Fiber optic transceivers are commonly used for connections between copper cables and fiber optic cables, helping network administrators overcome the short transmission distance limitations of copper cables. PoE fiber optic transceivers are a type of transceiver that also applies to this. How much do you know about PoE-powered fiber optic transceivers? Do you know how to use them? This article will explain the basics of PoE transceivers to help everyone understand further.

What is a PoE Fiber Optic Transceiver?

Traditional fiber optic transceivers (Ethernet media converters) can only transmit data, while PoE fiber optic transceivers (PoE media converters) can not only help users establish links from electrical signals to optical signals but can also serve as power supply equipment (PSE, Power Supply Equipment) to provide power support for 1-2 powered devices (PD, Powered Device) through Ethernet cables.

Using PoE photoelectric converters (such as the 10/100/1000M PoE fiber optic transceiver shown in the figure below) can bring high flexibility to the network cabling of the fiber optic link while greatly saving cabling costs. In addition, PoE fiber optic transceivers also retain the advantages of traditional fiber optic transceivers, can extend the network transmission distance through fiber optic connections, and allow powered devices far from the switch (such as VoIP phones, wireless APs, cameras, and POS machines) to no longer be limited by the distance of Ethernet cables.

How Does a PoE Fiber Optic Transceiver Work?

PoE fiber optic transceivers have two application methods: only transmitting data or transmitting data while powering. The figure below shows how a PoE fiber optic transceiver connects a switch and a wireless AP through copper cables and fiber optic cables, respectively, and powers the AP at the same time.

PoE fiber optic transceivers are generally placed near the power device (AC/DC), then connected to a distant switch through a fiber optic cable, and then connected to a wireless AP (not more than 100 meters away from the transceiver) through an Ethernet cable.

How to Use a PoE Fiber Optic Transceiver?

PoE fiber optic transceivers usually have three application types: fiber to IP camera, fiber to wireless AP, and fiber to desktop. In this article, we will take the application of fiber to IP cameras as an example to introduce the specific use of PoE-powered fiber optic transceivers.

Before starting the installation, please make sure to prepare the following items: a gigabit Ethernet switch, a 10/100/1000 megabit PoE powered fiber optic transceiver, an IP camera, two SFP gigabit optical modules, an Ethernet cable (such as Cat5e/Cat6), a fiber optic patch cord (such as OS2/OM4).

Step 1: Insert the two SFP gigabit optical modules into the optical port of the PoE fiber optic transceiver and the SFP port of the switch, respectively.

Step 2: Connect one end of the fiber optic patch cord to the SFP optical module of the PoE fiber optic transceiver, and the other end to the SFP optical module of the switch.

Step 3: Finally, connect the IP camera and the electrical port of the PoE fiber optic transceiver with an unshielded twisted pair.

PoE Fiber Optic Transceiver Buying Guide How to choose a PoE fiber optic transceiver that best suits your network needs? Usually, you can consider the following aspects:

Rate: The rate of the PoE fiber optic transceiver is the primary consideration. There are currently five rate types of PoE-powered fiber optic transceivers on the market: 10M, 100M, 1000M, 10/100M, and 10/100/1000M.

Port type and quantity: Most PoE fiber optic transceivers are equipped with one optical port and one electrical port, but some PoE fiber optic transceivers have multiple ports, such as 1-2 optical ports and 4 electrical ports.

Single mode/multimode: Depending on the transmission medium, PoE fiber optic transceivers have two types: single-mode fiber optic transceivers and multimode fiber optic transceivers. The different transmission modes correspond to different transmission distances and compatible optical modules.

Duplex mode: Since some PoE fiber optic transceivers can only be used in duplex mode and not in half-duplex mode, when such a power supply transceiver is connected to a switch or hub that only supports half-duplex mode, packet loss may occur. So please make sure that the PoE transceiver you purchase can support both duplex mode and half-duplex mode.

Working temperature: If you need to buy an industrial-grade PoE fiber optic transceiver, what you need to pay special attention to is to make sure to check whether the fiber optic transceiver you purchased can work in a wide temperature range (-20℃～+70℃) or ultra-wide temperature range (-40℃～+90℃).

Support standards: Under normal circumstances, PoE fiber optic transceivers comply with three PoE standards: IEEE802.3af, IEEE802.3at, or IEEE802.3bt. Before purchasing, please confirm whether the PoE fiber optic transceiver supports the three PoE standards mentioned above, otherwise, there may be device incompatibility and other related problems when using it.