Fiber Optic Cabling

Selecting the Most Effective Structured Cabling Solutions – Part 2

1 Oct 2019

As discussed in Part 1, organizations with vision make investments in the most effective structured cabling solutions that let them meet current business and technical requirements and to scale with flexibility in the future. Part 2 will discuss Fiber Cabling and Planning the Installation.

Fiber Cabling

Fiber cables use light to transmit data, decreasing signal interruption and letting signals travel much longer distances. Experts also believe fiber cabling provides greater security. In addition, fiber cables weigh less than copper cables and are easier to manage. Although more expensive, fiber cabling has been increasingly gaining traction for organizations looking for a dependable and scalable solution.

Multi-mode fiber cables are divided into the following categories: OM1, OM2, OM3, and OM4. Utilized for shorter distances, multi-mode fibers possess high light-gathering capacities. This allows the utilization of economical lower wavelength technologies such as LED (light emitting diode) and VCSELs (vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers). When longer distances are required, single-mode OS1 or OS2 is installed. Single-mode fiber can attain greater speeds and longer distances through laser technology.

Planning the Installation

Buying the most effective structured cabling solutions and selecting a cabling provider partner is only the beginning. Planning effectively and creating a sound strategy will bring forth three benefits as discussed below.

Optimizing Space: Consider your employees, locations, and space limitations. Work with an expert cabling provider to inspect and perform an audit of the physical space in your building or facility. Planning will be improved, resulting in superior cabling flows and decreasing the cabling system’s complexity.

Reduction of Operating Costs: Selecting the proper cabling and equipment that meets your company’s technical and business requirements will maximize utilization and the project’s budget. Effective planning and strategic thinking will result in considerable savings during the operational service life of the cabling installation.

Stability for the Long Term: Project the number of users that will require support as your company expands over the cabling’s service life of 10 to 15 years. In addition, ensure that the infrastructure is based on open standards capable of supporting standard applications.

Progressive Office Cabling

Founded in 1986, Progressive Office’s success has been a direct result of years of commitment to seeking cost-effective solutions. Working together, Progressive teams are committed to getting your data cables installed and operating while minimizing disruption and downtime. Call our toll free number (800) 614-4560 today.

Network Cabling Pathways for Your Data Center

29 Aug 2019

Stu Kushner

Used for running and routing cables, network cabling pathways come in various types. Below are the five kinds that are typically used.

Conduits

Fiber troughs

Raceways

Runways

Trays

Conduits

Perhaps the most popular pathway is the cable conduit, commonly used for runs from the wiring closet to work areas. They are made of plastic or metal and come in various sizes to accommodate the type and number of cables utilized. They can be either flexible or rigid for horizontal or backbone cabling.

Fiber Troughs

Fiber troughs come in several capacity options to meet the increasing demand for fiber cabling. Splicing is made simpler and faster through fast splice accessories that come with pre-fitted screws. Cable installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting are also made easier via a tool-less cover removal allowing easy access, and security can be provided by bolting. All-steel construction provides robust cable protection, which can be earthed properly for the elimination of EMI and reduction of attenuation and noise. Steel also has several advantages over plastic, which is typically heavier and needs more supports for long runs. Lighter with greater rigidity, steel decreases deflection and requires 50% less supports, shortening installation times.

Raceways

Raceways make cable installations appear professional and aesthetic. They are often used to conceal cables where it is difficult to install them within walls. Utilized for surface-mounting horizontal cables, raceways are typically assembled using a modular approach. Connectors provided by the manufacturer ensure that a raceway does not exceed the minimum bend radius. They are manufactured from metal, plastic, or rubber. Mounting types include desk, floor, overhead, outdoor, and wall.

Runways

Cable runways are designed for Ethernet and low-voltage cables. They are also called ladder racks because they appear to have rungs like ladders. This design makes them very light in weight and provides complete visibility to the installed cabling, which eases maintenance and troubleshooting.

Trays

Composed of wires, cable trays are used for managing, supporting, and running numerous horizontal runs. They are known for making cable installation, maintenance and troubleshooting easier because of excellent accessibility.

Progressive Office Cabling

Office Fiber Cabling Company DC NY Atlanta

Reasons to Select Fiber Optic Over Copper Cabling – Part 2

27 Apr 2019

Stu Kushner

Fiber Cabling Installation Washington DC

Reasons to Select Fiber Optic Over Copper Cabling – Part 1

19 Apr 2019

Stu Kushner

Why Cable Pros Select Fiber Optic Over Copper Cabling

29 Aug 2018

Stu Kushner

cable,cabling,installation ,Washington DC During your consideration of the kind of cable that should be selected for your IT network, several factors come into play. One of the decisions you will need to make is whether to use copper or fiber optic cabling.

Copper certainly has plusses. It is already installed in numerous sites and is less costly for connecting network components. Although fiber optic cabling has a higher price tag, it has key advantages that make it more attractive than copper for creating structured cabling infrastructure.

The following are five reasons why most cable professionals select fiber optic over copper cabling.

Durability

Fiber optic cables have longer service lives than copper, decreasing maintenance costs and downtimes from replacements. Although fiber optic wires are made of glass, copper wires are more susceptible to being damaged.

Fiber Optic is Faster

When evaluating the transmission of copper wire to that of fiber optic, the contest can be simplified to the comparison of the speed of electrons to the speed of photons. Although C transmissions do not move at the speed of light, they are still extremely fast by moving just 31% slower than the speed of light!

Low Attenuation

Over long distances, fiber optic cables will undergo much less signal loss than copper. This quality is termed “low attenuation.” Due to attenuation, copper cables are capable of transmitting information up to a maximum of 9,328 ft, when it then loses power. In contrast, fiber optic cables are capable of transmissions up to 24.8 miles.

Resistance to EMI (Electromagnetic Interference)

If improperly installed, copper cables will generate electromagnetic currents that result in EMI inside nearby wires, which can cause serious problems throughout a network. On the other hand, fiber optic cables are not conductors of electricity.

Safer

Fiber optic cabling is safer because it won’t be a fire hazard. The reason is no electrical current travels through fiber optic cables.

Progressive Office Cabling

Founded in 1986, Progressive Office’s success has been a direct result of years of commitment to seeking solutions on behalf of our clients in the Washington, D.C. and New York City areas. Efficiently working together, Progressive teams get cabling installed and operating as fast as possible while minimizing disruption and downtime. Call our toll free number (800) 614-4560 today.

Cabling, network cabling, cable Installations

Fiber Optic Cabling for Your Business – Part 2

14 Oct 2017

Stu Kushner

Fiber Optic Advantages

Cabling, network cabling, cable Installations As discussed in Part 1, fiber cables provide a number of advantages that make them superior to copper cables. This includes longer distance effectiveness, greater bandwidth capacity, resistance to electromagnetic interference, safer usage, and stronger security. Part 2 will discuss how fiber optic functions, its two main types, and fiber networks.

How Fiber Optic Cables Function

Fiber optic cables transmit data through the generation of pulses of light by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or lasers. A fiber optic cable is composed of either a single strand or several strands of glass, each measuring slightly thicker than human hair.

The core is located in every filament’s center, and it is where light travels. Covered by cladding made of a glass layer, the core is able to reflect light inward, preventing signal loss and letting light travel through the cable’s bends.

Two Main Types

There are two main types of fiber optic cabling, single mode and multimode. Using extremely thin glass filaments, single mode fiber optic uses a laser to generate pulses of light, while multimode utilizes LEDs.

By utilizing the technique of Wave Division Multiplexing (WDM), single mode fiber networks raise the volume of data traffic transmitted over a filament. Combining light at various wavelengths is termed multiplexing, while separating them is called de-multiplexing. Thus, several streams of communication can be transmitted on a single pulse of light.

Fiber Networks

The installation of the majority of fiber cabling is intended to support long distance connections between national and international geographical locations. However, a number of internet service providers (ISPs) have made investments in the expansion of fiber to provide direct access to homes in suburban neighborhoods. These are termed "last mile" installations.

FTTH (Fiber to the Home) services, such as Google Fiber and Verizon FIOS, are becoming more common. They can provide homes with gigabit (1 Gbps) internet speeds. Direct fiber cabling runs directly from a main office to a single client, providing maximum bandwidth. In contrast, shared fiber cabling is ultimately distributed among several groups of users who are in close proximity.

Progressive Office Cabling

Fiber Optic Cabling for Your Business – Part 1

8 Oct 2017

Stu Kushner

Technology,Network Cabling, cables The widespread use of fiber optic cabling stems from 1950s research. These studies eventually made transmitting visible images via glass filament possible. This new technology was eventually used for viewing instruments and remote illumination for surgery. Subsequently, George Hockham and Charles Kao successfully achieved data transmission through glass fiber in 1966.

Fiber optic cabling is composed of glass fiber filaments housed within insulated casing, and these cables were designed for long distance, large capacity, and high performance data networking and telecommunications. In comparison to wired cables, fiber optic has high-bandwidth capability and is capable of data transmission over longer distances. Due to these properties, fiber optic cabling is used for a great portion of telephone, internet, and cable television systems around the world.

Fiber Optic Advantages

Fiber cables provide a number of advantages that make them superior to copper cabling. Due to properties of high bandwidth and low-loss, fiber optic cabling can be utilized over much greater distances than copper cables. Fiber optic cables can run up to 2 kilometers for data networks without repeaters. This is because light can travel much further on fiber cable and still retain its strength.

Fiber optic cables have greater capacity. Through the use of multiplexers, a single fiber optic cable can have the same network bandwidth as several hundred copper cables. It is now standard for fiber cables to be rated at 10 Gbps, 40 Gbps, and 100 Gbps.

Although it has special shielding as protection against electromagnetic interference, copper network cable is still susceptible when numerous cables are close to each other. This is in contrast to the physical properties of the glass used in fiber optic cables.

Fiber optic is also safer to use than copper in volatile spaces, where sparks can lead to disaster. It also has the upper hand in terms of security because tapping fiber cable to steal data transmission is very difficult.

Part 2 will discuss how fiber optic functions, its two main types, and fiber networks.

Progressive Office Cabling

Designs of Optic Fiber Cables

12 Feb 2015

Stu Kushner

network cabling,Data CablingmOptical Fibre Cable Optical fiber cabling is made up of a fiber core and a protective layer. The shield is typically coated with a polymer. It protects the cable from damage and does not contribute to optical wave guide properties. The coated fiber is a durable synthetic resin serving as a support for the cable’s core. Protective jacket layers are added depending on the cabling application.

Fiber over Copper

Fiber has benefits over copper. Fiber optic transmission does not emit Radio Frequency Interference or RFI. This guarantees secured communications since light waves can't be easily intercepted. On the contrary, copper wires give off signals that interfere with other electronic equipment. That is why utility firms now run power lines with fibers

Network Cabling ,Data Cabling, Fiber-optic cable,New York City

Unique Properties of Fiber Optic Cabling

30 Dec 2014

Stu Kushner

Network Cabling ,Data Cabling, Fiber-optic cable Fiber optics is capable of resolving many issues in data communications. However, computer data is normally transmitted over ordinary copper cables because it's adequate at lower speeds and shorter distances. It is not advisable to utilize fiber cable in these ordinary instances because of the high costs.

Fiber is impervious to electromagnetic interference because the signals are transmitted as light impulses. That means that Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) is not possible. Light waves are not effected by magnetism. This type of impediment can happen in coaxial and Cat5/6 cables because electricity can interfere with data signals over copper wires. Magnetic fields produce electrical current and this electromagnetic Interference is noise that can scramble data.

Fiber optic cabling also is much better at providing security of data since electromagnetic fields are not emitted around optical fibers. The data is restricted within the structure of the cable making it impossible to tap signals being communicated without cutting across the fiber. Emissions can not be easily intercepted. Hence, the fiber is by far most secure channel for carrying sensitive data.

Fiber is also a “non-conductive cable” because there is no metal in its design. It's a highly purified glass fiber. While copper is a conductive cable that can attract power surges and unwanted current. With fiber, outdoor varieties are costly because these call for special strength. Therefore, fiber optic cable is usually more cost-effective for indoor use. With copper, it is also important to get rid of the current commonly known as ground loop. The metal cable can run into signal transmission distortions due to slight transmissions in electricity.

Fiber optics also does away with threats coming from sparks. The transmission of signals can be hazardous because of this phenomenon. Although the spark itself is not dangerous, it can lead to greater problems especially in industrial and chemical plants where the air is polluted by possibly dangerous vapors. Fiber cable does not generate sparks because it carries no electrical current.

Installation of fiber is less difficult because of its small size and flexibility. And fiber optic cables can pass along the same route as electric cable without producing any noise. The size, lightness and elasticity of fiber optic cables also makes them suitable for short-term or portable installations. And they transmit signals over longer distances too. Amplifying the transmission capability of copper wire cables makes them more unyielding. Thicker copper cables are also hard to mount in spaces where the cables have to pass through cable conduits and concrete walls.

Fiber optic means higher bandwidth too. It has the capability to transmit high-speed signals over lengthy distances without repeaters, unlike copper cables. The fiber optic’s range is not infinite but it is way more than copper cable.

If you need help in figuring out the ideal cabling topology, contact us or call 202-462-4290 for a free on-site survey and proposal.

Network Cabling, Data Cabling,cat5 cat6 cabling

The Advantages of Fiber Optic Cabling

7 Apr 2014

Stu Kushner

Network Cabling, Data Cabling,cat5 cat6 cabling Sophisticated technology has made it possible for the new generation of entrepreneurs to enjoy Cat5, Cat6, and fiber optic cabling. These technologies amplify speed, enhance performance and reduce costs.

Cat5

Cat5 refers to structured cabling for transmission of data signals. This is used primarily for computer networks. Standard performance is a maximum of 100 MHz and fits into the Gigabit and Fast Ethernet. Cat5 carries other signals for video and telephony. Almost all Cat5 cables are unprotected and depend on balanced lines and twisted pair designs as well as differential signals to reject noise.

Cat6

Cat6 is considered standard for Gigabit Ethernet along with network protocols that require more speed than Cat5 cables. Cat6 is made up of four pairs of wires comparable to Cat5. Using all four pairs allows this model to support communications that are double the speed of Cat5. This translates to speeds of one gigabit/second.

Fiber optic cabling or optical fiber is distinct from Cat5 and Cat6. It utilizes light rather than electricity to transmit signals. It has a better signal compared to the traditional copper cables, so it sends signals more rapidly than is possible with copper cable. Optical fiber is also impervious to interference from electricity, which means that users can use it anywhere and anytime. Fiber optic cabling also allows for much longer transmission distances. Cat5 and Cat6 are limited to only 100m of cable from wallplate to computer.

Even telephone companies have started to phase out copper wires in favor of fiber optic cables. Technical experts of these firms are working to reduce the vulnerability of fiber optic cables to water. Using fiber optic provides enterprises the adaptability of augmenting bandwidth in just several days compared to the conventional copper circuits, which usually take a maximum of one month to upgrade. Fiber optic connections generally start at two megabytes, with dedicated upload and download speeds of up to one gigabyte.

Fiber Connection

The fiber connection will also facilitate the business-mode Service Level Agreement or SLA. This implies that business entities obtain a secured 99.99 percent uptime. If power failure and other issues occur, technical specialists can conduct repairs within a maximum period of four hours. Your business reaps the benefits of speed, assured uptime and fast service by a reputable company like Progressive Office Cabling. It makes use of high-quality cables along with connectivity parts as well as the most efficient systems in cable management. The company’s technicians have been trained properly to be able to respond to your demands. With a proven project management approach, effective communication is guaranteed during the entire project.

This kind of service is practically unmatched in this industry. Savvy users and business proprietors will know how to choose the service provider that can deliver solutions based on their requirements.

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