Optical fiber

Fiber Reach by Type

Pick the fiber type (OM1–OM5 multimode, OS1/OS2 singlemode) and the speed and I show the maximum distance supported by IEEE 802.3, with the limiting factor (attenuation or modal bandwidth).

redzilla.cl — fiber

Max distance

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IEEE standard

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802.3

Limiting factor

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Distance —

Standard —

Distances from the IEEE 802.3 standard (worst case, full channel). Better transceivers or runs with fewer connectors/splices can reach farther; always validate with a loss budget.

The same fiber at each speed

Speed	Distance	Standard

Reference table · IEEE reach (m)

Fiber	1G	10G	25G	40G	100G

MMF = multimode (850 nm) · SMF = singlemode (LR/LX). — = not a standard for that speed.

How to read it · limiting factor and modal bandwidth

1. On multimode (OM1–OM5) the 850 nm laser enters through many modes that arrive out of step (modal dispersion). The limit is set by modal bandwidth (MHz·km): more BW, more distance. That is why OM3 (2000 MHz·km) reaches farther than OM2 (500) at 10G.

2. On singlemode (OS1/OS2) there is a single mode: no modal dispersion. The limit is the link attenuation (loss budget). That is why the LR/LX/LR4 standards reach 10 km (and more with ER/ZR variants).

3. OM5 shares reach with OM4 on a single 850 nm channel; its advantage is SWDM4 (several wavelengths per fiber), outside the scope of this table.

4. Combinations marked — are not standard (e.g. OM1/OM2 at 25/40/100G): use OM3/OM4 or singlemode.

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