Fiber Optical Transreceiver Modules and Their Mode of Operation

Overview
A Fiber Optic Transceiver is a device that uses optical technology to send
and receive data. The transceiver has the electronic component to
condition and encode/decode data into light pulses. After the encoding,
they are then sent to the other end as electrical signals. To send data
as light pulse, it makes use of a light source that is primarily controlled
by the electronic parts. To receive the light pulses, it makes use of the
photodiode semiconductor.

These transceivers feature both transmitter and receiver characteristics.

They are essential for today's Ethernet Network. A Fiber Transceiver helps
integrate both old and new network components. If you are expanding your
network's capacity, an optical transceiver can help transceiver media
signals for different equipment and applications.
How Fiber Optic Transceivers works?
In the fiber optics dimension, information is terminated in the form of
pulses of light. The light pulses can be converted into electrical ones
to be utilized by an electronic device. The transmitter will convert an
electrical signal into an optical signal that has been coupled to a
connector then transmitted over a fiber optic cable. The light which is
from the of the cable is then coupled with a receiver in which the detector
will convert the light back electrically.
These small hot swapped pluggable interfaces provide physical layer
signaling for data, storage, voice and video transport network over your

WDM, DWDM, and CWDM configurations.

Fiber Optic Transceivers Sources
The source for the transceivers need to meet some criteria;
1. Must be at the right/correct wavelength
2. Must be able to modulate quite fast and transmit data.
3. Must coupled efficiently into the fiber.
The four types of the sources that are commonly used are;
- LEDs
- Fabry-Perot (FP) Lasers
- Distribute Feedback Lasers (DFL)
- Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSELs)

How data travels

Data can usually travel only in one way in fiber optic cable. This
therefore makes most transceivers to have two ports to facilitate
bi-directional communication. One is for sending, and the other is for
receiving. Alternatively, a single cable can be used. However, it can only
send or receive data at a time but not both. The opposite end of the
transceiver has a special connector for fitting it into specific models
of enterprise-grade Ethernet switches, routers, firewalls and network
interface cards. A modern FIBER TRANSCEIVER is a small device because it
is intended to be plugged into the aforementioned network devices. This
is what makes them be called small form-factor pluggable transceiver.

Benefits of pluggable Fiber Optic Transceivers

1. Easy to replace or repair

These pluggable receivers are easy to replace or repair and can be placed
in a variety of applications. In most cases, they do not have to be powered
down for replacement. If the device malfunctions, it just requires an
upgrade.
2. Compatible with many other devices
They are compatible with many other devices including discrete components.
They are also compatible with multiple setup across both fiber optic and
copper channels. Whether you need both long and short distance
communication, they can just apply.
3. Communication Distance
Fiber Optic Transceivers are adept at passing data and information across
fiber from one network to the next. Communication is possible because of
the copper wiring or fiber optics through which signals are being sent.
4. Data Rate
Transceivers are typically sold with the set speed that moves data. High
rates mean that there are better transfers. The speed range from 1 Gbps
to 1O Gbps. Mission critical applications will be closer to 10 Gbps range
than the other applications.