Many people have a question: is media converter the same as fiber optic modem? Many times people think they are the same. Actually it is not the same. Now let’s analyze it from different definitions.
The relationship between media converter and fiber optic modem is: You can call media converter as fiber optics modem in some time. Fiber optics modem is a kind of functional product. Devices with this function can be called fiber optics modem.
1. Media converter
Media converter is an Ethernet transmission unit which interchanges the twisted-pair electrical signal and optical signal. In many places it is also known as Fiber Converter. It is commonly used in network environment where the Ethernet cable has limitation to cover, and optical fiber must be used to extend the transmission distance; it usually located in MAN access layer application. At the same time it plays a great role in helping the last kilometer lines of optical fiber connected to the MAN and the outer network.
2. Fiber optics modem
Fiber optics modem is a transceiver which converts the Ethernet optical signals into other protocol signals. At first people call protocol converter as fiber optics modem. At that time people access to Internet through 2M E1 signal. So protocol converter also called fiber optics modem. After that more and more devices called fiber optics modem. Some people often mistake media converter or photoelectric converter as fiber optics modem; actually it is a wrong way.
