Panduit FX2ERLNLNSNM006 Opti-Core OM3 LC Duplex Fiber Patch Cord
The Panduit FX2ERLNLNSNM006 is a 6-meter OM3 multimode fiber patch cord engineered for high-density datacenter, telecommunications room, and horizontal fiber deployments. Part of Panduit's Opti-Core product family, this duplex LC-to-LC jumper features 50µm laser-optimized multimode fiber in a compact 1.6mm riser-rated (OFNR) jacket, delivering reliable 10GBASE-SR connectivity with insertion loss performance that meets TIA-568-C.3 and ISO/IEC 11801 standards. The aqua jacket provides instant visual identification of OM3 infrastructure per industry color conventions, and the duplex LC connectors offer field-proven latching reliability in both equipment ports and high-density patch panels.
Key Features
- OM3 50µm laser-optimized multimode fiber supports 10 Gigabit Ethernet to 300 meters and 40/100GbE to 100 meters
- Duplex LC connectors on both ends with standard insertion loss performance for predictable link budgets
- 6-meter (19.68 ft) length handles typical rack-to-rack and intra-rack datacenter patching scenarios
- Aqua 1.6mm jacket meets OFNR (riser) flame rating and provides instant OM3 visual identification
- Exceeds TIA-568-C.3, ISO/IEC 11801, TIA-604-3 (FOCIS-3), and TIA-604-10 (FOCIS-10) connector performance standards
- RoHS compliant and meets EU Directive 2002/95/EC requirements for hazardous substance restrictions
- Opti-Core construction with field-proven mechanical durability for repeated connect/disconnect cycles
OM3 Multimode Performance for 10G and Beyond
OM3 fiber is laser-optimized 50-micron multimode fiber designed specifically for VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) transceivers used in 10GBASE-SR, 40GBASE-SR4, and 100GBASE-SR10 applications. Unlike legacy OM1/OM2 fiber optimized for LED sources, OM3's tighter modal bandwidth specification (2000 MHz·km at 850nm) supports 10 Gigabit Ethernet links to 300 meters and 40/100 Gigabit Ethernet to 100 meters—critical reach for modern datacenter spine-leaf architectures and telecom distribution frames. The FX2ERLNLNSNM006's 50µm core diameter balances coupling efficiency with modal dispersion control, and Panduit's manufacturing process ensures consistent geometry and concentricity to keep insertion loss within the 0.35 dB typical range. At 6 meters, this jumper fits the sweet spot for equipment-area patching: long enough to route cleanly through overhead cable management or under raised floors without excess service loop, short enough to minimize attenuation contribution in loss-budget calculations. Integrators working with 10G SFP+ optics or 40G QSFP+ modules will find this length handles MDA (main distribution area) to HDA (horizontal distribution area) interconnects, top-of-rack switch uplinks, and SAN fabric connections without the slack-management headaches of over-provisioned cables.
Duplex LC Deployment in High-Density Environments
The duplex LC form factor is the de facto standard for enterprise multimode connectivity, offering twice the port density of SC connectors in the same panel footprint. Each connector features a push-pull latch mechanism that locks securely into simplex LC adapters (typically loaded in duplex clips) and provides tactile feedback during insertion—important when patching blind in dense 1U panels or behind equipment. The 1.6mm cable diameter is specifically sized for duplex LC boot compatibility while maintaining flexibility for tight-radius routing around cable managers and through grommets. Panduit's Opti-Core construction uses a tight-buffered fiber design that protects the glass from microbending loss when cables are dressed into vertical managers or wrapped around horizontal rings. Aqua jacketing isn't just cosmetic: in mixed OM1/OM2/OM3/OM4 environments, color coding (orange for OM1/OM2, aqua for OM3, Erika violet for OM4) prevents accidental cross-patching that can cause link budget violations or force transceivers into fallback speed modes. The OFNR (Optical Fiber Nonconductive Riser) flame rating meets NEC Article 770 requirements for vertical cable runs in non-plenum spaces—telecommunications rooms, equipment rooms, and riser pathways between floors—making this cord compliant for the vast majority of intra-building datacenter and telecom installations. For air-handling spaces, you'd spec the plenum-rated equivalent, but riser-rated jumpers cost less and are the right call for enclosed pathways and equipment areas.
Standards Compliance and Deployment Fit
This patch cord meets or exceeds TIA-568-C.3 (the North American structured cabling standard for optical fiber), ISO/IEC 11801 (the international generic cabling standard), TIA-604-3 (FOCIS-3, the SC connector standard often referenced for LC mechanical compatibility), and TIA-604-10 (FOCIS-10, the LC connector standard). Compliance means insertion loss is guaranteed ≤0.5 dB per mated pair, return loss is ≥20 dB, and connector endface geometry (radius of curvature, apex offset, fiber height) falls within the tested performance envelope. Panduit ships these cords with protective dust caps on both ends and packages them to prevent kinking during shipping—critical because a kinked multimode fiber can introduce localized loss that won't show up in OTDR testing but will degrade margin on high-speed links. For integrators building out surveillance networks with fiber uplinks, telecom distribution frames, or enterprise LAN backbones, the FX2ERLNLNSNM006 provides a field-proven interconnect solution with the right balance of reach, density, and standards-backed performance for rack-scale 10G deployments.
