The protection rating (IP) The protection rating (IP) of an enclosure is a two-digit code, of which the first digit is associated with protection against the ingress of solids (dust, insects, etc.) and the second digit is associated with protection against the ingress of water or other liquids. There is a reciently created 9K level that considers high-pressure water jets. It does not concern us at the moment. So when we see a requirement for an enclosure we find a two-digit IP, for example IP55. This means that no particles even smaller than 1 mm in size can enter and that no water can enter unless there is 12.5 litres/minute at high pressure, more than 3 minutes, etc. For example, if it rains a normal rain, no water can enter. And normally this is the …

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10 Good practices in optical fibre installations Optical fibre is a data transmission medium that sends photoelectric pulses through a wire made of transparent glass or other plastic materials. These wires can be as thin as a hair, and are precisely the signal transmission medium. Through these very fine wires, a light signal is transferred from one end of the wire to the other. This light can be generated by a laser or an LED, and its most widespread use is to transport data over long distances, as this medium has a much wider bandwidth than metallic cables, lower losses and higher transmission speeds. Optical fibre is reliable, safe, light and cheap. It has many advantages over any other transmission systems. But you need to always keep this list of good practices in mind. 1.- …

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PON and GPON networks The acronym PON, frequently used in fiber installations, comes from English. It stands for Passive Optical Network. It is a passive network, with a single point of transmission to different user points. A PON network has no more active elements to reactivate the signal. The distribution is carried out by means of optical distributors or splitters. It is the topology used in FTTH installations (fiber to the home). When the transmission speed is capable of ensuring 2.4Gbit/s at a distance of 20 km and 128 users, we say that we are dealing with a GPON network. And this is what, normally, we have in our homes. The basic elements of a PON or GPON network are: OLT (Optical Line Termination). It is the active element in the headend, from which the …

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