As we all know, the optical module is widely used, while the RJ45 port module is not common, is it that the optical module is higher performance than the RJ45 port module and lead to this phenomenon? The answer is no, because the performance of the RJ45 port module is also quite good, but also has a unique advantage. In this article, we will compare optical modules and RJ45 modules.

What is an optical module?

Optical modules, also known as fiber modules, are optical devices that can transmit and receive analog signals. The electrical signal is converted into an optical signal after passing through the transmitting end of the optical module, and then the optical signal is converted into an electrical signal through the receiving end to achieve photoelectric conversion.

Classification and description of optical modules

Optical modules can be mainly classified into SFP optical modules, SFP+ optical modules, QSFP+ optical modules and QSFP28 optical modules according to the different package forms.

1)       SFP optical module (Small Form-factor Pluggables): that is, small hot-swappable optical module, is an upgraded version of GBIC optical module, its volume is only 1/2 to 1/3 of GBIC optical module, high integration, greatly increasing the port density of network equipment.

2)       SFP+ optical module: also known as SFP PLUS optical module, is an upgraded version of the SFP optical module, higher transmission rate, volume than the SFP optical module is also smaller, so the same space deployment density is higher. SFP+ optical module has a high density, low power consumption, low system construction costs and other significant advantages, widely used in 10 Gigabit Ethernet communications, is one of the mainstream 10 Gigabit optical module products.

3)       QSFP+ optical module (Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable): four-channel small pluggable optical module, with four independent full-duplex transceiver channels, supporting transmission rates from 100Mbps to 10Gbps. QSFP+ optical module is developed for high-density applications, and now the market demand for high-density data centers compatible with.

4)       QSFP28 optical module: QSFP28 optical module is a parallel 100G optical module, providing four independent transmit and receive channels, each channel can provide a rate of 25Gbps, and OM4 MMF fiber patch cable with the use of transmission distance up to 100m.

RJ45 port module

RJ45 port module, also known as optical port to RJ45 port module, photoelectric conversion optical module, is also the type of module that will be used in optical communication. With low power consumption, high performance and compact design, it is mainly used for short distance data transmission.

Classification and description of RJ45 port modules

The RJ45 port module can be divided into SFP RJ45 port module, SFP+ RJ45 port module and GBIC RJ45 port module according to the different package types.

1)       SFP RJ45 port module: according to the different transmission rates can also be divided into 100 Gigabit RJ45 port module, Gigabit RJ45 port module and adaptive RJ45 port module, adaptive RJ45 port module is a kind of 10/100/1000BASE three rates can be integrated into the CMOS chip gigabit optical module, can be used for high-speed Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet, and other RJ45 port module is different from this RJ45 port module in the rate of more innovative, can meet a variety of needs;.

2)       SFP+ RJ45 port module: also known as 10 Gigabit RJ45 port module, the rate is 10G, designed for high-speed communication links, mainly used in 10 Gigabit Ethernet, and its power consumption is also very small. In addition, SFP+ RJ45 port module is the first 10G module to transmit through the network cable, can be used in the SFP+ port of the switch or network card, as a way to achieve the connection with the network equipment with RJ45 interface;.

3)       GBIC RJ45 port module: is the package type GBIC RJ45 port module, the transmission rate can reach 1000Mbps, the maximum transmission distance up to 100m.

What is the difference between RJ45 port module and optical module?

1)       The interface is different: the interface of RJ45 port module is RJ45, while the interface of optical module is mainly LC duplex, there are also LC simplex and MTP/MPO interfaces.

2)       Different with: RJ45 port modules are usually used with Cat 5, Cat6, Super Cat 6 or Cat 7 network cables, while optical modules are usually connected with light patch cables.

3)       Different parameters: RJ45 port modules do not have a wavelength, while optical modules do.

4)       Different components: The RJ45 port module and the optical module have different components, especially the RJ45 port module does not have the core component of the optical module - the laser.

Installation steps of the RJ45 port module

There is one main step for the installation of the RJ45 port module, namely connecting one end to the switch and the other end to the network cable. The following are the detailed installation steps, and it is recommended to read the following guidelines before installing and using the RJ45 port module.

Step 1: To prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage, it is recommended to wear an anti-static wrist strap. Safety warning: Only trained and qualified personnel should install or replace the RJ45 port module.

Step 2: Take out the RJ45 port module with the pull ring and label facing up and the gold finger facing down, it should be noted that the front and back side should not be reversed.

Step 3: Slowly push the RJ45 port module along the switch SFP slot gently until the RJ45 port module fast and the bottom of the host slot tightly connected, do not let the RJ45 port module loose. Warm tip: If the RJ45 port module encounters obstruction when pushing in, please do not force to push in, you can re-insert or replace the RJ45 port module.

Step 4: Observe whether the RJ45 port module indicator is normal to determine whether the optical module has been started.

Step 5: Insert the super category 5, category 6, super category 6 network cable into the RJ-45 connector of the RJ45 port module.

Step 6: Make sure the network cable has been inserted securely.

To sum up, the RJ45 port module is a kind of module with low power consumption and RJ45 interface that is different from the optical module, and it has no less advantages than the optical module.