What Is OTDR Testing?
Fiber networks serve as the foundational architecture of our modern world, and when fiber cables break, our society is put on hold. Whether it's a cable or signal problem, it can be frustrating for residents, business owners, and cable technicians alike. OTDR testing discovers the fiber breaks, faults, and other anomalies that disrupt our connections and our lives.
OTDR testing is the process in which a fiber cable is evaluated and analyzed. OTDRs troubleshoot and detect problems with data network components that can influence aspects of our everyday lives such as internet speed and quality. With OTDR testing, technicians can make sure that fiber optic systems are well-preserved, work smoothly, determine the quality of fibers and their connections, and expose errors or complications that can then be addressed. Fiber optic systems are also maintained with fusion splicers. Learn more about fusion splicing here.
What Is An OTDR?
Optical Time Domain Reflectometers, otherwise referred to as OTDRs, are devices that locate fiber cable irregularities and provide operators with data so that they can make informed decisions about how to remedy these complications. With OTDR testing, operators use this crucial knowledge to restore the fiber optic system.
The OTDR fiber testers are often handheld, benchtop, or rack mounted. OTDR test equipment is also normally compact and durable with user-friendly interfaces and, depending on the type, a rack or portable battery. Handheld OTDR models are light and easy to transport, which makes them ideal for in-field work. Benchtop OTDRs are also fairly easy to move, and everything in our inventory has been tested and determined to be functioning at its best.
How Does OTDR Testing Work?
In OTDR testing, technicians use OTDRs to send out pulses of optical power and then measure the returned light. This backscattered light is used to determine insertion loss and inconsistencies. OTDR fiber testers