Different types of sfp

Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) modules are highly versatile, supporting a wide range of optical fiber types (such as multi-mode and single-mode fiber), data rates, and communication standards. Different types of SFP modules are available to suit various applications. Some of the common types of SFP transceivers include:

1. SX SFP:

Short-range multi-mode fiber optic SFP modules. These are used for short distances and operate at 850nm wavelength. 'SX' stands for 'Short Wavelength'. They are typically used in applications where the distance between the network devices is less than 500 meters.

2.LX SFP:

Long-range single-mode fiber optic SFP modules. 'LX' stands for 'Long Wavelength'. These modules operate at a wavelength of 1310nm and can support distances up to 10 kilometers.

3.ZX SFP:

These are used for extremely long distances, up to 80 kilometers or even more. They operate at a wavelength of 1550nm.

4.CWDM SFP and DWDM SFP:

 Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM) and Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) SFPs are used to combine multiple wavelengths onto a single fiber, increasing the overall bandwidth capacity of the fiber. CWDM SFPs support 18 channels with wavelengths from 1270nm to 1610nm. DWDM SFPs support more channels and closer wavelength spacing, allowing for even higher fiber capacity.

5.BiDi SFP:

Bi-Directional SFP modules use two different optical wavelengths to achieve full-duplex communication over a single fiber strand. Typically, one wavelength is used for downstream data, and another for upstream data.

6.Copper/TX SFP:

These SFP modules use a copper RJ45 interface for connecting Ethernet cables, and are typically used for short-range, lower-cost applications.
Each type of SFP transceiver is designed to support a specific type of communication, whether over short or long distances, single-mode or multi-mode fiber, or copper cable. The choice of SFP will depend on the specific requirements of your network architecture.
 
 

How Many Types of SFP Transceivers Do You Know?

There are many different types of SFP modules available today, so what makes them different and how do you know which is best for you? This guide will explain them all.
SFP module has a wide reach of applications and works with the bulk of modern networks. Most can be categorized into four main categories: Cable Type, Transmission Range, Transfer Rate, Application.

Cable Type

SFP module can work over optical fiber and copper. Based on the types of optical fibers, SFP transceiver can be divided into single mode SFP that works with single-mode fiber and multimode SFP that works with multimode fiber.

Specfication	Multimode SFP	Single-mode SFP
Fiber Type	62.5/125µm or 50/125µm core MMF	9/125µm core SMF
Working Wavelength	Mainly in 850 nm and 1300 nm	Mainly in 1310 nm and 1550 nm
Color Coding	Black	Blue for 1310nm SFP Yellow for 1550nm SFP
Transmission Distance	100 m / 500 m	2 km up to 200 km

XBASE-T is the IEEE standard that defines the requirement for sending information on unshielded twisted-pair cabling and defines various aspects of running Ethernet on this cabling. You will primarily find SFP modules are 1000base-T SFPs for a 1Gb network.
 

Specification	100BASE-T SFP	100BASE-Tx SFP	1000BASE-T SFP	1000BASE-T1 SFP	2.5GBASE-T SFP	5GBASE-T SFP	10GBASE-T SFP
Data Rate	100Mbps	100Mbps	1000Mbps	1000Mbps	2.5Gbits	5Gbits	10Gbits
Medium	Cat5e	Cat5	Cat5	Cat6a	Cat5e	Cat6	Cat6a
Specified Distance	100M	100M	100M	100M	100M	100M	100M
Bandwidth	37.5MHZ	31.25MHZ	62.5MHZ	375MHZ	100MHZ	200MHZ	400MHZ
Usage	Automotive, IoT, M2M	LAN	LAN	Automotive, IoT, M2M	LAN	LAN	LAN

 

Application

High-definition audio/video transmission and reception, passive optical networks (PON), multiplexing, and simplex networking also are some of the most common applications of SFP modules.
3G-SDI video SFPs are designed to meet the high standard video transmission needs in the High Definition (HD) environment.
PON SFPs are used in the Optical Line Terminal (OLT) at the Central Office and the Optical Network Terminal/Unit (ONT/ONU) at the subscriber’s premises.
CWDM SFPs and DWDM SFPs are utilized by telecom systems in long-distance transmission, allow to transmit multiple signals simultaneously on a single fiber.
BIDI SFP allows to transmit and receive data to/from interconnected network devices (like network switches or routers) via a single optical fiber, which enables users to simplify their cabling system, increasing network capacity and reducing cost.
Fibre Channel SFP is a high-speed network technology (commonly running at 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 128 gigabits per second rates) primarily used to connect computer data storage to servers in the SAN data center environment.
SONET/SDH SFP is compatible with the SONET/SDH and ATM standard which covers the standard range of data rates extending from OC-3/STM-1 (155 Mbps) to OC-48/STM-16 (2488 Gbps) for multimode (MM), short-reach (SR), intermediate-reach (IR1), and long-reach (LR1/LR2) applications.

What’s the difference between singlemode SFP and multimode SFP?

There are three main differences between Singlemode SFP (SMF SFP) and multimode SFP (MMF SFP)
① Fiber： Singlemode fiber has a smaller core than multimode fiber, and it allows unlimited bandwidth and lower loss. While multimode fiber can propagate multiple modes of light.
② Transmission distance. Singlemode SFP transceiver is often used in long-run links up to 120km. Multimode SFP module is used in short applications.
③ Cost. Singlemode SFP is more expensive than multimode SFP due to the use of different light-emitting units.