Ethernet Fiber Optic Transceiver Types, Wavelength and Reach
Choosing optics is mostly a matching exercise: rate, wavelength, fiber grade, reach and connector have to line up at both ends. This table lists the common IEEE 802.3 Ethernet optical interfaces so engineers, buyers and test technicians can check a part against the link design.
| Interface | Rate | Wavelength (nm) | Fiber | Reach | Connector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1000BASE-SX | 1 Gb/s | 850 | Multimode | 275 m OM1, 550 m OM2 and better | LC duplex |
1000BASE-LX | 1 Gb/s | 1310 | Singlemode (and MMF with mode conditioning) | 5 km SMF | LC duplex |
1000BASE-LX10 | 1 Gb/s | 1310 | Singlemode | 10 km | LC duplex |
10GBASE-SR | 10 Gb/s | 850 | Multimode | 33 m OM1, 82 m OM2, 300 m OM3, 400 m OM4 | LC duplex |
10GBASE-LRM | 10 Gb/s | 1310 | Multimode | 220 m | LC duplex |
10GBASE-LR | 10 Gb/s | 1310 | Singlemode | 10 km | LC duplex |
10GBASE-ER | 10 Gb/s | 1550 | Singlemode | 40 km | LC duplex |
10GBASE-ZR (vendor) | 10 Gb/s | 1550 | Singlemode | About 80 km | LC duplex |
25GBASE-SR | 25 Gb/s | 850 | Multimode | 70 m OM3, 100 m OM4 | LC duplex |
25GBASE-LR | 25 Gb/s | 1310 | Singlemode | 10 km | LC duplex |
40GBASE-SR4 | 40 Gb/s | 850 | Multimode (4 lanes) | 100 m OM3, 150 m OM4 | MPO-12 (8 fibers used) |
40GBASE-LR4 | 40 Gb/s | 1271 to 1331 (4 CWDM lanes) | Singlemode | 10 km | LC duplex |
100GBASE-SR10 | 100 Gb/s | 850 | Multimode (10 lanes) | 100 m OM3, 150 m OM4 | MPO-24 |
100GBASE-SR4 | 100 Gb/s | 850 | Multimode (4 lanes) | 70 m OM3, 100 m OM4 | MPO-12 (8 fibers used) |
100GBASE-DR | 100 Gb/s | 1311 | Singlemode | 500 m | LC duplex |
100GBASE-LR4 | 100 Gb/s | 1295 to 1310 (4 LAN-WDM lanes) | Singlemode | 10 km | LC duplex |
100GBASE-ER4 | 100 Gb/s | 1295 to 1310 (4 LAN-WDM lanes) | Singlemode | 40 km | LC duplex |
400GBASE-SR8 | 400 Gb/s | 850 | Multimode (8 lanes) | 70 m OM3, 100 m OM4 | MPO-16 |
400GBASE-DR4 | 400 Gb/s | 1311 | Singlemode (4 lanes) | 500 m | MPO-12 |
400GBASE-FR8 | 400 Gb/s | 1273 to 1309 (8 lanes) | Singlemode | 2 km | LC duplex |
400GBASE-LR8 | 400 Gb/s | 1273 to 1309 (8 lanes) | Singlemode | 10 km | LC duplex |
Reach values are the IEEE 802.3 target distances for the stated fiber grade. Vendor modules with the same label can have higher or lower reach, and ZR and similar extended grades are vendor-defined. Confirm with the transceiver datasheet.
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How to use the table
Search by interface name such as SR4, by rate, or by fiber. Check the fiber grade first: multimode reach depends heavily on OM3, OM4 or OM5, while singlemode reach is set by the optic. Then confirm the connector, especially for parallel optics where MPO polarity and the number of fibers used decide whether the link comes up.
Reading the naming scheme
In IEEE names, S means short wavelength (850 nm), L means long wavelength (1310 nm), E means extra long (1550 nm) and Z means beyond the standard at 1550 nm. R indicates 64B/66B coding, and the trailing number is the count of lanes. So 100GBASE-SR4 is 100 Gb/s, short wavelength, four lanes, and 100GBASE-LR4 is four wavelength-multiplexed lanes over a duplex singlemode pair.
- SR optics need multimode fiber and a short channel loss.
- LR and ER optics need singlemode; a short link may need an attenuator.
- Parallel optics (SR4, DR4) use MPO and strict polarity.
Common mistakes
Putting an ER or ZR optic on a very short patch can overload the receiver, so check the receive power maximum and add an attenuator if needed. Mixing OM3 patch cords into an OM4 link reduces the reach to OM3 limits. Do not assume that an SFP slot supports any wavelength: switch firmware often restricts which modules are accepted.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 10GBASE-SR and 10GBASE-LR?
SR uses 850 nm over multimode fiber for up to 300 to 400 m on OM3 or OM4. LR uses 1310 nm over singlemode for up to 10 km. They are not interoperable because the wavelength and fiber differ.
How far does 100GBASE-SR4 reach?
The IEEE target is 70 m on OM3 and 100 m on OM4 using an MPO-12 connector with eight active fibers. Vendors sometimes publish longer reach on OM4 or OM5 for their own modules.
What does the number at the end of the name mean?
It is the number of lanes. SR4 uses four parallel fibers in each direction, while LR4 multiplexes four wavelengths onto one fiber pair. The total rate is the lane count times the lane rate.
Can I use singlemode patch cords with multimode optics?
No. The core is much smaller than the multimode launch, which results in high loss and unreliable links. Match the fiber type of cords to the transceiver for both ends of the link.
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