What is GPON technology and how to connect it

How did Rostelecom's GPON technology appear, what is it and how can it be connected? Due to the rapidly growing needs of users of the World Wide Web, companies providing Internet access services are faced with a challenge that would help make data transmission more practical, high-speed and inexpensive in content. The solution was GPON technology, which is now actively used by Rostelecom. PON technology is a passive network using fiber and splitters, and the letter "G" at the beginning of the name explains that this fiber optic Internet is gigabit. Thanks to the use of optical fiber in the technology, there was no need for active equipment that transmitted data from the automatic telephone exchange to the user's apartment. Thanks to a high-bandwidth channel, it becomes possible to connect not only the Internet, but television without the use of special set-top boxes, and it is also possible to connect a phone to the same line.

It is uneconomical to run a single fiber optic to the entire area from the automatic telephone exchange to the client's apartment, since such work is costly and does not pay off at all. To resolve this issue, it was decided to divide the signal in the established area. Splitter is a passive optical splitter. It was invented in order to split the signal from one fiber into several, in a ratio of 1:64. Switch or switch - used for the same purpose by the "Fiber to the Home" technology, abbreviated as FTTH, which involves pulling fiber to the client's home, and a copper cable to his apartment.

How is this technology connected?

Due to the high fragility and fragility of the optical fiber, it is customary to mount the optical terminal (modem) near the hole through which the optics were pulled into the apartment. This is done so that the length of the fiber in the room is relatively small, since if this thin wire is bent or bent, it will quickly fail. It also cannot withstand the pressure of furniture. And replacing and/or repairing fiber is very difficult and costly. The main aspect when installing the equipment is the obligatory presence of a 220V socket near the place where you need to install an optical modem. The UTP copper cable or twisted pair cable is the connection between the optical terminal and the PC (when connecting to the Internet), as well as between the terminal and the set-top box (when connecting the IPTV service).

The junction box is located in the entrance and the patch cord from it to the client's apartment is placed in special protective boxes. A special welding machine helps to connect the two ends of the optics, one of which is located in the apartment, and the second in the splitter in the junction box, and as a result, a fiber optic line from the automatic telephone exchange to the client's apartment is obtained. The last step is to set up the device and check Internet access. In the absence of technical problems, the subscriber signs an agreement, which the installers bring with them if the application was made remotely, as well as access to the installation.

How to set up Internet access

Setting up network equipment in the client's apartment is carried out personally by Rostelecom employees if he rents the device from the provider himself. If the equipment was purchased independently, then the first time you connect it, you will need to pay separately for setting it up. To avoid unnecessary costs on the router, you should manually configure the network settings. It is worth considering carefully the selection of a router in order for the fiber optic Internet to work successfully. The main factor in choosing should be its functionality. If you want to connect IPTV and telephony services, you need to buy an optical modem, if there is no such desire, a regular fiber optic router will suffice.

G PON ONT RFT620 has four LAN ports for connecting a PC to the Network, a built-in Wi-Fi module and is an optimal terminal model that allows you to fully use all the advantages of IP and classic telephony. The router "Rostelecom" provides for rent, also with the possibility of buying it. The connection and configuration scheme consists of several successive stages:

1. After connecting the GPON cable from Rostelecom to the PC via the LAN port, the equipment must be turned on.
2. Using any browser, you need to go to the equipment settings, for this, the IP of the terminal is written in the address bar (by default 192.168.1.254).
3. Next, you need to enter a login and password to enter the software (user / user by default).
4. The provider has predetermined Internet settings for this model, so after the subscriber gets to the firmware home page, they do not require changes.
5. The activation of the wireless connection will need to be done manually, since it is not available by default.
6. To do this, in the "Wireless Network" menu, you must enable WiFi on the router.
7. In order to protect your network from intruders, you should carefully consider the security settings before activating the device.

What are the pros and cons of this technology

The advantages of the technology are:

1. The ability to connect Internet, telephone and TV services using one device purchased by the subscriber, since the fiber optic cable is pulled to the client's apartment, which helps the channel to have a higher bandwidth.
2. In the event of a power outage, the equipment will continue to operate if there is an alternative power source and a charged laptop or tablet, while maintaining Internet access. This is possible due to the absence of transitional active devices between the automatic telephone exchange and the subscriber's apartment.
3. Eliminates the risk of electric shock as the optics are voltage-free and resistant to moisture.

Identified disadvantages of technology:

1. The sensitivity of the optical fiber to bends and kinks, which is why there is no possibility to stretch it around the apartment, laying it in the baseboard.
2. Deterioration of signal quality, and, consequently, a decrease in the level of work with a small bend.
3. Even in the absence of financial gain, just for fun, vandals love to cut and tear optics.
4. The need to hide the fiber optic cable due to its fragility from pets.

Despite the identified disadvantages, the equipment has good reviews from already connected subscribers. After all, if you connect the Internet using GPON technology, then not only the PC gets new features, but also the TV and even the phone.