High level computer network question

[animal]

I've been coming up short on my google searches in the matter, so I figured I'd ask here. Right now I'm partly using a 100baseFX network at work, it is all running fine, but a few computer-tech wannabe's got a bug up their arse about 100Megabit networking and are convinced their problems will be solved if everything everywhere is converted to gigabit. What I need to find out is, will my existing 100baseFX physical fiber network be compatible with an upgraded 1000baseSX fiber switch provided I get the proper fiber patch cables? I'd rather not find this out by purchasing equipment that ends up not working. I also realize it's a long shot on a muscle car board but why not. I'm not worried about the copper wiring as I can do that myself, but it's going to become a major project for me if I have to get a new set of fiber drops for my long runs.

[HRSEPLA]

I just read this and now I'm dizzy.

[animal]

Haha, mission accomplished ;)

[Teufelhunden]

$5 fix (http://cgi.ebay.com/Staples-Easy-Button-Brand-New_W0QQitemZ130083493562QQihZ003QQcategoryZ302QQr dZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item130083493562) :goof

[Myles]

so correct me if im wrong, but you current network is a fiber base network? I do not know of any fiber lines that are not capable of reaching up to 1gbit speeds. The only thing i can think of off my head is that the terminating ends will be different.

But then again my mind is fried after fighting the complete loss of data and voice over at my place of business. So if im completley off on what im trying to grasp just tell me to die in a fire.

[Myles]

Again i am going to attempt to help.

I found this in attempt to search more on the cable. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-mode_optical_fiber

So what it looks like it needs to be is you either have single mode or multi mode. I could not find anything that allowed gig through single mode, you are required to have multi mode.

I hope this at least kinda helps.


EDIT

The more i look the more it seems the more it depends on the current fiber layout, how thick the cores are in the fiber, etc. So if you laid it out originally or at least know the stats on it that will tell you.

[animal]

Thanks Myles. I was talking to another guy I know yesterday that used to install fiber and he was basically telling me the same thing. He thought that I probably had single mode here since 100baseFX is a "long" wavelength light (1300nm) as opposed to the others that are a "short", respectively anyway (800nm) wavelength. He said that long wavelength would more than likely be a single mode fiber. I looked at the fiber jacketing but there's no writing on it, at least not on the side that's showing. I'd rather not start tweaking those fibers just to see what's currently there. :) I'm gonna check the other runs and see if I can read any of the jacketing on the fibers. He said they should say either SM or MM on them.

Thank you for the reply though, that does shed some light on it. No pun intended :)

[Myles]

lol no problem, at least i was able to help some. We are in the proccess of looking over our current network needs and such and i am debating weather to just go with cat6 instead of a fiber network.

We hopefully will be bringing a fiber connection to the outside world in tho.

[animal]

I wish I could just do all copper, some of my runs are too long for that. Between buildings, etc. I'm hesitant to even go over 150ft with copper since I've heard that you start to kill your bandwidth on gigabit even with a half distance run. Not sure on truthfulness to that though.

The fiber is just to connect to my remote switches though. No fiber directly to any computers.

[Myles]

That would be a logical reason not to go copper.We don't have too much of a distance between our data center and anything it needs to connect to, our only remote location right now is in Utah so i don't have to worry about stringing a line out there lol.

[animal]

That would be a logical reason not to go copper.We don't have too much of a distance between our data center and anything it needs to connect to, our only remote location right now is in Utah so i don't have to worry about stringing a line out there lol.

Lol, I always wanted like, the pair of wires that runs to somewhere really far away.

:)