What Are Optical Transceivers?

In simplified terms, an optical transceiver is a single hardware component that acts as both a transmitter and a receiver of data. They are small yet powerful devices that are crucial for data exchanges.

Optical transceivers will transmit and receive data through the use of fiber optic technology. Data is sent with fiber optic technology incredibly fast and usually over incredible distances, which is why an optical transceiver is needed. Additionally, these devices are required when high levels of data traffic need to be transmitted and received over specific networks.

The data is received through pulses of light. Optical transceivers convert electrical signals found in this data into light signals and vice versa from a router or switch into an optical signal. This signal can then be transmitted or received.

Optical transceivers are multifunctional as they can either be plugged into or embedded into a network device. There is one prerequisite; however, that is needed for them to work. When they are plugged in or embedded into a network device, it needs to be able to send and receive signals.