Differences Between Multimode and Singlemode Fiber Cables

Multimode and singlemode fiber optic cables are two types of optical fiber cables used for transmitting data over long and short distances. Here’s a breakdown of the key differences:

1. Core Diameter

• Multimode Fiber (MMF) has a larger core diameter, typically ranging from 50 to 62.5 micrometers (µm), which allows multiple modes of light to propagate simultaneously. The older style (OM1 and OM2) multimode fiber is usually orange in color; whereas modern multimode is Agua (OM3/OM4) or Violet (OM5) in color. For the LC Connectors, the multimode tend to be either beige or aqua as well.
• Singlemode Fiber (SMF) has a much smaller core diameter (though the same outside diameter of about 2mm), around 8 to 10 µm, which allows only a single mode of light to propagate. This