High-quality network performance with minimal signal loss is crucial in fiber optics. Setting up and maintaining a reliable fiber-optic network is essential for business continuity. Optical time domain reflectometers (OTDRs) help network engineers isolate problems in the optical fiber cable quickly and extract the best performance.
Rent or buy OTDR fiber testers from TRS-RenTelco for installing, certifying, maintaining, and troubleshooting business-critical network cabling.
What Is the Principle of OTDR?
An OTDR tester uses a launch cable to test the fiber length and certify networks for optimal performance. A fiber optic OTDR emits a test pulse and uses the light reflected back (Rayleigh backscatter) to detect fiber bends, crushes, and splice loss.
What Is the OTDR Used For?
OTDRs are used to certify cabling and to troubleshoot fiber optic cable failures. They can determine the distance to the fault and the type of fault, such as breaks, bends, and excess loss.
An OTDR can be either used for Tier 1 or Tier 2 certification.
● Tier 1 fiber certification: Helps test attenuation (insertion loss), length, and polarity and ensures that the optical loss is within the allowable loss limit for a particular application. Light source meters or optical loss test sets can perform these tests.
● Tier 2 fiber certification: Extended certification that helps create a graphical signature and tests the performance of components such as cables, connectors, splitters, multiplexers, and splices by examining the non-uniformities in the OTDR trace. Helps certify that the fiber installation quality meets the warranty.
Bi-directional testing is the only way to check the actual overall light loss. For example, the SmartLoop technology in the Fluke Networks OptiFiber® helps to determine the presence of the launch, loop, and tail fiber in testing a duplex fiber with an event dead zone as short as 1 meter.
TRS-RenTelco provides a wide range of OTDRs from top brands. Buy, rent, or lease your OTDR online. We offer 24/7 customer support to help you select the right OTDR testing machine.
Contact us at 800.874.7123 to request a quote today.