YUTIANHOME50m (165ft) LC to LC Duplex OM3 Outdoor Armored Fiber Optic Patch Cable, 40Gb 10Gb, 50/125um Multimode Optical Fiber Cable, Low Friction LSZH Black

Made pulling 50 ft of OM3 fiber super easy

Background you can skip:I am an IT professional who has a location that employs existing fiber to transfer a network signal that has a demarc in a separate building across a parking lot. Unfortunately for me... the fiber line employed there currently is an older ST type installed.This wouldn't really be a problem, except that the "converters" that we have to use to translate the fiber ST connection to copper keep getting FRIED by lighting strikes, no matter how many surge protectors I carefully put them behind. Apparently ST converters are quite sensitive to voltage changes. I've run through three different brands of converter in under 2 years. Even when they don't completely fry, the hardware ends up dropping the connection constantly. I want to bypass the point of failure and plug the fiber line straight into a smart switch I installed a while back that has been a champ, but ST doesn't cooperate with an SPF connection type, so it's frustrating.Product:This new roll of thin fiber that says it is tough enough to stand a conduit pull might just be my answer.Normally, I wouldn't mess with pulling fiber, but this came up and looked like the PERFECT chance to set up an alternative line that I could test to see if it would solve my issue.I was impressed with how quickly it arrived. The connector end is secured to the roll with a bit of double sided sticky tape, to keep it from bending too much and possibly damaging the fiber inside. It's also secured with a bunch of cello wrap on the fiber line to keep the roll from unraveling during transport.I am going to have to schedule a date after Christmas to pull this new line and get it through the conduit, but I'm so excited to finally possibly solve this problem that I couldn't wait to post an initial impression of the roll. It's got a metal spool center with nice thick cardboard sides that will make it easy to set for a long-distance one person pull without tangling.This roll also included a fiber connector that would allow me to connect another line to 'extend' this fiber line if it were too short. I'm not all that sure what kind of pressure/pull strength that would stand up to, though. I think it would be more useful in an in-building situation than a conduit pull.I'll update this with more details after I get it through the conduit, but I'm hoping to really improve both signal strength and reliability of connection with this change of fiber type.

Fiber optic internet recently became available for my area, and so I began to study the different/most effective ways that I could extend the full speed of the fiber connection throughout my entire property. And while newer wireless router technology would certainly work, I often prefer a hard-wired connection. So this fiber optic cable turned out to be the right solution for me, allowing me to wire my entire house, from the fiber optic "entry" unit, to a router/switch (which converts the fiber signal to ethernet cable), to my backyard, where I can either install another switch for conversion to ethernet, or just leave it as is for connection to SFP ports/switches. This cable can handle speeds up to 10 GB, and so it's easily capable of handling the modest 2 GB speed that the new network delivers. The cable is very sturdy, "armored", so it is perfect for the outdoor run to my backyard. And it's nice that it comes pre-terminated (with connections at each end of the cable). And it also comes with an extra LC to LC UPC OM3/OM4 adapter for further extension. It's very easy to install, very much plug-n-play. And for the huge length of cable, it's a good value for the money.

If you’re looking for something inside the home, this cable is, frankly, overkill for indoor runs. If you’re running fiber out to a barn/shed/treehouse, then this same brand has cable with what looks like a better jacket for about the same price and even includes a pulling eye kit for running it. (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9Y86PDM/).But, for indoor networking, the prices of single-mode have been dropping. Unless you need the armor and also have older equipment (MM SFPs), I’d say to go with SM wherever possible -- for both the speed and distance differences. Now that single and multi-mode SFPs are almost the same price, single-mode has become the better choice.However, sometimes you use what’s on hand and I’ve been using a bunch of old 1.25G mm SFPs that my old company was tossing out a few years ago -- so my decision was based on what I was accustomed to and that it was also free.Currently, I’m living with the resulting hodge-podge of cabling because of this, and I still use what’s on hand (or free), but I’m trying plan ahead for when speeds leap-frog up to 40G (or higher), and to be more energy efficient when I can.The fiber comes on a decent spool with the splits at about a foot from each end. A coupler is included if you need one for a patch panel.Attenuation is negligible and the optical quality seems fine. My “tester” is a laser-pointer because I no longer work for a networking company, nor am I running miles of fiber where the attenuation is more of an issue.This brand, “Yutianhome” offers this same fiber in lengths of up to 300m, but 75m is longer than any run that I can conceive of needing for our current house -- even if I went from bottom-corner to opposite bottom corner through the attic. It won’t be needed anyway with the cable closet being pretty much in the center of the house downstairs.And, something that I learned recently while looking into 10G for the home, is that multi-mode is still okay for 10G, but 75m is about the maximum you want if you’re going for 10G. So that’s something to consider as well. This is still a good cable at a fair price and it will work if you need armored cable.Overall, this is a decent cable, and a fair value at the current price of $100. With prices falling every day, though – it might not be the same a year from now. Five stars.