MTP® Elite Male-Male Patch Cord | Base-12 | Single Mode G651.OM3 | 3.0mm

Overview

This Base-12 Male-to-Male MPO/MTP® OM3 Multimode Patch Cord is engineered for high-speed, direct connections within data centers. It is the ideal solution for linking two 40G QSFP+ transceivers. Equipped with Male (pinned) MTP® Elite connectors on both ends, it plugs directly into the Female (unpinned) ports found on transceiver modules and MPO/MTP® adapter panels, establishing a secure, high-bandwidth channel.

Utilizing 12 strands of laser-optimized OM3 multimode fiber, this cable is perfectly suited for 40GBASE-SR4 and 100GBASE-SR10 applications over short-to-medium distances. The premium MTP® Elite connectors ensure exceptionally low insertion loss, providing reliable signal integrity critical for high-throughput networks. Its robust design makes it a staple for equipment-to-equipment patching.

Key Features

• Terminated with two Male (pinned) MTP® Elite connectors for direct equipment connection.
• Features a Base-12 fiber configuration, optimized for 40GbE and 100GbE parallel optics.
• Constructed with premium laser-optimized OM3 multimode fiber (50/125µm).
• Aqua-colored jacket (OFNP/LSZH) ensures correct visual identification of the OM3 fiber type.
• Durable 3.0mm cable diameter provides protection while maintaining flexibility.
• 100% factory-terminated and tested with 3D interferometry for guaranteed low-loss performance.

Applications

This cable’s primary application is creating a direct link between two active devices. It simplifies data center cabling by eliminating the need for intermediate cassettes or patch panels for point-to-point connections. It is commonly used for:

• Connecting two 40GBASE-SR4 QSFP+ transceivers.
• Connecting two 100GBASE-SR10 CFP/CXP transceivers.
• Patching from an MPO/MTP® trunk cable to a switch via an adapter panel.

Specifications

Cross-Platform Compatibility

The Male MTP® Elite connectors on this cable feature two precision guide pins that ensure exact alignment when plugged into a Female MPO/MTP® port, such as those on QSFP+ transceivers. For 40GBASE-SR4 applications, the connection uses 8 of the 12 available fibers—4 for transmitting (Tx) and 4 for receiving (Rx). The central 4 fibers remain unused (dark).

The standard wiring scheme for this application is Polarity B, which “crosses” the fibers to ensure the transmitter on one end connects to the receiver on the other.

FAQ (Technical & Product Questions)

1. What is this Male-to-Male MPO/MTP® cable used for?

This cable is designed for direct connection between two pieces of equipment that have Female MPO/MTP® ports, such as linking two 40G QSFP+ optical transceivers in adjacent racks.

2. The product title says “Single Mode,” but the description says “OM3.” Which is correct?

The product title contains a typo. This is a Multimode OM3 fiber optic cable, as confirmed by the product details, 50µm core specification, and standard aqua jacket color. It is not compatible with single mode systems.

3. Why does this 12-fiber cable only use 8 fibers for 40G?

The 40GBASE-SR4 standard is based on 4 parallel lanes, each running at 10G. Each lane requires one fiber for transmitting and one for receiving, totaling 8 fibers (4 Tx, 4 Rx). The 12-fiber MPO/MTP® connector is the standard physical interface, leaving the middle 4 fibers unused in this application.

4. What is Polarity B and why is it used?

Polarity B is a “crossed” or “reversed” pinout where pin 1 on one end maps to pin 12 on the other, pin 2 to 11, and so on. This configuration is required for direct transceiver-to-transceiver connections to ensure that the transmit channels on one device align with the receive channels on the other.

5. Can I use this OM3 cable with OM4 equipment?

While you can physically connect this OM3 cable to an OM4 system, the link’s performance and maximum distance will be limited to OM3 specifications. For full OM4 performance, you must use an OM4 cable.