Multimode fiber optic transmission bandwidth

Multimode fiber bandwidth varies by type: OM1 – 200 MHz·km, OM2 – 500 MHz·km, OM3 – 2000 MHz·km, OM4 – 4700 MHz·km, OM5 – 28,000 MHz·km effective with multi-wavelength support.Detailed Bandwidth InformationOM1 (62.5 µm core)Maximum bandwidth: 200 MHz·km at 850 nmSuitable for legacy 1G Ethernet and short 10G links (up to 33 meters)Uses LED light sources, limiting high-speed performance OM2 (50 µm core)Maximum bandwidth: 500 MHz·km at 850 nmSupports 1G Ethernet and limited 10G Ethernet (up to 82 meters)Also LED-based, better than OM1 but still limited for modern high-speed networks OM3 (50 µm core, laser-optimized)Maximum bandwidth: 2000 MHz·km at 850 nmSupports 10G Ethernet up to 300 meters, 40/100G up to 100 metersUses VCSEL lasers for higher-speed applications in data centers OM4 (50 µm core, enhanced laser-optimized)Maximum bandwidth: 4700 MHz·km at 850 nmExtends 10G Ethernet to 550 meters, 40/100G to 150 metersImproved attenuation and dispersion allow longer distances at high speeds OM5 (50 µm core, wideband multimode fiber)Bandwidth: 4700 MHz·km at 850 nm, plus 2470 MHz·km at 953 nm for multi-wavelength SWDMEffective bandwidth with SWDM: 28,000 MHz·kmSupports 400GBASE-SR4.2 and future 800G applications over short distancesBackwards compatible with OM4, optimized for multi-wavelength transmission SummaryBandwidth in multimode fiber increases with each generation due to smaller core diameters and laser optimization, enabling higher data rates and longer distances. OM1 and OM2 are suitable for legacy networks, while OM3, OM4, and OM5 are designed for modern high-speed data center and enterprise applications, with OM5 providing the highest effective bandwidth through multi-wavelength support.