Single-mode and multi-mode fiber optic cables are both widely used, but they are designed for different transmission distances and network requirements. Understanding the difference is important before selecting cable, transceivers and test equipment.
Single-mode fiber
Single-mode fiber has a small core and is designed for long-distance transmission. It is commonly used in telecom backbone, metro networks, FTTH and long enterprise links.
Multi-mode fiber
Multi-mode fiber has a larger core and is commonly used for shorter distances in buildings, campuses and data centers. It supports high-speed connectivity over shorter links.