Networking Essentials, Third Edition

Chapter 3. Physical Layer Cabling: Fiber Optics

Chapter Outline

3-1 Introduction

3-2 The Nature of Light

3-3 Fiber Attenuation and Dispersion

3-4 Optical Components

3-5 Optical Networking

3-6 Safety

Summary

Questions and Problems

Objectives

• Describe the advantages of glass fiber over copper conductors

• Describe the differences in how light travels in single- and multimode fiber

• Define attenuation and dispersion in fiber–optic cabling

• Describe the components of a fiber-optic system

• Describe the issues of optical networking, including fiber-to-the-business and fiber to-the-home

• Describe the new networking developments associated with optical Ethernet

• Understand the safety issues when working with fiber optics

Key Terms

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