Modern technology has provided us with many things over the past few years, one of which is optical networking. By using optical networking, individuals and organizations alike are able to stay connected to the world much more efficiently and with faster data transfer rates than ever before. Fiber optics have revolutionized the world of communication, business, and entertainment in ways that we could not have possibly conceived of a decade ago. In this article, we will discuss optical networking, how it works, and various types of optical networks.

What is Optical Networking

Optical networking is the practice of using fiber optics to connect two or more devices together. Optical networks can be used to supply internet, television, telephone access, and general connectivity within a household, office, or even open country. Optical networking offers faster data transfer rates than coaxial cables or other cords and can be stretched over extremely large distances. While optical networks cost quite a bit to install, they are more reliable and more efficient than any other mode of connectivity.

How It Works

Fiber optic cables contain a core in which light travels through and carries a signal of information with it. The core is then wrapped with a cladding layer that prevents light from escaping the core by simply reflecting it back into the data stream. As the light can not escape the fiber optic core, data is not lost. This technique is what allows fiber optic cables to be stretched across large areas without corrupting the information held within.

Types of Optical Networks

Even though fiber optic cables possess only one general design, there are many different kinds of optical networks. There are also multiple methods of connecting fiber optics to a location. Some of the most common methods of organizing devices into an optical network have been given names to fit the standard designs of those methods. The most common forms of optical networking are passive and synchronous optical networks. These types of networks can then be arranged in Bus, Star, or Ring format. In the following, we will discuss each of these types of optical networks.

Passive Optical Network

A passive optical network uses one strand of fiber optic cable to connect the central office with multiple customers by branching out to different locations. This forces customers to use the same cable which slows down Internet speeds for everyone using the cable but it is better for the company as it decreases cable costs.

Synchronous Optical Network

A synchronous optical network is more of a standard relay method than a physical network. Synchronous optical networks ensure that all information that is passed through the network is synchronized to the same form of data so that it may be processed properly. This allows for multiple forms of data to be transferred at once over the same network.

Bus Network

A bus network is a sort of series circuit for computers. Each computer is connected to each other and arranged in a line with the computer on one end being the main computer and the computer on the other end being the terminating computer. When a computer wishes to communicate with the main computer (usually in order to access the Internet), it must send the information through each of the computers in the line until it reaches the terminating computer. The terminating computer will then send the information back through the line in the direction of the main computer, where the information will be processed and sent back to the original computer. Each computer in the line must wait its turn in order to send or receive information. This is a relatively slow process but the user will usually not notice a delay. However, in most bus networks, if one computer goes down then the entire network will shut down. Adding a "backbone" to the network will fix this problem.

Star Network

A star network also uses a main computer to connect to all other computers in the network but instead of being in a line, each computer connects directly to the main computer. This speeds up connectivity as well as removing the need for a backbone. A Star Network is the most common household computer network.

Ring Network

A ring network is similar to a bus network but instead of having a main computer, each computer in the line is connected to the network via one fiber optic network cable. When a computer wishes to send or receive information, the network creates a "token" that travels along the network cable and picks up the information. When the requested information is delivered back to the original computer, the token simply waits until it is needed again by any of the computers within the network.