Fiber optic cables are often considered the standard for network cabling. They offer unmatched performance compared to typical copper counterparts, so they can cover longer distances without signal attenuation.
As the name suggests, a fiber optic cable is a type of cable that uses light instead of electricity to transmit information. They are made of silica fiberglass the same width as a human hair, allowing light to bounce back and forth along the length of the cable. To prevent light leakage and ensure that light is reflected along the length of the cable, the glass core of the fiber optic cable is surrounded by a thin layer of glass cladding. It is further insulated by a plastic primary coating, which provides physical protection to the cable's internal glazing structure and prevents excessive bending.
Most high-quality fiber optic cables further protect the core of the wiring with an additional layer of reinforcing fibers, which are made from different materials, depending on the manufacturer. Some use Kevlar fibers, others use gel-filled sleeves, but most serve the same purpose and have the same end result for enhanced cable protection and rigidity.
The final outer layer is a colored plastic sheath that helps identify the cable type and provides better protection inside. Most outer layers also provide a fire protection layer for the wiring, with each layer having a different rating so that buyers can get an idea of the level of protection their wiring provides.
Fiber optic cables, at least from the outside, are not much different from many other types of cables, as their outermost layer tends to be colored plastic or silicon tubes. They are usually white, gray, or black in color, but there are more color options to choose from if useful. Sometimes it can also denote a specific function. For example, a fiber patch cord can have an orange color to indicate that it is a multimode fiber optic cable, or a yellow jacket to indicate that it is a singlemode fiber optic cable.
AI Assistant Creation Season Depending on the purpose of the cable, the appearance of the cable end will also be different. Toslink fiber optic cables for audio transmission have a small plastic tip that shows the visible light transmitted by the cable when plugged into one end, while fiber optic patch cords may have a connector end fitted with an LC connector at each end. However, in some cases it is still visible and in the case of laser transmitted light, it should not be directed as it may cause serious eye damage.