Once saved, OTDR results can be used to reference the link for future testing. An OTDR trace is a graphical representation of power and distance of all elements of the optical fiber. As the pulse travels along the fiber, a small portion of the pulse’s energy is reflected to the detector from points along the fiber, such as connectors, multiplexers, splices, splitters and other components on the optical link. The OTDR sends a pulse of laser light into one side of the optical fiber. Used to characterize optical fibers, the OTDR couples a laser and a detector and is based on the principle of reflectometry. These measurements and the fault detection are carried out by using an optical time domain reflectometer, commonly called an OTDR by the industry. Fiber-based faults: Any event on an optical link that doesn’t meet the required thresholds to achieve a pass diagnostic for a particular measurement.Fiber length can be from point-to-point or can be measure going through a splitter all the way to the ONT, depending on the measuring devices used. Optical link length: The distance between the first network connector and the end of a fiber link, including the different events (connectors, fusion splices, macrobends, etc.).It represents a ratio of the power that is reflected over the power that goes in. Optical return loss (ORL): The loss of signal power resulting from the reflection caused at a discontinuity in an optical fiber.It represents a ratio of the power that comes out of the link over the power that goes in. Insertion loss (IL): The loss of signal power expressed in decibels (dB) that results from the presence of an event on a fiber link, such as a splice or a connector.Getting it right the first time when installing or troubleshooting optical cables means reliable testing equipment and procedures.įor fiber characterization, the testing equipment will need to measure/find the following key parameters: Guidelines for installing or troubleshooting optical fiber links Verifying the integrity of the fiber optic cables with the right OTDR testing methods has never been more vital to be able to quickly identify and locate faults. The promise of tomorrow’s technologies relies on an extremely reliable fiber foundation, whether in data centers, in the field or at customer premises. Fiber foundation done right with OTDR testingįiber is going deeper everywhere as massive rollouts are laying the ground for 5G and IoT in today’s transforming telecom landscape.