This spreadsheet allows you to design your fiber optic link, calculate its optical loss budget, and check which Ethernet Standard (IEEE 802.3) applications are compatible with it!
Fill in the optical link data (fiber type, total length, number of connections and splices) and the spreadsheet will calculate and display:
– The optical loss budget of the link in both standardized wavelengths (according to ANSI/TIA-568 standard);
– Which IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standards are compatible with this link, within those conditions.
Attention: standard values are used for the losses (attenuation) of the optical components (you can change the connection and splice loss). The Ethernet applications shown are only those compatible with the IEEE 802.3 standard, there may be proprietary transceivers (GBIC, SFP, etc.) that present different requirements, and are not listed here. If the table doesn’t fit in the window, use the bottom and side bar to scroll horizontally and vertically.
FIELDS (Design Optical Link Components)
FO category: the fiber performance category, whether multimode (OM1 to OM5) or single-mode (OS1 to OS2), in accordance with TIA-568 standard; when choosing the fiber category, on the right side the specific attenuations in both wavelengths are displayed, according to that standard, in dB/km;
Length (m): length of the whole link (optical channel), including cables, pigtails and optical patch cords, between active equipment;
Connectors: up to four types of connectors; for each connector, you can enter a name (optional, just for documentation), the maximum loss per connection (pair of coupled connectors, with 0.75 dB being standard by the aforementioned standards, but it is possible to change this value) and the number of connections on the link (normally, the minimum is 2 connections, corresponding to the optical panels at both ends);
Additional elements: the number of splices (fusion or mechanical) in the link and the maximum loss per splice (0.30 dB is the default, but it is possible to change); a reserve value in dB for future repairs (when additional splices may be necessary);
FO loss: the calculated loss referring only to the optical fiber in the two standard wavelengths, in decibels (dB);
Total loss: the total loss calculated at the two standard wavelengths, including the fiber, connectors, splices and reserve, in decibels (dB).
FIELDS (Ethernet Standards (IEEE 802.3) Compatible With The Designed Optical Link)
Name: Ethernet standard that identifies the technology’s transceivers;
Speed: the network speed of this standard in Megabits per second (Mb/s or Mbps);
FO: corresponding optical fiber category;
#fo: the number of fibers needed for a single link of that Ethernet standard;
Wavelengths: light wavelengths used in the transmission by the standard, in nanometers (nm);
Maximum distance: the maximum distance that the standard supports over the selected fiber category, in meters (m);
Lane rate: transmission rate of each transmitter used by the standard, in Mb/s (M) or Gb/s (G);
Maximum loss: maximum attenuation that the link can present for operation in that standard, in decibels (dB);
Standard: name of the addendum to the IEEE 802.3 where this network standard was specified.