Home fiber connection type?

[Quattro Pete]

Pardon my lack of understanding here...

When a service provider brings fiber internet to your home, what kind of cable/wire is it that would plug into the fiber modem's WAN port? Is it something that looks like a coax/RG6 cable or Ethernet/RJ45 cable or something else? Or does it vary depending on provider?

For illustration, I'm referring to the cable on the left marked as "Optical Fiber Cable".

Thanks!

 

[mk378]

They will supply and install the optical fiber cable based on where you agree the ONT should be installed. You can buy a replacement fiber patch cord if you wanted to move the ONT to a different location farther away from the TP. It is singlemode single strand fiber with SC/APC connectors such as this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Internet-Compatible-Replacement/dp/B0CNLDR8PG/
Attaching the SC connectors to bare fiber in the field requires complicated equipment. Everyone including the ISP instead buys patch cords pre-made in various lengths. The TP is merely a passive connection where the fiber from the street ends and plugs into your patch cord, similar to the Network Interface Device previously used with copper phone lines.

The network cable will be standard cat5e or cat 6 Ethernet cable usually provided by you.

 

[wwillson]

Between the NTE (TP) and the ONT, it will always be multimode fiber with LC connectors.

 

[Nukeman7]

The yellow cable w/green connecting plug often used by Verizon FiOS is shown around the 3 minute mark in this video.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Thanks.

A follow-up question then: is the ONT different from a modem? The reason I ask is that I see various cable providers' modems only include a coax input on their modems. Or are those cable internet services technically not fiber?

 

[wwillson]

A follow-up question then: is the ONT different from a modem?

Yes, completely different. Cable systems use DOCSIS and PON systems use Ethernet. Your example is PON (Passive Optical Network). The two technologies are completely incompatible.

PON is shared media just like DOCSIS, even to the customer prem. There is a common misconception that if you have fiber to your home, it's dedicated bandwidth, but that's not how PON works. With PON technology the media is shared all the way to the ONT.

 

[Rand]

Between the NTE (TP) and the ONT, it will always be multimode fiber with LC connectors.

That doesnt appear to (always) be correct.
Verizon fios for example.

 

[wwillson]

That doesnt appear to (always) be correct.
Verizon fios for example.

What do they use for the optical connection?

 

[OVERKILL]

What do they use for the optical connection?

Looks like SC, which is what I believe Bell uses up here too.

 

[wwillson]

Looks like SC, which is what I believe Bell uses up here too.

I’ve been in the carrier world too long, where SC is almost extinct. You are correct, SC is still used in residential.

 

[OVERKILL]

I’ve been in the carrier world too long, where SC is almost extinct. You are correct, SC is still used in residential.

Yeah, I'm LC at our offices, but it's SC at my home

 

[JohnnyG]

Check with your fiber provider. The Nokia WiFi router that Wire3 installed has the fiber coming in, but also provides outlets for network cables via RJ45. I had them run CAT6a about 75' across my attic and dropped it to my old WiFi router. I then used that as a wired hub for TV/Roku/etc. I could easily run the CAT6 straight to my computer if I needed more speed, but I don't.
So I'm running two WiFi systems in my house.

The Nokia has 5 RJ45 jacks, one is 10gb and the other 4 slower. I ran the 10gb to my other WiFi router.

 

[Donald]

Some ONT use coax to connect to a router. There is a bandwidth limitation. Typically where there is coax installed in the building. These ONT probably have both coax and a RJ45. Verizon has this. Verizon is also able to go from their router to an extender via coax. Or WIFI or CAT6.

I moved my ONT inside. The fiber I found easily but the low voltage power for the ONT was kind of Verizon proprietary. I got a Verizon guy to give me the power connector off his truck after telling me the ONT is Verizon's and best not to move it myself.

 

[tburke]

I’ve been in the carrier world too long, where SC is almost extinct. You are correct, SC is still used in residential.

Yep... only time we use SC anymore is on the CPE side for PON services. Specifically, SC-APC. If you're planning on running your own cable, make sure you get SC-APC (typically a green connector) rather than SC-UPC (blue connector) otherwise you'll end up with terrible signal (light), if any at all.

https://www.fs.com/products/41656.html makes for a great patch cable. If you have PON service at home, I recommend picking up one or two to save you a truck roll from your favorite local ISP, especially if you have animals that enjoy chewing on cords. I like these in particular because they are steel armored for added protection.

 

[y_p_w]

It's an actual fiber optic connection. Theoretically they could be flexible glass or plastic. I remember the old fiber optic connections for audio, which were fairly low bandwith. I think those used plastic fiber.

I guess there's no one answer as many here have noted. There's a lot of variability in connection and cable types.

https://www.gomultilink.com/blog/multilog/types-of-fiber-optic-connectors