Checking fibre connection

With a copper DSL connection you can pick up a phone and see if there is a dial tone. If so the line is probably good.

With a fibre connection, is there anything you can do to make sure that some sort of signal is coming down the cable? (aside from connecting an ONT) For example if you pointed the fibre at a camera would there be a light meter reading?

Generally fibre optic systems are designed to turn off the transmission if not plugged in, to avoid risk of sight damage from people peering down them for long periods.

For simple testing a light source (e.g. pen light source) is used at one end and you see if light comes out the other. In your case this is not possible.

Basically needs an ONT or test device hung on the end of it.

Thanks. It does rather look as if I will just have to call for support if I don't get a connection. There is not much I can do apart from possibly reseating the plugs. Keeping a spare ONT/router is an expensive option.

You can't really keep a spare ONT

Unlike with copper based broadband a true FTTP fibre based broadband supply really does require the ONT to be under the control of the supplier.
I think this is even more the case for PON based FTTP network architecture than for point to point based FTTP.
One rogue/non compliant ONT on a GPON branch would really muck up the supply for others
I am unaware of any FTTP companies that allow you to use your own ONT.
So you would need to obtain an identical spare loaded in with the suppliers no doubt customised firmware for it to be useable.

I expect to have a Gigaclear connection. They supply a Genexis router which contains the ONT. I think it will use the Genexis proprietary point to point architecture. IIRC Gigaclear would supply a spare router but it would cost £150 or so.

I shall be doing a DIY install. If I plug everything in and it works all will be fine. If it does not about all I can do is call the help desk.

When I first got an ADSL service I was supplied with the frog, which when I found it worked, I replaced with a router. This gave me backup.

No experience of Gigaclear, but with the Openreach FTTP set up, the serial number of the ONTE has to be input so as the head end knows to expect to see this connection appearing on it. So certainly for Openreach based stuff, a spare ONTE wouldn't work, it'd light up, but not make a connection.

There is not much I can do apart from possibly reseating the plugs.

If you mean pulling and reconnecting the fibre lead I would suggest this was a big no-no as well. Any kind of dust on the fibre end will seriously impact on the service it provides. There are specialist cleaning kits to be used.

That is certainly something to think about. The light conducting part of the fibre is very small, and must be aligned very accurately. I think it will use a SC/APC connector.

Yes, Gigaclear and the Genexis ONT router use the SC type optical connector.

There is one SC connecting the incoming drop fibre (for want of a better term) to the router and a SC connection join connecting their network termination connection pot at the property boundary to the fibre drop.
This latter one is inside a waterproof sealed enclosure which is inside the connection pot/box (it's like a water meter box but shallower).

Optical inline connections don't have male and female connectors as I understand it but instead have standardised plugs and a connector piece which forms the join between them.

If you mean these type of things, then they are the same Openreach use.

Yup - that's them.
Looks to me that these are the de-facto standard for consumer grade FTTP connectors.
There are umpteen types of fibre connector.

The APC suffix versions means the fibre tip is polished at an angle and not flat across as per a UPC.
Supposed to improve back reflection at the join but at a cost of a worse insertion loss.
APC's are preferred where you are passing analog signals like RF video while UPC's are preferred for digital signal transmission.

Edited by deleted (Tue 13-Jan-15 18:45:11)