How far can a VFL go?

There is much lively debate about what useful distance range to expect when using a visual fault locator (VFL) for testing single mode fiber installations. In this article I will provide my perspective and with it, a methodical analysis.

How to Perform Bi-Direction Testing with an OTDR

Installers and administrators of today’s fiber optic networks have access to different fiber infrastructure testers that provide the ability to measure optical loss as well as OTDR analysis. Debates continue to take place as to what testers do this better than others and what features are ‘must haves’. Whether short dead zones, fast signal analysis, ease of use, claimed accuracies or any other measurement parameter … if you are looking to make the best purchasing decision, it can be a difficult decision. A bad decision can mean much more than just losing out on the investment in the tester. It could mean downtime (or loss) of the corporate (or customers) network and possibly thousands of dollars of lost  revenue, productivity or legal costs.