Need to relocate ONT - Fibre + termination type identification. GPON SFP module as an alternative?

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Need to relocate ONT - Fibre + termination type identification. GPON SFP module as an alternative?

AndyT

163 posts

Master Geek

#293245 8-Jan-2022 20:24

I need to relocate the Huawei EchoLife HG8240 GPON Terminal installed in late 2015 by Enable / Spark, for which I'll need to buy a pre-terminated fibre extension cable.

From what I understand, it appears the single yellow fibre cable is a single mode fibre cable terminated with an SC connector. I'll also need an in-line SC to SC connector.

From the attached photos, can someone with more experience of fibre than I please confirm my understanding to be correct?

On an associated point, it would be much tidier and efficient if the Huawei ONT could be by-passed altogether and the fibre plugged into a GPON SFP module on eth3 of my EdgeRoputer 4, but my web research indicates that:

Spark don't permit this and won't configure / register the GPON module
There's potential compatibility problems

Cost isn't an issue and I'm not expecting an increase in performance as I already get 937 Mbps D/L & 535Mbps U/L. It would just be a much tidier solution if technically possible.

Any thoughts and advice appreciated.

Thanks & regards,

lucky015

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#2845430 8-Jan-2022 20:28

In short NZ UFB wholesalers don't support user provided ONT (Including SFP).

SFP ONT is an orderable product with some but is tied to high end business products so it's just simply not going to happen on a residential service.

lucky015

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#2845431 8-Jan-2022 20:36

Extension would probably work but would be recommended against by Enable/ISP. Could cause you some trouble later down the line if you have to log a fault.
Probably safer to go for a longer patch lead to replace the existing one from the Internal Termination Point to the ONT than some kind of female to female extender and two patch cords.

Probably a good idea to give your ISP a call after you do the cable swap and get them to confirm the optical levels are still within spec (without telling them why you are asking).

nztim

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#2845434 8-Jan-2022 20:45

If you mess this you will be up for a thousands of dollars

Pay enable via your ISP to have it moved

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

crazynz101

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#2845547 9-Jan-2022 01:04

The best way to get this sorted is to ask your ISP to submit a change request with Enable.

Enable will then contact you to arrange a date to scope out the work required to move the ONT and will also book in a date for the work to be completed (generally 7 days after the scope).

Generally it's a fixed rate to do the internal part of the move and quoted rates if Enable need to do any outside civl work to relocate the ETP.

The plus side of doing this is that you will get a new ONT with a backing plate that hides the yellow patch lead. It also means that it's all done by a qualified tech that checks the light readings are within spec before they leave.

cyril7

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#2845570 9-Jan-2022 09:39

Just to correct your statement that's it's an SC to SC lead, it's not, it's an SC-APC, mix the two and you may damage the connector interface.

Cyril

Edit as for should you do it yourself, take the above advice and get enable to do it, as it's their kit

AndyT

163 posts

Master Geek

#2845609 9-Jan-2022 12:52

Thank you all for your replies, and all points noted.

I'd overlooked the system "ownership" issue and realise I could have bimbled into an expensive remedy under my contract with the ISP had things inadvertently gone wrong. I honestly thought it was simply a question of powering down the ONT and relocating it, running a correctly spec'd and pre-terminated fibre patch cable from Gowifi / PB Tech in a pre-existing skirting conduit, and reconnecting to the ER4. Nothing more complicated than that.

I have to say it does feel a bit like getting a registered sparky to come and change a light bulb and incurring a large call-out charge in the process; but I accept the system ownership demarcation at the LAN port on the ONT, that a contract is a contract and that presumably there's sound technical reasons on the ISP's side for it being the way it is.

Thanks & regards,

chevrolux

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#2845651 9-Jan-2022 15:12

Having a connectorised fibre and then not letting people unplug is just straight up stupid.

I'd be ordering a cable and moving it myself.

The way people talk about fibre connectors on here you'd think you need to be a surgeon on plug a fibre in.

- From someone who has run and terminated thousands of strands of fibre.

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nztim

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#2845657 9-Jan-2022 15:53

chevrolux: Having a connectorised fibre and then not letting people unplug is just straight up stupid.

I'd be ordering a cable and moving it myself.

The way people talk about fibre connectors on here you'd think you need to be a surgeon on plug a fibre in.

- From someone who has run and terminated thousands of strands of fibre.

The thing is, its not your property to move

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

cyril7

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#2845783 9-Jan-2022 16:57

chevrolux: Having a connectorised fibre and then not letting people unplug is just straight up stupid.

I'd be ordering a cable and moving it myself.

The way people talk about fibre connectors on here you'd think you need to be a surgeon on plug a fibre in.

- From someone who has run and terminated thousands of strands of fibre.

Totally agree but as others have said it's the fibre companies kit, and if you are going to extend it then at least understand you require and angle polished connector not a plain SC as the OP stated, otherwise it will end in tears.

Cyril

chevrolux

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#2845785 9-Jan-2022 17:13

nztim:
chevrolux: Having a connectorised fibre and then not letting people unplug is just straight up stupid.

I'd be ordering a cable and moving it myself.

The way people talk about fibre connectors on here you'd think you need to be a surgeon on plug a fibre in.

- From someone who has run and terminated thousands of strands of fibre.

The thing is, its not your property to move

Then don't connectorise it!

AndyT

163 posts

Master Geek

#2846493 10-Jan-2022 22:37

cyril7:

You say ..."at least understand you require an angle polished connector not a plain SC as the OP stated" ..... but it was more of a question rather than a statement as I still have a lot to learn. Thanks to your posting I have now learned it's an SC APC connector.

I'll not be doing this myself for the reasons given in the thread, but on a point of learning I'm still technically unclear as to whether the fibre cable is:

single mode? - denoted by yellow jacket
simplex or half duplex? - presumably the latter as two way comms are involved, and not full duplex as there's only one connector

There's no marking on the cable itself to tell what sort of cable it is.

Thanks & regards,

cyril7

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#2846520 11-Jan-2022 06:51

Hi, still not there,

Yep 9um Single Mode is Yellow, (Orange, Aqua or Purple would be multimode, OM1/2, OM3, OM4 respectively)
No its Simplex for GPON, ie a single core of fibre, logical duplexing is achieved by frequency duplexing, ie forward and reverse channels are on different wavelengths, a prism coupler achieves this.
The one you missed is Green connector body as opposed to Blue. Blue is square cut, Green is angle cut (APC). APC is typically used on long haul or with PON's as it has higher interface return loss. The angle cut directs energy that is reflected from the interface back toward the cladding where it quickly is refracted away and lost so not to create standing waves on the main signal. In both Long haul and GPON the extra few dB return loss is important.

Cyril

AndyT

163 posts

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#2846838 11-Jan-2022 18:14

cyril7:

Many thanks cyril7 and much appreciated. I now have an understanding of the technicalities.

Kind regards,

AndyT