High speed Internet is best provided with the help of optical communication lines. Now this technology has come to almost every apartment. The question of how to connect an optical cable is of interest not only to specialists, but also to ordinary users. We will try to cover the topic in more detail.

We will consider the connection using PON technology (passive optical networks) as the most modern and increasingly widespread today, replacing conventional wired lines.

Let's start from the basics in order to understand what we will have to meet, because optical communication technology differs from ordinary and familiar wires for us, both in terms of the principle of operation and in terms of installation methods. Of course, this section can be omitted and proceed immediately to solving practical problems, but, nevertheless, knowing the theory, it is easier to solve many problems that arise in practice. We will try not to bother you with complex terms, but to explain everything simply and popularly.

How does data transmission via fiber optics work?

Transmitting a signal through ordinary wires using electric current hits two obstacles that limit the speed limit.

1. A signal with a high frequency quickly attenuates over a long distance.
2. High-frequency currents have large energy losses through radiation into the environment.
3. Nearby wires and equipment interfere with the signal.

These negative factors are fought by using intermediate amplifiers, screens, twisting wires. But everything has a limit. Today, increasing the speed of information transfer is mainly solved by dividing it into parallel streams. For example, USB 3.0 differs from earlier USB 2.0 in that it uses more than one pair of wires to transfer data.

The problem could be cardinally solved only with the help of fiber optic cables. In them, the signal is transmitted using light, more precisely laser radiation, which weakly attenuates over long distances. For communication, glass fibers are used, in which, due to specially selected properties of the core and the outer layer, the effect of total reflection of the light beam is manifested.

Also, due to their small diameter, they are flexible (thin flexible glass fibers are also found in such familiar materials as glass wool and fiberglass).

The system works extremely simply - on one side of the cable, the laser radiation is modulated, encoding information in it, which is decoded by the photodetector at the other end. Multiple streams can be transmitted over a single fiber, using lasers with different spectra in parallel.

The transmission speed over fiber is orders of magnitude higher than the capabilities of metal conductors and reaches several terra bits per second.

It has fiber optics and other advantages:

1. Absolute protection against external interference, it is impossible to direct an extraneous signal to such a cable.
2. Due to the absence of metal conductors, such lines cannot be damaged by high voltage insulation breakdown, therefore they are also safe for users.
3. Modern fiber optic cable has a small diameter and takes up a lot of space in trays and sewers.
4. It is impossible to read information without damaging the cable and without violating its performance by known methods (for example, by detecting electromagnetic radiation).

Another advantage of optical fiber is that it is of no interest to intruders, since it does not contain non-ferrous metals.

But there are also some downsides:

1. such cables cannot be connected by conventional soldering or twisting, it is required to weld glass or use special connecting elements;
2. fiberglass cables cannot be bent along a small radius;
3. equipment for receiving and transmitting is complex, although with mature and mass production, as with any electronics, its price is constantly decreasing.

How PON technology works

At first glance, there are two ways to build a subscriber network:

1. Run the cable from the base station to each user. This is how a standard city network works - from the PBX, pairs of wires go to each phone.
2. Conduct several trunk lines with high bandwidth, to which active switches are connected - switches that distribute access between subscribers. This is how the first networks were built using twisted pairs (LAN) and later fiber optics as backbones. For example, a fiber-optic line went to the house, access to which was already distributed among the apartments using twisted pairs connected through switches. Such networks were called FTTB (Fiber To Building) - fiber to the building.

PON technology works on a slightly different principle:

1. Active equipment is installed only at the provider and the client.
2. Up to 128 receivers can be connected per fiber. The network is built on the principle of a tree, where branches come from the line, and branches of the second order come from them, and so on.
3. All subscriber devices connected to the same fiber get access to the network with time division. That is, a packet of information is immediately transmitted to one client, then to the second, and so on in turn. Due to the high bandwidth of the line, this in no way reduces the data transfer rate. Communication is also carried out in the opposite direction, but a different wavelength of laser radiation is used.

This approach became possible due to the fact that special devices are used - splitters. They divide the flow of one fiber into several fibers. Radiation losses, of course, are large in this case, but they are compensated by the use of powerful lasers, today the price for them is not so high.

The advantages of splitters are that they are relatively simple, do not require connection to the mains (this is a passive element, hence the name of the technology) and maintenance.

These features of PON technology make it possible to develop networks in any conditions. If for older methods of distributing the Internet, unlike the city, where you can place ordinary switches and servers without problems in any attic or basement and there are no problems with connecting the power supply, there were great difficulties in rural areas, for PON there are no such problems.

The splitter can be hung on any wall or power line support and even placed in a well, the devices are not afraid of moisture.

PON network

To make it more clear how PON technology works, we will give a diagram of how such a network is organized.

Let's explain the diagram a bit:

• The Internet provider or PBX has an OLT (in English - Optical Linear Terminal - Optical Linear Terminal) from which the distribution is taking place. Cable lines are connected to it. This is a fairly compact device in the photo below shows a rack that can serve several thousand subscribers.

• Several cables extend from each OLT, only one is shown in the diagram, for four cores. They are bred throughout the serviced area in cable ducts, along supports or in another way.

Due to the high power of lasers, the cable length can reach up to 60 kilometers, although manufacturers usually guarantee a high-quality signal at a distance of up to 20 km, but this is quite enough for an average city.

• A splitter is hung on each core (in the diagram, these are boxes labeled Spliter), from them there are branches either to other splitters, or directly to customers. The diagram shows a fanout of two cables at the top and four at the bottom, but the signal can be fanned out to more cables, although multi-output devices are rarely used.

• After the first splitter, several more can be installed.
• At the end of the line, the subscriber has an ONU (in English Optical Network Unit - Optical Network Unit) it can also be called ONT (in English Optical Network Terminal - Optical Network Terminal) to which you can connect a LAN cable. Sometimes the device is called an optical modem.

• In addition to LAN connections, ONUs almost always have telephone sockets, since almost always a PON connection provides a package of services: Internet, telephone, television.

As can be seen from the diagram, the network can be easily developed without high costs. For example, in the upper part, instead of the first ONU, install another splitter, to which two subscribers can already be connected. You can also replace two-channel splitters with four-channel ones, such as those at the bottom of the diagram.

What problems can a regular PON user have?

Our article, as we said above, is not designed for specialists, they already know perfectly well how to connect a fiber optic cable and set up equipment. When connecting to a PON for the first time, providers also usually provide assistance (but more often for a fee, so doing everything yourself can save money) with setting up equipment and networks.

How does the connection usually work?

• Contact the provider and write a statement, if necessary, make an advance payment.
• After a while, several network installers appear at your entrance. As a rule, these are not employees of the Internet provider company, but third-party contractors. They drill holes in the wall in your hallway, run a fiber optic cable from the switchboard in the entrance to the apartment, weld it and install an optical outlet near the entrance.

• Next, the provider's servicemen appear, who hang up an optical modem (usually it is provided for rent), connect it with a cable to an outlet, and then set it up. The Internet is already in the house, it remains to distribute it.

The process is approximately the same in a private house, although the switchboards will either be located on the poles of power lines (electrical communications), in wells, or not at all, and the subscriber cable will be connected from a separate splitter.

These three steps cannot be completed on your own, only if you are hired by a provider. In addition, under the contracts, the networks up to the boundaries of home ownership or even to the outlet are serviced by the Internet provider for free (if not damaged intentionally), after the separation boundaries, the lines are considered the property of the client and all costs for their operation are transferred to him.

Connecting ONT in an apartment

The figure below shows a standard scheme for connecting devices to an optical terminal. We will immediately analyze its implementation with our own hands, then we will tell you how you can adjust it depending on the capabilities of the equipment, and how to improve it.

Please note that you will have to deal with optics the least, it is enough to know how to connect a fiber optic cable to a modem, and all other networks are ordinary wired.

Standard service connection

We will describe in detail all the nodes of the circuit, since not everything may be clear to a specialist.

• The optical socket, as in most cases, is located near the entrance to the hallway. It is connected to the switchboard with a welded optical cable, which was mounted during installation.
• The socket with the terminal is also connected with an optical cable, but it is connected to the connectors. This is a patch cord (this is the name of any fiber-optic and wire connecting cables, we will continue to use this term) as a rule, purchased.

• A regular telephone cable is used to connect to the phone. Instead of a telephone socket, it is connected to the ONT socket, which corresponds to a standard telephone socket, and is laid around the apartment to the place where the device is located.

• To connect with a stationary computer, a twisted pair cable (LAN cable) is laid around the apartment, which is connected to the corresponding ONT and PC connectors. The connection is similar to connecting through a regular switch.
• In order to connect a laptop, Wi Fi is used; for this, a router is placed next to the terminal. In the diagram, it is designated as a PPPoE/Wi-Fi router. It also connects to the ONT using a twisted pair cable.

• The last connection is a TV, for this a digital television receiver is placed next to it (on the Set Top Box diagram, this is the English designation of the device). To connect the receiver to the ONT, twisted pair is again used, with the TV standard HDMI, SCART or Composite (bells) connectors that connect any video devices.

Now let's move on to how to implement this scheme:

• To connect to an outlet, it is best to use a ready-made optical patch cord. Such a wire of small length is easy to purchase at any store. You can make it yourself by purchasing a fiber optic cable and connectors, we will talk about this below when we describe how to move the terminal further from the outlet.
• Next, we connect the phone - for this, you can also buy a ready-made wire of the desired length with connectors. If it is difficult to choose the length, but you don’t want to make a stock, we make it ourselves.

For the manufacture we need:

• special crimping (crimper) for RJ11 - 14 connectors or universal (it will also help with crimping twisted pairs);
• cable of required length;
• RJ 11 or 14 plugs (they cost a penny);
• insulation cleaning tool (nippers knife).

Advice. Do not buy a four-core cable for the RJ14 standard; 2 cores are enough for standard devices.

• We remove the top insulation from the wire, for this you can use a knife or wire cutters or crimper blades (if any).
• We expose the upper insulation by 6-8 millimeters, do not touch the insulation of individual conductors.
• We push them into the body until it stops. Moreover, if we use, as we have already said, a two-wire wire, then the conductors must lie in the sockets of the two central contacts. Which side is red and which side is green is not important, despite the fact that there is a wiring diagram for these connectors, it is not necessary to follow it, telephone sets are not sensitive to polarity.

• Then we insert the connector into the crimper, it should correctly lie in the corresponding socket and squeeze its handles. The bar will slide inward, the knives will cut through the core insulation and securely connect the contacts.

Advice. You can try to crimp the connector without a crimper. To do this, having installed the wires, use a screwdriver with a sharply sharpened tip to press the knives individually, and then the bar to secure the wire inside. The work must be done carefully, however, the plugs themselves cost a penny, so you can break a few pieces before you can achieve a normal result.

Another phone can be connected using standard short patch cords. To do this, we install sockets near the phone and ONT.

The conductors in them are usually clamped with terminals. In this case, you need to connect the 2nd and 3rd contacts (the red and green wires are suitable for them, as well as in the telephone cable). This approach is even more convenient.

• We connect the computer using a twisted pair cable. As in the case of a telephone, you can try to find a ready-made cable of the desired length or purchase a twisted pair cable and a plug. The crimping occurs in the same way, but with one feature, before installing the conductors into the sockets, you need to develop the ends of the conductors and arrange them in the correct order, it is shown in the figure below.

When preparing a LAN line, do not forget one more feature - twisted pairs have different bandwidth, in order to fully realize the possibilities of optical connection, you need to choose category 5 cables, they provide gigabit speed.

• Then we connect the television receiver and the Wi Fi router, everything is exactly the same as for the computer - we extend the twisted pair cable, which we plug into the appropriate connectors. For the latter, if it is located as in the diagram, it is easier to use a ready-made short patch cord. The router will need to be configured, as described in its instruction manual.

Circuit Simplification

The standard scheme is designed for the use of components with minimal functionality. But modern devices have advanced features, we will tell you how to use them.

• As a rule, almost all ONTs can distribute Wi-Fi, so you can refuse a router.
• TVs with the "Smart TV" function also most often have a LAN input and they do not need a receiver.

• If you use a radiotelephone, then its base station can be placed next to the terminal and not pull the telephone wire through the house. Moreover, for many, and so the devices are in the hallway where the digital outlet is most often mounted.

In general, using a Wi-Fi connection, you can refuse wires, except for telephone. Many TVs include a wireless network reception module, and for a desktop computer, you can buy a receiver that plugs into either a USB connector or is installed on the motherboard in PCI slots.

True, when connected via Wi-Fi, you will not be able to achieve the high speeds that an Internet connection via a fiber optic cable implies. Wireless network capabilities are limited and depend on the distance to the router and the presence of obstacles (walls).

Schema enhancements

Now let's talk about the possibilities of improving the scheme. Much more can be offered. It is difficult to systematically give options and describe them all, but we will try.

Telephone line

Let's start with the simplest - a telephone, in a house there may be more than one device in the office, as in the diagram, but several, in the bedroom, in the kitchen, in the living room. An optical modem most often has only one RJ 11 (RJ 14) connector. Therefore, the line from it will have to be branched; this can be done in three ways.

1. In the place necessary for branching, install a telephone splitter - a box with three outputs for RJ connectors. As an option - install a double outlet. This option may even be preferable, since later, in case of breakdowns, turning off sections, it will be easy to find a damaged line.
2. Install any suitable terminal box at the separation point and bifurcate the line with it.
3. Connect another one to the telephone cable by soldering or twisting.

router

A router installed in the hallway may not provide a clear signal (the weaker it is, the lower the data transfer rate) throughout the apartment or house, especially if the building area is large. It is advisable to move it closer to the center of housing. True, this option is not possible if Wi-Fi is distributed by the terminal itself. Alternatively, install a signal amplifier (repeater) closer to the center.

LAN lines

Due to the location of the fiber optic terminal, twisted-pair lines are long. Although the signal in them does not attenuate much, it is more convenient to lay it all the same from the center, especially if the house has a lot of equipment connected to the network. The best option, of course, would be to move the ONT terminal itself to the center, but this may not work (more on that below).

But there is one more possibility - we transfer the router to the center, as we said above, and do the rest of the wiring from it. Almost all models of these devices, in addition to distributing Wi-Fi, have at least four LAN ports per output and work like switches.

Also, in the standard scheme, the laptop is supposed to be connected only via a wireless network. But we have already said that Wi-Fi does not fully realize the high-speed data transfer capabilities that an optical terminal provides. Therefore, it is advisable to extend a twisted pair cable to connect it to those places (living room, bedroom, kitchen) where you most often use a laptop.

TV

As we have already said, modern TVs with the “smart” function have twisted pair (LAN) connectors and a Wi-Fi receiver allow you to abandon the receiver altogether. It is correct to call such devices not even TVs, but monoblock computers with the functionality of a TV.

If the TV supports high-definition video or even 3D, it is still better to connect via LAN (due to the possible reduction in speed over the wireless channel). Also for such devices, if a receiver is still used, then it is better to connect it to a TV to ensure video quality not through the SCART or Composite connectors shown in the diagram, but through HDMI or at least DVI.

Another feature today in the house is usually not one TV, but several. How to connect them?

If you need high quality, then you will have to pull a twisted pair cable to each, if not, then you can get by with Wi-Fi. Even if the TV or receiver itself does not support this technology, the wireless adapter costs less than $10.

In this subsection of the article, we will also answer the frequently asked question - how to connect the optical cable of the TV to the receiver?

In principle, there are receivers that are directly connected to the optical network, but they are mainly used for broadcasting in cable networks, that is, for professional use. All home digital television receivers are connected, as we described above.

Backup power

The disadvantage of modern high-tech communication lines and not only optical ones is that the terminal devices require connection to the electrical network.

If the old telephone could work from the voltage supplied from the PBX through the wires, then the device connected to the terminal is completely dependent on its power supply. That is, if the lights go out in your house, you will not be able to receive and receive calls. Therefore, consider a backup power supply for the optical modem.

Given that the power consumption of an ONT is usually within 15-20 watts, any uninterruptible power supply unit is suitable for this purpose (the abbreviation UPS is accepted - an uninterruptible power supply).

For example, if an uninterruptible power supply has a battery with a capacity of 9 A / h, then it will be able to provide you with communication for 6-7 hours. During this time, the mains usually repair the damage. For rural areas where power outages are longer, a unit with a larger battery can be selected.

It is advisable to connect a Wi-Fi router to the UPS in addition to the optical modem. Then, in the event of a power outage, you will have not only a telephone connection, but also the Internet, provided that the batteries of your laptop, tablet or smartphone are charged.

Transfer of ONT terminal

As we have already said, the location of the modem at the front door is not optimal, it is desirable to place it closer to the center of the apartment in order to improve Wi-Fi communication and reduce the length of wired lines.

Of course, transferring the device can be problematic:

• perhaps the provider does not allow the modem to move independently;
• subscriber optical cable is quite demanding on laying conditions, does not like bending under a small radius, it needs to be additionally protected.

But sometimes it is still desirable to rearrange the modem, especially in large apartments with several levels. Let's consider how this can be done, more precisely, how to extend the optical cable.

There are several options:

• Use an optical cable with connectors corresponding to the connectors in the socket and modem (a kind of patch cord) of great length. The most acceptable option, however, such cables are not found on sale, but you can make it yourself. In addition, with this approach, there are no problems with the provider.
• Extend fiber with connectors. Below we will see how this can be done. But note that the signal loss with this method will be greater than with the first option.
• Weld cable fiber. In fact, it is not so difficult, and we will also look at how this is done. The only problem is that the welding machine costs several thousand dollars and it is not worth buying for the sake of one or two joints. Although if you are going to continue building optical networks at a professional level ...

You can also borrow equipment from a friend or rent for a day.

By the way, sometimes they ask whether it is possible to install two ONTs in one apartment. In principle, it is possible, but unlike telephones, they cannot work in parallel, you will have to pay for two personal accounts. So this choice only makes sense if you need uninterrupted Internet and it is possible to connect to the Internet through a fiber optic cable from different providers.

By the way, a similar scheme, though wired, is implemented at my house. Through a DSL modem, I am connected to the Republican provider Beltelecom, from which I chose a tariff without a monthly fee. The second connection via twisted pair to the server of the local provider (the director of the enterprise is a neighbor and friend), where the Internet is free. If someone has a breakdown, then I can easily switch to a reserve.

To help, we also offer a video connection of an optical cable:

Connecting and connecting optical cables

All the work that is described below is usually done by craftsmen for a decent fee, although as you can see, they are quite simple with the equipment and tools. In my opinion, mastering the connection of optics is as easy as the correct soldering of the usual copper wires.

True, such a need rarely arises, but we will look with an eye to the future, perhaps soon fiber will replace copper everywhere, and end devices will connect to it directly, and not through ONT.

Installing optical connectors

Consider how the most common SC type connectors are mounted. The vast majority of modems and sockets use this type. For installation, we need a set of special tools and materials.

Although it costs decently, it is still cheaper than an optical fiber splicer. Such kits are usually supplied with detailed instructions, so we will give an approximate order of operations for your reference.

The steps for installing the connector on the cable are as follows:

1. We remove the insulation with special wire cutters - a stripper. This tool has calibrated gaps between the cutting edges that allow you to remove layers one by one without damaging the fiber itself.
2. Then the Kevlar fiber is cut, which reinforces the wire sheath. Doing this with ordinary scissors will not work because of its great strength. You will need stronger blades, which are most often found in a stripper.
3. Then a part of the connector is put on, which will fix it on the cable.
4. Then, with a special composition or simply alcohol wipes, the hydrophobic coating on the glass fiber itself is removed.
5. Next, glue is prepared and drawn into the syringe, which will fix the fiber in the connector. A strictly measured amount of it is introduced into the channel, into which a bare optical fiber is then threaded.
6. After the adhesive has hardened, the optical fiber is chipped off with a special tool.
7. Then its end is polished.
8. In conclusion, the rest of the connector is put on, and it is crimped with a special crimp.

Connecting optical fiber with a mechanical connector

This method is simpler than the previous one, pieces of fiber optic cable are taken, with industrially mounted connectors (pigtails), and joined with a mechanical connector. The disadvantage of the method is the signal loss on the connections, it is comparable to the decrease in light intensity in the connectors themselves (it is clear that you cannot refuse the connectors). So it's better to either weld or mount the fiber into the connector.

Interesting. Pigtail is translated from English as "pig's tail", a fairly apt comparison.

Using the example of the SNR-Link connector, we will describe the performance of the work.

• The cable is stripped of insulation and chipped off.
• The ends of the stripped cable are inserted into the connector.

• Then the latch fixing the joint is simply pressed.

This is where the work ends. As you can see in the photo below, the test of this connection shows a loss of 0.028 dB, this is commensurate with the losses in the connector, although according to the passport data, losses up to 0.04 dB are allowed for the connector. By the way, the device is reusable.

wire welding

As we have already said, it is best to weld wires or pigtails, this is also not difficult, the whole problem is only in the cost of the device. We will show how welding occurs in stages.

• The device turns on and performs a self-test.

• Next, enter the type of cable to be welded. Moreover, for this it is not necessary to professionally understand all types of fiber optic conductors, we simply enter the marking indicated either on the package or on the insulation surface itself.

• Then, having removed the outer protective layer with any suitable tool, we install the wire in a special holder. Before that, do not forget to put on the KDZS sleeve (a set of parts for protecting the welded joint), which will then close the welding site.

• Then the holder is placed in the thermal stripper of the device, and it turns on. The insulation is removed by heating, with much less risk of damaging the fiber than with conventional mechanical exposure.

• The lid closes and the thermal stripper starts up. He cleans the wire himself.

• Further, without removing the wire from the holder, we wipe it with alcohol (a round container with a swab is located on the top cover of the device) to remove the hydrophobic coating and install it in the cleaver. The holder in it, as in the stripper, is attached to a magnet. The chipping goes away when the lid is closed. Fiber scraps fall into a special container so as not to get lost (it is easy to drive a thin, almost invisible fiber under the skin, but it is difficult to remove it later).

Attention. Be very careful with fiber optic waste, they should not be lost, as they can be harmful to health. It is especially dangerous if pieces of glass wire get into the respiratory tract.

• When the two wires are prepared, without removing them from the holders, we install them directly under the welding electrodes.

• We start the welding process. The machine aligns and centers the fibers and splices them in less than ten seconds.

At the end of welding, the device shows the result - what losses will be at this joint. In the image below, they are highlighted with an oval, only 0.01 dB.

• It remains to case the KZDS sleeve, for this it is put on the junction (we first remove the holders) and the wire is placed in the furnace.

The process also takes a few seconds. We remove the finished welded fiber optic cable from the oven (carefully, it will be hot).

As you can see, everything is quite simple, if you don’t have crooked hands, you can quickly learn how to weld fiber optics, just read the manual for the welding machine (our article is also suitable) or get a 10-minute briefing. I note that it is much more difficult to quickly acquire the skills of connecting conventional wires using a soldering iron and solder.

We hope that our article told everything about the optical cable, how to connect it, connect, coordinate the operation of the fiber optic modem with other devices. Even if you are not going to mount networks or connectors yourself, knowing how this is done, you can find the cause of breakdowns and ways to fix them. Let the Internet in your home always be fast and uninterrupted.

I have nothing to do with Beltelecom and their installers, so your judgment is wrong. Yes, and everything is visible in my profile, but you don’t care about the details.
When I had an optics done, I noticed that the installers do as you tell them (they spared neither the cable channel nor the cable (I'm talking about a LAN cable for a TV and a computer, a copper telephone cable for a phone).
You are deceiving yourself - you did not care about the installation, instead of a timely dialogue with the installers before and during the work. You may need to learn how to respectfully negotiate work and respectfully accept negotiated work.
Instead of ordinary people complaining here (in fact, nowhere), you better contact Beltelecom.

Dear self-appointed lawyer of Beltelecom, or whoever you are... You don’t know the details yourself, but you have already drawn incredible conclusions... When my apartment was connected, when I came home from work, I only managed to check the installation in my vestibule in me the previously installed cable channel . And in the next vestibule from the shield and the entrance, they were smoking without me. Do you know everyone has a job, and a week before that I took a day off and waited for the brigade all day, but no one came at the appointed time. And the installers carried the cable to the neighbors in general in my absence and frolic, as they saw fit. Although I immediately warned them not to put the neighbor's cable into my cable channel. The fact that they do not install sockets for optics is certainly not the fault of the performers, it is the fault of the developer of the regulations. In addition, they did not tell me anything about the absence of an outlet. And they are well aware that the slightest bend in the wire can lead to its failure. I'd buy the outlet myself if I knew. Obviously, so much fragile wiring should be brought only to a stationary outlet. And the owner cannot check where the cliff is without special equipment. Yes, they did not spare the cable, but why do I need these fragile tails in the apartment?
And why shouldn't people know about my negative experience? As they say, teach your wife how to cook cabbage soup. And I will solve the issue with them and make them redo everything as it should. But why should I waste my time on this? Maybe someone just sucks doing their job?

Somewhere a little over a year ago, I had optics done and during installation in the apartment they installed an optical socket - it looks like this one: https://axata.by/wp-content/themes/axata/img/ora1.png

You should spend your time on this, if only because you are doing it for yourself, to satisfy your needs.

Imagine that you are the installer.
As in Vasya Oblomov's song "Memento mori":
Imagine that your doctor studied like you
Imagine that an accountant thinks like you
Imagine that the traffic cop is honest like you,
Imagine that everything around you is you.
And neither the cross nor the aspen stake will help,
And even prayer, head on the floor.
Looking for a way to stay on track
Blaming your neighbor for failures.

Beltelecom is slowly weaving its web and building a GPON network throughout the country. New happy owners of modern technology, as a rule, have two questions: where to install an optical socket, and where to get power for the optical terminal?

I share a "cultural" solution, installing optics for apartments, especially for apartments that have already been renovated, or where this repair is not planned at all.

In order to culturally organize a place for the input of optics, you need a Hager Golf multimedia shield. Depending on the model, these shields can be of different sizes and designs (outdoor, built-in). In order to simply install an optical terminal, a VS218PZF shield is enough (it is in the photo). Its approximate cost is 80 bel. rubles ($40) for 2018.

The Hager Golf shield is plastic (both the body and the door), this reduces interference with the transmission of the wireless WI-FI signal around the apartment. There are holes in the shield door for heat dissipation to prevent overheating of the equipment.

To open the door, a certain effort is required, so small children are unlikely to be able to open and climb into this shield. If necessary, a lock can be installed in the shield.

The best place to place a shield with a terminal, I think, is the installation option near the front door of the apartment, on the wall bordering the corridor (tambour). At a height, slightly above the plinth (no more than 1 cm).

This placement will:

1. Stretch 230 Volt power from the floor board if it is not possible to connect from the apartment wiring. (The new line is laid in a PVC box with a VVGngLS cable with 3x1.5 mm2 cores.
2. Stretch optics and other low-current cables (twisted pair, TV, telephone, intercom, etc.) without affecting the interior decoration of the apartment.

For powering active equipment, I use Panasonic socket blocks. At one time, I was looking for a convenient and inexpensive socket block for low-current shields for a long time, and I have been using them for almost 3 years. They come with a different number of sockets, and can be with a power button. In shields, I recommend using a block for 2-3 sockets.

If there is a need to run a twisted pair cable from the terminal to a computer or TV, then you can try to do it hidden in the baseboards and behind the platbands (bypassing the doors).

Mounting Features:

1. An optical socket is not needed if you install the terminal in a shield. The optical connector is connected directly to the terminal directly.
2. Do not leave too much optical cable, given that the shield is large, let there be a margin. Large pieces of cable in the shield are not needed (this also applies to other cables). Half a meter of stock is enough, which can be neatly rolled up and placed behind a perforated panel.
3. The optical cable is quite fragile, so handle it very carefully. Don't bend it too hard! If the fiber breaks, you will have to call a specialist to weld the optics.
4. If a ground wire is provided in the apartment wiring, be sure to ground the panel. The shield kit includes a special terminal block and instructions on how to do this.

The above solution for organizing the input of optics into the apartment will allow in the future to forget the problems with possible new changes in the low-current of the apartment from the outside. That is, if you need to connect to a new Internet provider, then a new cable from the provider will come from the corridor to the shield, and you will only have to replace or add the necessary equipment in the shield, while you do not need to destroy, drill and spoil the appearance of your apartments.

I have always considered Beltelecom one of the most advanced state-owned companies in Belarus, which keeps pace with the times and plans its activities with an eye to the future and the rapid development of technologies. But the other day I realized that I was wrong.

Last year "Beltelecom" began to actively lay fiber-optic cables in the capital's apartment buildings, moving the service of its subscribers to a new technological level. I myself observed how quickly and efficiently the work was carried out.

But imagine my surprise when Beltelecom lays its cables in the villages of the Minsk region. I was just finishing building my house and also saw how quickly the work was done. Literally in a month, my entire village was lined with a cable. First, a cable was brought from the M4 highway to the village, and then to each of the hundreds of houses, including mine.

I happily rubbed my hands: I’ll move in and I will already have a modern fiber-optic connection. I made plans that I would connect not only the telephone, high-speed Internet, but also Internet television. True, after laying the cable itself, related work was carried out for several more months, but the moment of connection had come.

I went to the Beltelecom website, chose a connection package - the same Yasna package advertised on TV - filled out an online application and waited for Internet at a speed of 50/25 Mbit / s to appear in my house plus Internet TV from Beltelecom for two TVs. Yes, I forgot, I rolled my lip for the new Beltelecom service "Smart Home". But I thought that first I would make the main connection, talk with the company's specialists, and then it would come to the "Smart Home".

Soon the operator called. The woman specified my address of residence and some other moments, after which she sighed sadly.

So you don’t have fiber optics there, we can’t connect you a package using PON technology.

Why not fiber? - I was surprised. - The cable was laid only last year, the whole village was connected. What copper cable? His laying today does not make sense at all.

I will clarify now, but in my opinion a simple copper cable was laid in your village.

The woman clarified and after a while called me back. Indeed, Beltelecom did a huge amount of work, spent a lot of money to lay a copper cable. Therefore, I will be connected to the Internet at speeds up to 8 Mbps and one set-top box for television. The woman advised not to take the second prefix, since the Internet speed would then be very small.

“Maybe I'm not catching up with something?” I thought after talking with the Beltelecom operator. “Maybe there is still some point in laying a copper cable?”

I began to study the issue and consult with knowledgeable people. Everyone unanimously said that today there was no copper twisted pair in the laying, especially when developing a new territory. This is not even the last, but the century before last. It's like building a new house with a resource of 5 years. That is how much all experts give life to this cable. Because with the current development of technology and the widespread promotion of 4G (and 5G is already being tested in China), no later than in 5 years there will be no washout in the copper connection at all. Already today, MTS provides high-speed Internet for the home at a speed no worse. But the tariff is still higher - 50 rubles, against 30 for Beltelecom. But in a year or two, for sure the tariff will be comparable. And why would I need Beltelecom then?

In addition, the copper network simply will not meet the rapidly growing needs of subscribers and will lose all competitiveness in a very short period of time. Already today, to watch HD video, you need a speed of less than 8 Mbps. In other words, the network laid by Beltelecom is already outdated in advance, as it is not capable of providing Full HD reception, and the world is already switching to 4K.

The laid network is just money buried in the ground, experts say. All the more incomprehensible are Beltelecom's actions when, in an effort to keep up with the times, it began to replace old copper networks in Minsk with fiber optics. So he understands that even today twisted copper pair is uncompetitive.

Maybe Beltelecom simply had nowhere to put the deposits of copper cable, or someone got a solid kickback for buying exactly the copper cable and its subsequent laying, experts suggested.

Yes, if you compare the prices of copper cable and fiber optic, then copper will win. Although, experts point out that if a few years ago the difference in price was significant, today the price of a fiber optic cable is almost comparable to the price of a good twisted pair cable. Besides. at the price of a copper cable, if it wins, then only in a short period of time, lasting 3-5 years. At longer time distances, for which the new network should be designed, if it is already undertook to be carried out, optical fiber clearly wins. In addition, optical fiber, which carries light rather than an electrical signal, does not require as much additional amplifying equipment when it comes to transmitting data over long distances, experts say.

And indeed, I immediately remembered that in parallel with the copper cable itself, when the whole village was telephoned, it was necessary to lay a power cable, as well as install amplifiers at certain short distances. This would not have to be done if an optical fiber was installed, the signal through which can go up to 40 km without distortion and additional amplification, and not some hundreds of meters.

In general, all the experts with whom I spoke are shocked. I, too, have been in this state for several days. Beltelecom still needed to lay a copper cable to the Great Stone park - if only there were laughter. My village is certainly not an industrial park. But in addition to the old women who were born in the heyday of the copper connection, many young families with children live here. Of course, children, having seen enough fairy tales, may still think that Beltelecom buried money in the ground in the hope that a tree will grow in its place, all hung with gold coins. But you and I know that we do not live in a country of fools. Or will tomorrow MAZ and MTZ also start producing 100-year-old equipment? After all, it will be many times cheaper than modern ...

Literally over the past couple of decades, computer devices for communication, communication, work or entertainment have appeared in almost every family. Subscriber connections are made via telephone lines, radio channels, and fiber optics have been widely used recently.

I had to evaluate the possibilities of this technology on my own experience. Based on it, I publish tips for a home master on connecting your computer to the Internet via a fiber optic cable and creating an apartment wired and wireless network with explanatory pictures, diagrams and a video.

First exposure to new technology

A decade and a half ago, the 330 kV substation where I worked received new equipment that registers and processes information on electrical signals from a network of a very large number of sensors located in different places - the Parma registrar.

This is an ordinary computer with its own software, performing purely electrical tasks.

Its installation, connection and adjustment were entrusted to us, with the exception of the assembly and configuration of fiber optic trunks. We have no experience with them.

Up to this point, communication with these sensors occurred through conventional electrical circuits, which are called secondary. However, a whole group of these devices was at a great distance. The project involved exchanging information with them via fiber optic cable. We laid it inside the cable channel ourselves, and a representative of the manufacturer who came from St. Petersburg was involved in the connection and verification.

It was then that it became clear that it was impossible to work with fiber optics without specialized equipment and proper skills. It is impossible to do anything with it with your own hands.

Fiber optic cable design

The transmission of information occurs through optical highways, consisting of separate media, combined into a common structure - an optical fiber cable.

The principle of operation of the optical media

The exchange of information occurs due to the passage of laser light from the built-in LED. Its transmission is carried out by impulses of a binary code in one direction. Therefore, two individual channels have been created at once for the exchange of information.

About cable design

Glass is a fragile material. It can be easily broken, and optical fiber works by using glass fibers. It is clear that they require reliable protection from both mechanical damage and loss of light energy.

To this end, optical media are combined in various ways into rigid modules and a fiber optic cable is made from them. It can be of different designs. One of them is shown in the diagram.

At our substation, two types of cable were used: one with a diameter of 6 mm, and the second with the thickness of the index finger of the hand.

The issue of this technology is described in some detail in the GalileoRU video “Fiber Optic”.

Laying fiber in the field

Last winter, a mechanized laying of such a cable directly into the ground was carried out near us.

The work was carried out by three, and on difficult terrain by four tractors coupled in a train. They were dragging a cable-laying plow buried one and a half meters into the ground. On the trolley of this mechanism there is a large cable reel, which, when manually untwisted by the operator, issues the cable through the plow channels into the trench being cut through.

A highly visible signal tape is automatically placed on top of the optical fiber on the ground layer. It is immediately backfilled with soil, and a trace of a deepening of the order of twenty centimeters or a little more remains on the surface of the soil.

After some time, all the irregularities were leveled with a bulldozer knife of a light wheeled tractor. In summer, the laying route is overgrown with grass. But on the ground it can be restored by concrete columns.

Connectivity technology

On the driveway bulletin board I saw a message from Beltelecom that interested me.

It was also placed on all adjacent buildings. In such an original way, the provider reported that the era of using copper telephone cables in our area was ending, and the nearby automatic telephone exchanges would soon stop working.

All landline users must make a choice:

• agree with the transition to new equipment offered by the provider;
• or refuse, remaining on the old copper cable.

The choice is voluntary, but very soon the automatic telephone exchange will be stopped: telephone communication over a copper cable will automatically be terminated to the Internet. You will have to conclude a repeated contract and pay money for this service. The provider now performs the replacement of old equipment and the installation of a new one at his own expense, and all this is provided to customers free of charge.

I can tell right away that I was not satisfied. I was interested in unlimited Internet at a favorable rate from the provider.

Therefore, I agreed with the provider to connect the Internet via fiber optic.

The work carried out was carried out in three stages:

1. Installation of an optical fiber network;
2. Getting a new modem and installing it;
3. Creating and connecting home network equipment to the Internet via optical fiber.

Installation work

Literally a few days after posting the ads, teams of installers appeared in the house from. The roar from them did not stop for two days. The panel structure of the five-story building has good acoustics: sounds spread in all directions.

The work was carried out simultaneously in the entrances and apartments.

Installation of equipment at the entrance

Two separate teams worked inside the house.

First day

Electricians punched small holes through the interfloor ceilings, fastened plastic canisters and laid a 6 mm fiber optic cable in them.

By the end of the day it hung in coiled rings over every door.

The end of each was closed with a special plug.

Subsequent days

In the middle of the landing along the wall, holes were punched in concrete slabs for plastic pipes with a diameter of 4 cm.

This is the loudest period of work. If the rumble of the first day can be satisfactorily endured while in the apartment, then at this stage it is better to move away and spend time in another place until the evening.

The process ends with the installation of equipment for optical junction boxes and plastic pipes for optical fiber cables.

To power the powerful puncher, the electricians used an extension coil and connected it to the intercom socket by opening the common access box.

By pulling out the power cord of the door electromagnets, they created unauthorized access for any people to the entrance. Plug your extension cord into this outlet.

Which ones were in the air and what was scattered throughout the entrance I will not describe. Restoring normal order took more than one day.

Installation of equipment in the apartment

In parallel with the work at the entrance, the provider's specialist entered into an agreement with customers, explained the safety requirements for handling fragile optical fiber, and helped with advice on choosing the location for installing an optical outlet.

It can be installed anywhere. I chose the corner of the corridor near the intercom and the old one. The height of the modem at the level of the knee was quite suitable.

The length of the fiber optic cable in the apartment was only a few tens of centimeters. The hole was punched with a perforator at the level of the plinth.

A piece of steel wire was pushed through it from the side of the entrance.

On the reverse side, the end of the fiber optic cable was taped.

Plastic boxes were fixed from this place.

Installed the optical socket housing on the wall.

They laid the optical fiber, making a small bay in special grooves.

The boxes were closed with lids.

The completion of these works was recorded in the documentation of the master electrician and certified by my signature.

An important requirement at the place of installation of the modem is the presence of an electrical outlet next to it for connecting the power supply. Its relatively short cord is limited to one meter.

I had to do extra work specifically for the modem. : near the plinth. The location in the corner limits accidental access to it.

Obtaining a Modem and Preparing to Switch to Fiber Optic

A few days later, I received a notice from the provider in my mailbox with a proposal to come to the service center to document the new contract.

Organizational matters

When I came to the service center, there was no crowd of customers and there was no queue. The indicated date and time of arrival met my expectations.

The operator of the provider quickly completed her work, and I received the completed documentation and a box with a modem.

I was surprised that when I received the ADSL modem and the corresponding accessories for it last time, all the equipment was packed in a branded plastic bag with the company's advertisement. Now this box had to be tucked under the arm: the provider saved on packaging.

The operator explained that a team of electricians would arrive from it to install the modem and lay a wired network. The work will be done in sequence. She enclosed the completed form for its holding in the box. I am obliged to confirm the moment of completion of the installation with my signatures and must transfer the completed document to the master.

Then the next stage will follow: a service center specialist will arrive to connect my equipment to the Internet via optical fiber. His task is to remove the telephone network ADSL modem, splitter and extra cables.
As a provider's client, I am obliged to return the removed equipment to the service center on the day of the transition to fiber optics or, in extreme cases, the next day.

Technical measures

A few days after visiting the service center, two electricians arrived at my apartment. I gave them a fiber optic modem to mount on the wall.

Its installation was carried out quickly: two holes were punched with a puncher and the case was fixed with self-tapping screws through the dowels, a modem was inserted into it, and a fiber optic cable was connected.

The apartment has plastic skirting boards around the perimeter of the floor. Inside them, two twisted-pair wires from the modem to the phone and TV were secretly laid. I was worried about their length: I assumed that it was limited to standard sizes.

But the issue was resolved very simply. Installers have a large bay of such a cable. They cut off the necessary piece, stack it, and then finish it on all sides.

The crimping of the lugs with the RJ-45 connectors of the cable of the interactive TV set-top box and RJ-11 for the telephone was performed with REXANT pliers.

After completing these operations, I signed the outfit and gave it to the master electrician.

Creating and configuring the Internet

Input scheme

In fact, a network for connecting an optical fiber modem to the Internet was assembled. It remains to re-switch the control of the telephone, TV and computer to it, apply power supply, and perform adjustment of all devices.

This scheme is very similar to working through a copper telephone cable. The difference is that here the landline phone is connected after the modem and loses its autonomy when it is turned off.

If the power supply voltage of the 220 volt household network disappears, then any modem is always turned off. When it works using ADSL technology, the phone with the PBX line remains connected via a splitter, and the connection of old devices without a separate power supply is not lost. The subscriber can call anywhere, including emergency services to resolve their issues.

In the scheme for connecting to the Internet via optical fiber, this possibility is not available. There is only hope for mobile communications.

Adjustment work

After completing all the operations, the electricians had to connect the fiber-optic equipment, configure the computer, Wi-Fi network, phone, TV according to its characteristics. These questions were dealt with by the provider's specialists, who arrived after three days of waiting.

One of them energized the fiber optic modem, took out a laptop and began to configure it.

Entered the necessary data to connect the phone to the new network.

Setting the password for the Wi-Fi network and all equipment is performed by the provider's specialist. This is different from connecting to the Internet via a cable telephone line, where an ordinary user can enter the modem settings through a patch cord and change passwords at his discretion.

However, an advanced user has the ability to change the settings of the fiber optic modem by logging into the router at 192.168.100.1 through the factory login and password, which the provider does not change.

During this time, the second worker dismantled the power circuit of the ADSL modem, switched the TV and telephone control cables to fiber optic. He also collected all the old equipment that is subject to delivery.

We checked the Internet speed on the computer.

I was once again warned that I needed to go to the provider's service center, hand over the old equipment: ADSL modem, splitter and cables to them, transfer money from the old account to the new one.

When switching to fiber optics, the user is provided with a new account on the provider's service, and the old one ceases to operate: until the money is replenished, the Internet will stop working on it.

The prospect of being left without the Internet for more than a day did not suit me. He asked how this issue could be resolved. They helped me to arrange the promised payment, which must be confirmed with a real payment within three days.

All these operations took about 10 minutes. I thanked the provider's specialists for the work done and went to the service center, where they quickly managed to resolve all issues and change the tariff plan to a more profitable one.

When I came home in the evening, I found that the landline phone had stopped working. It upset. It was too late to look for specialists. Left it for the next day.

In the morning, the phone was already working on the new number, and the Internet speed increased dramatically.

Thus, there was a connection to the Internet through the optical fiber of my computer.

The owner of the Diplomatrutube video explains in detail the question of how "PON technology goes from the telephone exchange to the apartment."

If you have any questions on the topic, then ask them in the comments.