Copper Ethernet cabling is limited to 100 metres and is susceptible to electrical noise. In environments with high electromagnetic interference — substations, switchyards and factories — and for links between buildings or sites, fiber optics become mandatory. A fiber converter provides that transition without changing the existing copper interface. The galvanic isolation offered by a fiber link also makes it possible to connect two sites with different earth potentials safely.
Converter types
| Type | Conversion | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Ethernet media converter | 10/100/1000 Base-T ↔ 100/1000 Base-FX/LX | Extending camera, switch, IED and SCADA networks over fiber |
| E1 fiber converter | E1 (G.703) ↔ fiber | Carrying transmission circuits over fiber |
| Serial fiber converter | RS-232 / RS-422 / RS-485 ↔ fiber | Isolating relay, RTU and meter communication from noise |
| PoE media converter | Ethernet + power ↔ fiber | Powering remote cameras and access points |
Selection criteria
- Fiber type: multi mode (short distance, within a facility) or single mode (long distance, between sites).
- Distance: models reaching up to 2 km on multi mode and 20–120 km on single mode.
- Connector: SC, LC or ST — must match your existing ODF.
- Fixed optics or SFP slot — SFP models offer flexibility when the distance changes.
- Single-fiber (WDM) models carry bidirectional traffic on one strand, saving fiber.
- Industrial models offer a −40 °C…+70 °C operating range, DIN-Rail mounting and redundant supply.
- Link fault pass-through (LFP) reports a break on the fiber side to the copper side.