Network Interface Device

Enterprise Application Examples

Campus High-Rise Building Application

When connecting floors in a high-rise or other large building where network links exceed 100 meters, fiber links are an excellent solution. In this application example, the UTP network core switch is on the first floor of a building. An iConverter 19-Module Chassis is used to convert the UTP to fast Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet fiber links that connect to the different floors of the building. The iConverter equipment is managed with a management station connected to a Network Management Module (NMM) installed in the chassis.

At the 27th floor, the fiber connects to an iConverter 2-Module Chassis with a media converter module and a four port 10/100 switch module installed in the chassis. The two modules share data via the chassis Ethernet backplane to provide a fiber uplink and a 5-port managed VLAN department switch.

At the 30th floor, the fiber is connects to a iConverter standalone iConverter 10/100M Network Interface Device with integrated management that converts the fiber uplink to UTP cable that is connected to a third-party UTP switch.

Campus High-Rise Building Application


Transportation Resilient Ring Application

Fiber optic links provide the long-distance connectivity required in transportation control networks. In this Ethernet network application, fiber is used in a ring topology to connect control stations along a commuter train route.

The UTP cable from the router at the Network Core or Point of Presence is converted to fiber with an iConverter standalone Network Interface Device (NID). This fiber link connects to an iConverter 2-Module Chassis with two media converter modules installed.

The media converters share data via the chassis Ethernet backplane and provide two fiber ports and two UTP ports. The 2-Module chassis is providing fiber to copper conversion and two copper ports for managing a control light.

The second fiber link is distributed to another iConverter 2-Module Chassis with the same configuration that is controlling equipment at a commuter station. This configuration can be continued to multiple nodes along the train route.

The final fiber link connects back to a standalone converter that provides copper connectivity to a redundant router at the network core. The resilient ring topology provides redundant link reliability in the event a fiber link is broken, the other links are fully operational, and there is no network down time.

Fiber to the Desktop Applications

Fiber optic technology provides a higher level of signal quality and security than copper UTP. A fiber optic network link is immune to EMI, RFI, cross-talk, ground loops and other electrical problems, greatly enhancing the signal quality in severe environments. Conversely, fiber optic links do not generate EMI or RFI signals that can lead to security breaches like copper UTP. These characteristics make fiber to desktop/laptop extremely attractive to operators of high-security enterprise and government networks.

Omnitron’s extensive media converter product lines support a variety of network protocols, including 10, 100 and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity. This diagram illustrates how the miConverter, FlexPoint and iConverter media converters can be utilized in a variety of Fiber to the desktop or laptop applications.

  • High-security networks
  • LAN networks with long distance links to workstations
  • Field deployed fiber to the laptop where local power is unavailable

In the upper left of the diagram, UTP from a core switch is converted to fiber with a high density, iConverter 19-Module Chassis of media converters. This can also be accomplished with an iConverter 5-Module Chassis or a FlexPoint 14-Module Chassis for unmanaged networks.

miConverter

At the top of the diagram, fiber is distributed to a laptop computer in an unmanaged field-deployed application. A miniature miConverter media converter is used to provide fiber connectivity to the laptop and draws power from the laptop’s USB port (represented by the black line). The miConverter is an excellent solution for fiber-to-the-laptop military field operations, a portable building with limited local power availability, or portable network testing equipment.

The miConverter was designed to overcome the challenges of providing fiber-to-the-desktop connectivity by installing a fiber optic Network Interface Card (NIC) in a PC. The miConverter 10/100 has a lower cost, does not require installation of software drivers, and functions independently of Operating Systems so it is compatible with all PCs and will not compete for processing resources. The miConverter 10/100 delivers these same benefits when used with a laptop computer, and provides a more rugged fiber connection than the ports on a PCMCI card that protrude out of the side of the laptop and can be easily damaged.

»» Click here for more information on miConverter miniature media converters

FlexPoint

At the middle right of the diagram, fiber is distributed to an unmanaged FlexPoint media converter. The modular FlexPoint product line provides cost-effective and reliable fiber connectivity to workstations or department switches in unmanaged Enterprise networks.

»» Click here for more information on FlexPoint unmanaged media converters

iConverter

At the bottom of the diagram, fiber is distributed to an iConverter Network Interface Device with built-in management that converts the fiber to a UTP cable that is connected to the workstation. The network utilizes VLAN technology to segregate departments or servers, and the iConverter NID supports the VLAN tags assigned by the network devices. In addition, the iConverter NID supports port access control for added security, QoS for real time voice/data/video over Ethernet, and bandwidth control. iConverter media converters and NIDs are designed to provide fiber connectivity in managed, high-security networks.

»» Click here for more information on iConverter managed media converters