Difference between OM3 and OM4

OM3 and OM4 fibre are both laser-optimized multimode fibre with 50/125µm fibre cores that are commonly used in high-speed network installations. Both types of fibre are designed to support high-speed data transmission, but there are some key differences between them that are important to understand.

Maximum Speed

OM3 fibre is designed to support data transmission speeds of up to 10gb per second (Gbps), while OM4 fibre can support speeds of up to 40 Gbps. OM4 fibre is capable of transmitting data at much faster speeds than OM3 fibre, making it suitable for applications that require very high-speed data transfer.

Transmission Distance

OM3 fibre is designed to support data transmission over distances of up to 300 meters, while OM4 is fibre is capable of transmitting data over distances of up to 400 metres. OM4 fibre can be used in applications where the distances between the transmitter and receiver is greater than what is possible with OM3 fibre.

Compatibility

OM3 & OM4 fibre are both backward compatible with previous generations of fibre optic cable. They can be used as part of an upgrade to an existing network without the need to replace all the existing fibre optic cable.

Can you combine OM3 with OM4

For OM3 & OM4 compatibility, OM4 fibre is completely backwards compatible with OM3 fibre since they have the same core diameter. However, when connecting two products with different performance levels the best performance that can be expected will be that of the lower performing component. For example, if one mixes the OM3 and OM4 fibre cable, the best performance that can be expected is that of OM3.

Conclusion

OM3 & OM4 fibre are both high-performance option for high-speed network installations. The key difference between them is the maximum speed at which they can transmit data and the maximum distance over which they can transmit data. OM4 fibre offers faster speeds and greater distances than OM3 fibre, making it suitable for applications that require very high speed data transfer or long distance data transmission

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