OS2, OM3 and OM4 fiber compared
OS2 is single-mode fiber for long links. OM3 and OM4 are multimode fibers for short links inside buildings and data centres. The transceivers decide which one you need.
| Property | OS2 | OM3 | OM4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Single-mode | Multimode | Multimode |
| Core / cladding | 9/125 µm | 50/125 µm | 50/125 µm |
| Wavelengths | 1310 and 1550 nm | 850 nm | 850 nm |
| Usual jacket colour | Yellow | Aqua | Aqua, sometimes violet |
| 10GBASE-SR reach | – | 300 m | 400 m |
| 40GBASE-SR4 reach | – | 100 m | 150 m |
| 100GBASE-SR4 reach | – | 70 m | 100 m |
| 10GBASE-LR reach | 10 km | – | – |
When to choose OS2
Choose OS2 single-mode for telecom, FTTH, campus backbones and any link longer than a few hundred metres, and whenever the optics are single-mode, such as LR, ER or single-mode BiDi.
When to choose OM3 or OM4
Choose multimode for short links inside a building or data centre that use SR optics. OM4 reaches further than OM3 at the same speed. If OM3 and OM4 are mixed in one link, plan for the OM3 reach.
Match the transceiver
The optics decide the fiber. SR transceivers need multimode and LR transceivers need single-mode, and the two cannot be swapped. Check the transceiver part number or datasheet before ordering cords.
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