MTP® Elite Female-Female Patch Cord | Base-8 | Single Mode G651.OM3 | 3.0mm

Overview

This Base-8 Female-to-Female MPO/MTP® OM3 Patch Cord is a specialized component for extending high-density, high-speed fiber links. Its specific purpose is to couple two Male (pinned) MPO/MTP® Base-8 cables together, effectively lengthening a trunk cable. The Female (unpinned) MTP® Elite connectors on both ends are designed to accept the guide pins from Male connectors, ensuring a secure and precisely aligned connection.

Constructed with 8 strands of laser-optimized OM3 multimode fiber, this cable is perfect for extending backbone channels that support 40GBASE-SR4 applications. By using a Base-8 configuration, it ensures that every fiber in the channel is utilized, providing an efficient path for structured cabling systems without the complexity of unused dark fibers.

Key Features

• Terminated with two Female (unpinned) MTP® Elite connectors for low-loss performance.
• Features a Base-8 fiber configuration, ideal for SR4-based network extensions.
• Constructed with premium, laser-optimized OM3 multimode fiber (50/125µm).
• An aqua-colored jacket (OFNP/LSZH) provides clear visual identification of the OM3 fiber type.
• Robust 3.0mm cable diameter provides durability for backbone applications.
• Standard Type A (straight-through) polarity preserves the fiber mapping of the extended trunk.
• 100% factory-terminated and interferometrically tested for guaranteed performance.

Applications

Unlike Male-ended patch cords, this Female-to-Female cable is not for direct equipment connections. It acts as a high-density “coupler” in cable form, designed exclusively for joining two separate Male-ended MPO/MTP® cables. This is essential in data centers when a trunk cable is too short to reach a patch panel or another trunk cable in a meet-me room or distribution area.

Specifications

Cross-Platform Compatibility

This cable serves as a bridge, mating two Male Base-8 MPO/MTP® connectors to form a longer channel. The unpinned Female connectors receive the alignment pins from the Male connectors, creating a stable 8-fiber link. It is critical to understand that this cable cannot be plugged directly into active equipment like transceivers, as those ports are also Female and require a pinned Male connector for a proper mate.

FAQ (Technical & Product Questions)

1. What is the main purpose of a Female-to-Female MPO/MTP® cable?

Its primary purpose is to function as an extension cord. It connects two separate MPO/MTP® cables that both have Male (pinned) connectors, effectively joining them into a single, longer cable channel for backbone applications.

2. Can I plug this cable directly into my 40G QSFP+ transceiver?

No. Transceivers like the QSFP+ have Female (unpinned) MPO/MTP® ports. You cannot connect a Female cable to a Female port. For a direct transceiver connection, you must use a Male (pinned) MPO/MTP® patch cord.

3. Why would I use a Base-8 extension instead of a Base-12?

If your existing network infrastructure is built on Base-8 cabling for 40G SR4 applications, you must use a Base-8 extension to match. This ensures 100% fiber utilization and physical compatibility, as the connector keys for Base-8 and Base-12 are different.

4. Why is Type A polarity used for extension cables?

A Type A (straight-through) polarity maintains the original fiber mapping from pin 1 to pin 1. When you extend a trunk cable, you want to preserve its polarity scheme (e.g., Type B), not alter it. A Type A extension ensures the end-to-end channel polarity remains correct.

5. Is this cable compatible with standard MPO connectors?

Yes. MTP® is a high-performance brand of MPO connector and is fully backward compatible with any standard MPO. This cable will mate correctly with any Male Base-8 MPO or MTP® connector.