Fiber Patch Cables
A fiber patch cable is a short distance Fiber Optic Cable that has connectors at both ends to create a connection between two devices. Patch Cords, also known as fiber jumper cables, are used to connect patch panels, optical switches, and telecommunications services. These Patch cables can come with different connectors, fiber types, and polish types. Jumper cables are a key piece in completing indoor server rooms and data centers.
About the Cables
Like a standard Fiber Cable, Patch cables can come in both single mode and multimode designs.
Single mode fiber has a significantly smaller fiber core, at 9micrometers, and is meant for long distances. This type of fiber allows a single ray of light to be transmitted through the fiber at a time which prevents the chance of interference of other signals.
Multimode fiber, on the other hand, is meant for short distances and has a larger fiber core at either 50 or 62.5 micrometers. Multimode has a larger diameter because it can accommodate multiple light sources traveling at a given time. This increases the amount of information that can be transmitted, but also increases the rate of attenuation that the signal will experience.
Another variation in cable type is whether the patch cable is simplex or duplex. Simplex Fiber Cable is built to either send or receive information through one way transmission and duplex fiber is designed to send and receive information through two-way transmission.
Looking at Patch Cord Connectors
The connectors on a patch cable can either be the same on both ends or they can be different. A patch cable with two different connectors at the ends is considered a Hybrid Fiber Optic Patch Cable. 
The connectors can also differ in their polishing type. Fiber connectors are polished to different shapes to minimize back reflection. Back reflection can cause down time and a decrease in the lifespan of a transceiver, ultimately hurting your network. There are three common polish types that are used to provide quality transmission, and limit the back reflection, in a network. The first one is PC (Physical Contact) which is polished with rounded corners to maximize signal transmission between two fibers. The next polish type is UPC (Ultra-Physical Contact) which is polished into a dome shape, making the connector end more suitable for contact that the PC connector. The APC (Angled Physical Contact) is polished at an angle which reduces the amount of light reflected at the connector interface. The UPC and APC connectors are only available for Single Mode Fibers.
Be sure to browse our selection of Patch Cables and other networking products to make sure you have everything you need for your next project!