Two mistakes cause most first-time fiber returns: the wrong connector polish, and the wrong length. Both are avoidable in about three minutes.
LC, and the blue-vs-green question
LC is the small push-pull connector used by virtually all modern SFP/SFP+/QSFP transceivers — every cable we sell uses it. What trips people up is the polish type, identified by connector color:
- Blue = UPC (Ultra Physical Contact). The standard for data networking: switches, transceivers, patch panels.
- Green = APC (Angled Physical Contact). Used in PON/FTTH and CATV systems. Never mate UPC with APC — the angled and flat end-faces do not align and the link will fail or the ferrules can be damaged.
All of our current cables are LC/UPC (blue). If your equipment has green APC ports, our cables will not fit your application.
What “Uniboot” means
A standard duplex LC is two separate connectors clipped together. A Uniboot LC puts both fibers in one housing — half the connector bulk in dense patch panels, with polarity built in. Our OS2 duplex and OM3 duplex cables are Uniboot; our OS2 4-fiber trunk uses four numbered simplex LCs per end so you can pair them as you like.
Getting the length right (meters vs feet)
- Measure the route, not the straight line: up the wall, through the conduit, around corners.
- Add slack for the service loop at each end (a common allowance is 3–5m total for indoor runs; more for outdoor pulls).
- Then pick the closest fixed length that is longer than your measurement. Excess fiber can be coiled; a cable that is 1m short cannot be stretched.
Quick conversion: 1 m = 3.28 ft. Our listings show both — e.g. 30m (98ft), 50m (164ft), 100m (328ft), 300m (984ft). We sell fixed lengths only and do not cut to order; if your needed length is not listed, it is not in our catalog.