9-1
Chapter 9
Diagnosing Fiber Cabling Faults
Common Causes of Failures
Most problems in fiber links are caused by dirty, scratched,
or damaged connectors, as shown in Table 9-1.
The table shows results of a survey of 89 contractors and
private network owners. The results show what percentage
of each group commonly found the faults listed.
Table 9-1. Causes of Failures in Fiber Links
Fault Network Owners Contractors
Dirty end-faces 80 % 98 %
Poor polishing 72 % 88 %
Broken connectors 40 % 86 %
Mislabeling 8 % 86 %
Shattered end-faces 34 % 82 %
Bad splices 36 % 74 %
Excessive bends 6 % 66 %