[CS-FSLUG] Long Copper Run and Fiber Media Converters

[Josiah Ritchie]

On Sun, Sep 23, 2012 at 8:52 PM, Timothy Butler <tbutler at ofb.biz> wrote:

>
> I've searched a good deal about fiber, but most of the information I've
> found has assumed the reader has a lot more experience with fiber than I
> have had (i.e. none). Is there a good resource for a basic tutorial on
> fiber? Basically, I could use some advice on which sort of connectors are
> best out of the variety that seem to exist, how to crimp those connectors
> on and what media converters are best to convert from fiber back to copper
> on each end.


In my experience, your best bet is to determine your equipment and then use
that to determine the types of ends you want on the fiber. If you can
purchases and run the fiber with the ends already on it, that is best.
Terminating fiber is a very precise art. You are polishing glass to be very
flat and come out to very precise tolerances so it isn't really a job for
someone lacking experience in it. I've watched guys do it and it takes
precise tools that most IT shops don't have lying around like high-quality
optics to examine the fiber for proper polish before terminating and the
equipment to polish it with. I've always brought the fiber into something
like a 24-port switch, but there are conversion boxes out there. I have no
experience with them. I haven't done fiber in awhile so this may be less
substantial, but fiber does tend to be more expensive in every area in a
significant manner.

Also, make sure everyone knows where the fiber is run if it is underground.
It is unfortunate to take out three buildings when a fellow runs
underground power cable for street lighting right through three pair of
fiber, not that I'd know anything about that. ;-) Also, If that does
happen, be sure you don't have VoIP phones so that the huge crowds of
unhappy office workers don't have to come to your office physically. We had
that part right at least. :-)

JSR/
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