GPON subscriber terminals. GPON: what is it and what is it used for Eltex xPON Equipment

What is FTTH?

FTTH (fiber to the home) - optical fiber to the apartment. A terminal is installed in the apartment, and a cable from the terminal to the PC. FTTH is most often organized on the basis of PON technology (abbreviation for Passive optical network, passive optical network) - passive optical network technology. The PON access distribution network is based on a tree-like fiber cable architecture with passive optical splitters at the nodes, representing a cost-effective way to provide broadband information transmission.

Technology "PON" - passive optical networks, prefix "G" - gigabit. They are passive because no active equipment is used in the section from the PBX to the subscriber - the fiber extends to the client’s apartment. Due to this, high channel capacity is achieved and, as a result, the ability to connect several services over one line - telephone, television, Internet.

Of course, optical fiber is not laid as a single wire from the telephone exchange to the apartment - this would be unprofitable, and the costs of the work carried out would never be recouped. Therefore, on a certain section of the line the signal is divided.
To divide the signal, a passive optical divider was invented - a splitter, which turns one fiber into two, four, eight, and so on.

What is ONT?

The device that will convert the fiber optic interface into an Ethernet interface is the optical terminal - ONT. Depending on the modification, an ONT can have functionality from minimal to a full-fledged router, with the ability to connect WiFi, IPTV, telephony and much more from one device. This terminal is installed in the subscriber's apartment.

According to unwritten rules, ONTs are mounted next to the hole where the optics are inserted, so that the length of the fiber throughout the apartment is as small as possible. Why can’t we extend fiber optics deep into the apartment? It's simple - this thin “wire” is very fragile and extremely sensitive to various bends, kinks, pressure (to put it mildly, you shouldn’t step on it or put furniture on it). All of the above procedures cause the optical fiber to break. Recovering fiber and/or replacing it is a very labor-intensive process. For those who want to connect to the Internet using GPON technology, I strongly recommend that you do not run fiber throughout your apartment! Spare your nerves and money, as well as the nerves of the company’s (Internet provider) employees.

Communication between the ONT and the computer (if the Internet service is connected), as well as between the ONT and STB (if the IPTV service is connected) is carried out using a copper cable - UTP (twisted pair). ONT, like any other router, needs to be configured. Why do you need to go to its WEB interface and configure it for the services you need (Internet, IPTV, VOIP).

Thanks to GPON from Rostelecom, users were able to connect to high-speed Internet on their own computers. You can learn more about the technology by deciphering the abbreviation, which stands for gigabite passive optical network or, translated into Russian, gigabit passive optical network.

GPON from Rostelecom

The foundation of GPON technology from Rostelecom, which has repeatedly received positive reviews from both professionals and users, was laid many years ago. Development began in the 80s of the last century. Tests were first carried out in 1987 in England. The second stage was a consortium in 1995 dedicated to PON standardization. Developers and the world's largest Internet providers took part in it. Within three years of the consortium, the first optical networks accessible to a wide audience were installed in the United States and Japan. Further, the technology began its rapid development in other countries of the world.

In Russia, the implementation of GPON is now at an early stage. Providers MGTS and Rostelecom are actively participating in this event. The transition to fiber optics after long-term use of copper cable is quite difficult, as it requires significant costs for laying new lines and purchasing compatible equipment. Nevertheless, Rostelecom is ready to offer GPON connections not only in large cities, but also in some private sectors outside them.

The GPON connection diagram from Rostelecom is quite simple. The provider supplies optical fiber to each of the houses, and then, using a switch, the cable is divided and sent to compatible user equipment. In the apartment itself, the signal is converted by a special router, which has an input for fiber optics. Such equipment is quite expensive, so users often rent it from a provider.

Important: Before setting up GPON from Rostelecom for your own equipment on your home network, you need to connect the Internet operator cable and one computer via the LAN connector. After this, you can log into the device’s web interface.

Setting up equipment for GPON from Rostelecom

Suitable equipment for GPON connection can be rented directly from Rostelecom. If this option suits you, the provider will personally configure the network devices in your home. In cases where equipment is purchased separately, setup costs will not be included in the initial connection. Therefore, you will need to enter the Internet settings on the router yourself.

To successfully create a fiber optic network, you should pay special attention to the selection of equipment. The first thing to consider is the functionality of the router. If you need, in addition to the Internet, to also be able to connect IPTV and telephony, it is recommended to purchase a terminal. In other cases, it will be enough to have a simple fiber optic router.

One of the optimal terminal models that can be rented or purchased from Rostelecom is the G PON ONT RFT620. In addition to four LAN ports for connecting computers to the Internet and a built-in Wi-Fi module, such a device will allow you to take advantage of all the advantages of IP and classic telephony.

Having connected the GPON cable from Rostelecom and the computer via the LAN connector, you need to turn on the equipment and go into its settings. To do this, you will need to open any browser and write the IP terminal in the address bar. GPON ONT RFT620 from Rostelecom uses the IP address 192.168.1.254 to enter the default settings. Before logging into the device software, you will need to enter a login and password, which have the values ​​user/user. After this, you will be taken to the firmware home page. The Internet settings on this model are already predefined by the provider and do not need to be changed.

By default, the equipment does not have a wireless connection, which will need to be activated manually. Wi-Fi on a router from Rostelecom, model GPON ONT RFT620, can be enabled in the “Wireless Network” menu. Before activation, it is recommended to pay special attention to the security settings that will help protect the network from unauthorized access.

GPON technology is a new step in the evolution of broadband Internet connectivity. Thanks to the high speed and stability of the network, users have virtually unlimited opportunities for working and relaxing at the computer.

Internet over copper is slowly becoming a thing of the past. PON technology has many advantages over regular xDSL Internet. Using an ONT terminal at home imposes certain obligations regarding its maintenance and upkeep. The optical cable itself is very reliable and does not require special operating conditions. The weak point, as practice shows, is the final equipment of the Optical Unit Network, as well as the subscriber's optical socket.

Optics aren't just used in the last mile. In the Komi branch, unfortunately, the breakdown of main communication channels is not uncommon. The problem is complicated by the fact that fiber-optic lines are severed, as a rule, far from populated areas, which makes it difficult to diagnose and troubleshoot problems. In the winter of 2013, a fiber-optic line was broken 150 km from the city of Inta, and the Republic was left without one 10-Gbit channel. The brigade departed at 18:00 at -25 degrees below zero. You can imagine the difficulty of splicing fiber optics on site when the process is already not simple. The operation of the stripper knife and welding machine was completed closer to midnight - an insert more than 10 meters long was made.

This is what a welder from the most famous and reliable company Fujikura looks like

As for the last mile, the rules are extremely simple. Avoid getting dust and dirt on the ONT (and especially the connector), and avoid bending the cables and preventing them from being damaged by pets (in practice this happens all the time). Now let's look at errors that can be caused by incorrect operation of the terminal:

1. Loss of optical signal

Alarm Description: The OLT cannot receive expected optical signals from the ONT in four consecutive frames.
Occur Reason: The fiber is broken. The quality of the optical path is poor. The ONT hardware fails
Suggestions: Check tributary optical fiber connection and backbone optical fiber orderly, clean the
fiber connector and replace the fiber if necessary.
Ensure that the optical attenuation of the optical path is normal. Reset the ONT or replace the ONT.

There can be two reasons - either problems with the power supply (but there is an option that the ONT is simply turned off, then an additional error will be displayed next to it), or a complete absence of an optical signal. Everything will have to be checked. The terminal itself, optics, subscriber socket, connector.

2. Errors from the LAN port

Alarm Description For a period of time, the number of frames on the MAC bridge port that are discarded
because the size exceeds the MTU exceeds the threshold Packet loss occurs
Occur Reason: The alarm threshold is not properly set. The ONT is faulty

There are errors coming from a specific LAN port. Check the twisted pair for breakage, the connector for correct crimping, etc.

3. Packets are being lost

Alarm Description: For a period of time, the number of fragments received by the port exceeds the threshold Packet loss
Occur Reason: The alarm threshold is not properly set. The ONT is faulty. The fiber connection is abnormal
Suggestions: Check and ensure that the fiber connection is normal and reset the ONT manually. Run the gpon alarm profile modify command to modify the alarm threshold in the alarm profile to a proper one

About the same as in the first point, with the only difference that the performance is maintained, but the number of lost packets exceeds the permissible limit. There may be a slight bend or twist in the optical cable. Dirty connector or connector.

EchoLife HG8242 is an indoor optical network terminal (ONT) in Huawei's FTTH (fiber to the home) solution. Thanks to the use of GPON technology, ultra-broadband access is provided for home users and small offices (SOHO). The HG8242 is equipped with two POTS ports, four self-adaptive GE/FE Ethernet ports and one CATV port. The HG8242 features high-performance forwarding capabilities to provide an enhanced experience with VoIP, Internet and HD video services. Thus, the HG8242 guarantees an optimal terminal solution and future-proof services supporting FTTH deployments.

EchoLife HG8240 is an indoor optical network terminal (ONT) in Huawei's FTTH (fiber to the home) solution. Thanks to the use of GPON technology, ultra-broadband access is provided for home users and small offices (SOHO). The HG8240 is equipped with two POTS ports and four self-adaptive GE/FE Ethernet ports. The HG8240 features high-performance routing capabilities to provide an enhanced experience with VoIP, Internet and HD video services. Thus, the HG8240 guarantees an optimal terminal solution and future-proof services supporting FTTH deployments.

The HG8245 EchoLife is Huawei's high-end FTTH (fiber to the home) optical network terminal (ONT) home gateway solution. Thanks to the use of GPON technology, ultra-broadband access is provided for home users and small offices (SOHO). The HG8245 is equipped with two POTS ports, four self-adaptive GE/FE Ethernet ports and one Wi-Fi port. The HG8245 features high-performance packet forwarding capabilities to provide enhanced performance with VoIP, Internet and HD video services. Thus, the HG8245 guarantees an optimal terminal solution and future-proof services supporting FTTH deployments.

The HG8447 EchoLife is an optical network terminal (ONT) home gateway for Huawei's high-end FTTH (fiber to the home) solution. Thanks to the use of GPON technology, ultra-broadband access is provided for home users and small offices (SOHO). The HG8447 is equipped with four POTS ports, four self-adaptive GE/FE Ethernet ports, one CATV port and one Wi-Fi port. The HG8447 features high-performance packet forwarding capabilities to provide enhanced performance with VoIP, Internet and HD video services. Thus, the HG8447 guarantees an optimal terminal solution and future-proof services supporting FTTH deployments.

HG8247 EchoLife is Huawei's high-end FTTH (fiber to the home) optical network terminal (ONT). Thanks to the use of GPON technology, ultra-broadband access is provided for home users and small offices (SOHO). The HG8247 is equipped with two POTS telephone ports, four self-adaptive GE/FE Ethernet ports, one CATV port and one Wi-Fi port. The HG8247 features high-performance packet forwarding capabilities to provide enhanced performance with VoIP, Internet and HD video services. Thus, the HG8247 guarantees an optimal terminal solution and future-proof services supporting FTTH deployments.

EchoLife HG8110 is an indoor optical network terminal (ONT) in Huawei's FTTH (fiber to the home) solution. Thanks to the use of GPON technology, ultra-broadband access is provided for home users and small offices (SOHO). The HG8010 provides one GE/FE adaptive Ethernet port with high-performance forwarding capabilities to provide an enhanced experience with VoIP, Internet and HD video services. Thus, the HG8110 guarantees an optimal terminal solution and future-proof services supporting FTTH deployments.

EchoLife HG8010 is an indoor optical network terminal (ONT) in Huawei's FTTH (fiber to the home) solution. Thanks to the use of GPON technology, ultra-broadband access is provided for home users and small offices (SOHO). The HG8010 provides one GE/FE adaptive Ethernet port and features high-performance routing capabilities to provide an enhanced experience with VoIP, Internet and HD video services. Thus, the HG8010 guarantees an optimal terminal solution and future-proof services supporting FTTH deployments.