Indoor Multimode Fiber Identification

Indoor multimode fibers can be identified by their core size, jacket color, optical source, and supported data rates, with OM1/OM2 using orange jackets, OM3/OM4 using aqua, and OM5 using lime green.Key Identification Features1. Core Size and TypeOM1: 62.5 µm core, LED-optimized, legacy fiber for 100 Mb/s to 1 Gb/s applications.OM2: 50 µm core, LED-optimized, supports 1 Gb/s and limited 10 Gb/s.OM3: 50 µm core, laser-optimized (VCSEL), supports 10 Gb/s up to 300 m, 40/100 Gb/s up to 100 m.OM4: 50 µm core, laser-optimized, supports 10 Gb/s up to 550 m, 40/100 Gb/s up to 150 m.OM5: 50 µm core, wideband multimode fiber (WB-MMF), supports short-wavelength division multiplexing (SWDM) for 40/100 Gb/s using fewer fibers . 2. Jacket Color CodingOM1 & OM2: OrangeOM3 & OM4: AquaOM5: Lime green 3. Optical SourceOM1 & OM2: Typically use LED light sources.OM3 & OM4: Optimized for VCSEL lasers.OM5: Supports multiple wavelengths (850–953 nm) for SWDM applications . 4. Bandwidth and DistanceOM1: 200 MHz·km at 850 nm, max 10 Gb/s up to 33 m.OM2: 500 MHz·km at 850 nm, max 10 Gb/s up to 82 m.OM3: 2000 MHz·km at 850 nm, max 10 Gb/s up to 300 m.OM4: 4700 MHz·km at 850 nm, max 10 Gb/s up to 550 m.OM5: 4700 MHz·km at 850 nm, optimized for multi-wavelength SWDM, supporting higher aggregate bandwidth . 5. Practical Identification TipsVisual inspection: Check the jacket color to quickly narrow down the fiber type.Labeling: Many indoor installations include printed labels with OM type and core size.Testing: Use an optical power meter or OTDR to verify performance and distance capabilities if the fiber type is uncertain.Connector compatibility: Multimode fibers typically use LC, SC, or MTP/MPO connectors; ensure the connector matches the fiber type for optimal performance . 6. ApplicationsOM1/OM2: Older LANs, legacy networks, short-distance connections.OM3/OM4: Modern enterprise networks, data centers, 10G–100G links.OM5: High-speed data centers requiring SWDM for 40G/100G with fewer fibers . By combining jacket color, core size, optical source, and bandwidth, indoor multimode fibers can be accurately identified and matched to the appropriate network application.