Om5 Multimode Fiber Transmission Distance

OM5 multimode fiber supports up to 150 meters for high-speed 100G and 400G SWDM applications.OM5, also known as Wide Band Multimode Fiber (WB-MMF), is designed for short-wavelength division multiplexing (SWDM), allowing multiple wavelengths (850–953 nm) to transmit simultaneously through a single fiber strand, which significantly increases effective bandwidth and distance for high-speed applications . It has a core size of 50 µm, similar to OM3 and OM4, and is backward compatible with OM4 systems .Maximum Distances by Data Rate10G Ethernet: OM5 can reach up to 550 meters, matching OM4 performance .40G and 100G Ethernet (SWDM4): OM5 supports distances up to 150 meters, which is the same as OM4 but with enhanced multi-wavelength capability .400G Ethernet (400G-BD4.2): OM5 can maintain 150 meters using SWDM channels, effectively tripling the reach compared to OM4 at 400G .Lower-speed applications (1G–25G): OM5 performs similarly to OM4, with no additional distance advantage at 850 nm .Advantages of OM5Multi-wavelength support: Enables SWDM, allowing multiple 28 Gbps channels per wavelength, increasing total throughput without additional fiber strands .Future-proofing: Supports emerging 400G and 800G standards, making it ideal for modern data centers .Cost-effective for short-range high-speed links: OM5 allows high-speed connections without switching to single-mode fiber for distances under 150 meters .Comparison with Other Multimode FibersFiber TypeCore SizeMax 10G DistanceMax 40/100G DistanceMax 400G DistanceOM162.5 µm33 mNot supportedNot supportedOM250 µm82 mNot supportedNot supportedOM350 µm300 m100 m30 mOM450 µm550 m150 m50 mOM550 µm550 m150 m150 mOM5 is particularly advantageous for high-density, high-speed data center environments where SWDM can maximize fiber utilization and reduce cabling complexity . For distances beyond 150 meters at 100G or 400G, single-mode fiber (OS2) is recommended.