Informations regarding fiber and LANCOM SFP modules

Very high range up to 40 kilometers and more, therefore especially suited for

• Connections between different company sites
• Connections between different buildings

Medium range from several hundred meters to a few kilometers, therefore especially suited for

• Connections within buildings
• Connections from switch to network storage or a server

LC connector: (Lucent Connector or also Local Connector)

The LC connector was developed by Lucent Technologies. Due to the compactness (Small Form Factor) it features a high port density and is therefure used in switches quite often.  

LC connectors are available in two common formats:

• LC-PC / LC-UPC (PC = Physical Contact, UPC = Ultra Physical Contact) 
  • Is also labeled "grade grind"
  • UPC is an extension of PC and features better attenuation
  • LC-PC / LC-UPC connectors are usually blue
  • LANCOM Systems SFP modules mostly use LC-PC / LC-UPC connectors
• LC-APC (APC = Angled Physical Contact)
  • Is also labeled "bevelled grind"
  • LC-APC has a grind of 8 degrees
  • LC-APC connectors are usually green

Important: LC-PC / LC-UPC and LC-APC must not be connected to each other, as it is very likely that the LC-APC connector would be damaged!

MPO/MTP connector: (Multipath Push-On and also Multiple-Fibre Push-On) / (Mechanical Transfer Push-On)

The MPO connector was originally developed by NTT and further developed to MTP by the joint venture USA-Conec.

• Compared to MPO, MTP features mechanical and optical advantages, e.g. a detachable connector housing. An MTP connector is always also an MPO connector.
• MPO/MTP contains up to 72 fiber strands (max. 12 strands per row with a maximum of 6 rows) and therefore features very high data transfer rates. For 40 GBit/Sec. usually cables with 12 fiber strands are used (8 strands necessary) and for 100 GBit/Sec. cables with 24 strands are used (20 strands necessary).