be easy to find the damaged line.
Install any suitable terminal box at the separation point and split the line with it.
Connect another one to the telephone cable using soldering or twisting.

Router

A router installed in the hallway may not provide a clear signal (the weaker it is, the lower the data transfer rate) throughout the apartment or house, especially if the building area is large. It is advisable to move it closer to the center of the housing. True, this option is impossible if the terminal itself distributes Wi-Fi. Alternatively, install the signal amplifier (repeater) closer to the center.

LAN lines

Due to the location of the fiber-optic terminal, the twisted pair lines are long. Although the signal in them does not attenuate much, it is more convenient to lay it all the same from the center, especially if there is a lot of equipment connected to the network in the house. As the best option, of course, it would be to move the ONT terminal itself to the center, but it may not be possible to do this (more on that below).

But there is one more possibility - we move the router to the center, as we said above, and we do the rest of the wiring from it. Almost all models of these devices, in addition to distributing Wi-Fi, have four LAN ports per output and work as switches.

Also, in the standard scheme, the laptop is only supposed to be connected via a wireless network. But we have already said that Wi-Fi does not fully implement the high-speed data transfer capabilities that an optical terminal provides. Therefore, it is advisable to stretch a twisted pair cable to connect it to those places (living room, bedroom, kitchen) where you most often use a laptop.

TV

As we have already said, modern TVs with the "smart" function have connectors for connecting a twisted pair (LAN) and a Wi-Fi receiver allows you to abandon the receiver altogether. It is correct to call such devices not even TVs, but monoblock computers with TV functionality.

If the TV supports high definition video or even 3D, it is still better to connect via LAN (due to the possible decrease in speed over the wireless channel). Also, for such devices, if a receiver is still used, then it is better to connect it to a TV to ensure video quality not through the SCART or Composite connectors shown in the diagram, but through HDMI or at least DVI.

Another feature today in the house is usually not one TV, but several. How do I connect them?

If you need high quality, then you have to pull the twisted pair to each, if not, then you can get by with Wi-Fi. Even if the TV receiver itself or the receiver to it does not support this technology, the wireless adapter costs less than $ 10.

In this subsection of the article, we will also answer the frequently asked question - how to connect the optical cable of the TV to the receiver?

In principle, there are receivers that are directly connected to an optical network, but they are mainly used for broadcasting in cable networks, that is, for professional use. All home digital television receivers are connected as we described above.

Backup power

The disadvantage of modern high-tech communication lines and not only optical ones is that terminal devices require connection to the electrical network.

If the old telephone could operate on the voltage supplied from the automatic telephone exchange through the wires, then the device connected to the terminal is completely dependent on its power supply. That is, if the lights in your house go out, you will not be able to receive and receive calls. Therefore, consider a backup power supply for your optical modem.

Considering that the power consumption of the ONT is usually within the range of 15-20 watts, any uninterruptible power supply unit is suitable for this purpose (it is accepted to abbreviate UPS - uninterruptible power supply).

For example, if an uninterruptible power supply has a 9 A / h battery, then it will be able to provide you with communication for 6-7 hours. During this time, the mains are usually repaired. For rural areas where power outages are longer, you can choose a unit with a larger battery capacity.

It is advisable to connect a Wi-Fi router to the UPS in addition to an optical modem. Then, in the event of a power outage, you will have not only a telephone connection, but also the Internet, provided that the batteries of a laptop, tablet or smartphone are charged.

ONT terminal transfer

As we already said, the location of the modem at the front door is not optimal; it is advisable to place it closer to the center of the apartment in order to improve Wi-Fi communication and reduce the length of wired lines.

Of course, porting a device can be problematic:

the provider may not allow the modem to be moved independently;
the subscriber optical cable is quite picky about the laying conditions, does not like bending under a small radius, it needs to be additionally protected.

But sometimes it is still desirable to rearrange the modem, especially in large apartments with several levels. Let's consider how this can be done, or rather, how to lengthen the optical cable.

There are several options:

Use an optical cable with connectors corresponding to the connectors in the socket and the modem (a kind of patch cord) of long length. The most acceptable option, however, such cables are not found on sale, but you can make it yourself. Moreover, with this approach, there are no problems with the provider.
Extend fiber optic using connectors... Below is a look at how this can be done. But note that the signal loss with this method will be greater than with the first option.
Weld fiber cable... It's actually not that hard, and we'll look at how it's done too. The only problem is that a welding machine costs several thousand dollars and is not worth buying for one or two joints. Although if you are going to continue building optical networks on a professional level ...

You can also borrow equipment from a friend or rent for a day.

By the way, sometimes they ask if it is possible to install two ONTs in one apartment. In principle, it is possible, but unlike telephones, they cannot work in parallel, you will have to pay for two personal accounts. So this choice only makes sense if you need uninterrupted internet and it is possible to connect to the internet via fiber optic cable from different providers.

By the way, a similar scheme, though wired, is implemented at my home. Through a DSL modem, I am connected to the republican provider Beltelecom, from which I have chosen a tariff without a monthly fee. The second connection using a twisted pair cable to the server of a local provider (director of an enterprise, a neighbor and a friend), where the Internet is obtained for free. If someone has a breakdown, then I easily switch to reserve.

To help, we also offer video connection of an optical cable:

Connecting and connecting optical cables

All the works that are described below are usually done by craftsmen for a decent fee, although as you can see, they are quite simple with the equipment and tools. In my opinion, mastering the connection of optics is also not difficult, as well as the correct soldering of the usual copper wires.

True, such a need rarely arises, but we will look with an eye to the future, perhaps soon optical fiber will replace copper everywhere, and terminal devices will connect to it directly, and not through ONT.

Installing optical connectors

Let's look at how the most common SC connectors are mounted. The vast majority of modems and sockets use this type. For installation, we need a set of special tools and materials.

Although it costs decently, it is still cheaper than a fiber-optic splicer. Such kits are usually supplied with detailed instructions, so we will give an approximate order of operations for review.

The steps for installing the connector on the cable are as follows:

We remove the insulation with special nippers - stripper. This tool has calibrated gaps between the cutting edges that allow you to remove layers one by one without damaging the fiber itself.
Then the Kevlar fiber is cut, which reinforces the sheathing of the wire. To do this with ordinary scissors will not work because of its great strength. You will need stronger blades, which are most commonly available from a stripper.
Then a part of the connector is put on, which will fix it on the cable.
Then the hydrophobic coating on the glass fiber itself is removed with a special composition or simply with alcohol wipes.
Next, glue is prepared and typed into a syringe, which will fix the fiber in the connector. A strictly metered amount of it is introduced into the channel, into which the exposed optical fiber is then passed.
After the glue has hardened, the optical fiber is chipped off with a special tool.
Then its butt end is sanded.
In conclusion, the rest of the connector is put on, and it is crimped with a special crimp.

Fiber optic connection with a mechanical connector

This method is simpler than the previous one: pieces of fiber-optic cable are taken, with connectors (pigtails) mounted in an industrial environment, and are joined with a mechanical connector. The disadvantage of this method is the signal loss at the connections, it is comparable to a decrease in the light intensity in the connectors themselves (it is clear that the connectors cannot be abandoned). So it is better to either weld or mount the fiber in the connector.

Interesting. Pig-tail is translated from English as "pig's tail", a rather apt comparison.

Using the SNR-Link connector as an example, we will describe the execution of the work.

The cable is stripped of insulation and cleaved.
The ends of the stripped cable are inserted into the connector.

Then the latch fixing the joint is simply pressed.

This is where the work ends. As you can see in the photo below, the test of this connection shows a loss of 0.028 dB, this is comparable to the loss in the connector, although according to the passport data, the connector allows losses of up to 0.04 dB. By the way, the device is reusable.

Wire welding

As we already said, it is best to weld wires or pigtails, this is also not difficult, the whole problem is only in the cost of the device. Let's show how welding takes place in stages.

The device turns on and self-test takes place.

Next, we introduce the type of cable to be welded. And for this you do not need to professionally understand all types of fiber-optic conductors, we simply enter the marking indicated either on the packaging or on the very surface of the insulation.

Then, removing the outer protective layer with any suitable tool, we install the wire in a special holder. Before that, do not forget to put on the KDZS sleeve (a set of parts for protecting the welded joint), which will then close the welding place.

Then the holder is placed in the thermostat of the apparatus, and it turns on. The insulation is removed by heat, while the risk of damage to the fiber is much less than with conventional mechanical stripping.

The lid closes and the thermostat starts. He cleans the wire himself.

Then, without removing the wire from the holder, we wipe it with alcohol (a round container with a swab is on the top cover of the device) to remove the hydrophobic coating and install it in the cleaver. The holder in it, as in the stripper, is attached to the magnet. Chipping takes place when the lid is closed. Scraps of fiber fall into a special container so as not to get lost (it is easy to drive a thin fiber almost invisible to the eye under the skin, but it is difficult to extract it later).

Attention. Be very careful about fiber waste, they should not be lost, as it can be harmful to health. It is especially dangerous if pieces of glass wire enter the respiratory tract.

When the two wires are prepared, without removing them from the holders, we install them directly under the welding electrodes.

We start the welding process. The machine aligns and centers the fibers and splices them in less than ten seconds.

At the end of welding, the device shows the result - what losses will be at this joint. In the image below, they are highlighted with an oval, only 0.01 dB.

It remains to plant the KZDS sleeve, for this it is put on the joint (we first remove the holders) and the wire is placed in the oven.

The process also takes a few seconds. We remove the finished welded fiber optic cable from the oven (be careful, it will be hot).

As you can see, everything is quite simple, if you do not have crooked hands, you can quickly learn how to weld fiber optics just by reading the manual for the welding machine (our article is also suitable) or get a 10-minute instruction. I note that it is much more difficult to acquire the skills of connecting ordinary wires with a soldering iron and solder so quickly.

We hope that our article has told everything about an optical cable, how to connect it, connect, coordinate the operation of a fiber-optic modem with other devices. Even if you are not going to assemble networks or connectors yourself, knowing how to do it, you can find the cause of the breakdowns and ways to fix them. Let the Internet in your home always be fast and uninterrupted.

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