Basics of Fiber Optics

In August of 1858, the US and Britain completed the first telegraph cable across the Atlantic Ocean.

We still use copper cabling for many things, but we’ve added a new way to pipe data: light.

According to ThoughtCo [make “ThoughtCo” a hyperlink], the US government already had computers linked by fiber optics in 1975. [https://www.thoughtco.com/birth-of-fiber-optics-4091837]

Today, businesses use fiber optic cabling for all kinds of applications, but the most common one is linking network devices over a vast distance.

Most copper cabling cannot send a reliable signal past about 300 ft.

But fiber optic cabling can travel for miles! (It also carries more data… if copper cable is a garden hose, fiber optic cable is a city water main.)

Large businesses use it to connect buildings on campus, switch stacks in factories, or racks upon racks of servers.

There are short-distance applications, too.

Some companies prefer Fiber to the Desk (FTTD) solutions compared to traditional copper.

The install costs are higher, but there are a few gains:

First, more data can fit in a smaller space. (Fiber also generates no electromagnetic field, so the info doesn’t get distorted by high voltage lines or hackers.)

Second, the connections are insanely fast.

Third, it provides high bandwidth, as described in the water pipe analogy above.

This makes it highly attractive for workstations that process high amounts of secure data – web hosting centers, banks, healthcare centers, research laboratories.

Or anyone who wants to future proof their business with the fastest tech available.