Cisco Systems WS-X4516 Using a Patch Cord, Wavelength, Core Size, Gbic, Fiber Type, micron

Port Cabling Specifications

Table 4 provides cabling specifications for the GBICs that you install in the Gigabit Ethernet port modules. All GBIC ports have SC-type connectors, and the minimum cable distance for all GBICs listed is 6.5 feet (2 meters).

Table 4	GBIC Port Cabling Specifications
	Wavelength		Core Size	Modal Bandwidth
GBIC	(nm)	Fiber Type	(micron)	(MHz/km)	Cable Distance
BASE-T	–	Category 5 UTP	–	–	328-ft (100m)
SX1	850	MMF	62.5	160	722 ft. (220 m)
			62.5	200	902 ft. (275 m)
			50.0	400	1640 ft. (500 m)
			50.0	500	1804 ft. (550 m)
LX/LH	1300	MMF2	62.5	500	1804 ft. (550 m)
			50.0	400	1804 ft. (550 m)
			50.0	500	1804 ft. (550 m)
		SMF	9/10	–	6.2 mi. (10 km)
ZX	1550	SMF	9/10	–	43.5 mi. (70 km)
		SMF3	9/10		62.1 mi. (100 km)

1.MMF only.

2.Patch cord required (see the “Using a Patch Cord” section for details).

3.Dispersion-shifted single-mode fiber-optic.

The maximum cable distance for CWDM and DWDM cabling depends on fiber type, fiber quality, and the number of WDM filters in the design.

Using a Patch Cord

When using the LX/LH GBIC with 62.5-micron diameter MMF, you must install a mode-conditioning patch cord (Cisco product number CAB-GELX-625 or equivalent) between the GBIC and the MMF cable on both the transmit and receive ends of the link.

The patch cord is required for link distances greater than 984 feet (300 meters) and must comply with IEEE standards. The IEEE found that link distances could not be met with certain types of fiber-optic cable due to a problem in the center of some fiber-optic cable cores. The solution is to launch light from the laser at a precise offset from the center by using the patch cord. At the output of the patch cord, the LX/LH GBIC is compliant with the IEEE 802.3z standard for 1000BASE-LX. For a detailed description of this problem, refer to the installation guide for your switch.

Note We do not recommend using the LX/LH GBIC with MMF without a patch cord for very short link distances (tens of meters). The result could be an elevated bit error rate (BER).

Cisco Gigabit Ethernet products have been tested and evaluated to comply with the standards that are listed in Appendix A, “Specifications,” of the installation guide for your switch. All equivalent cables should also meet these standards.

Installation and Configuration Note for the Catalyst 4500 Series Supervisor Engine V

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