Technology
How does fiber optic internet work?
Fiber optic internet works by sending data as pulses of light through thin glass strands. Because light travels incredibly fast and the signal barely fades, fiber carries huge amounts of data over long distances far quicker than copper wires.
See it in motion.
Watch a 2-minute animated lesson that shows exactly how fiber optics works.
Step by step
- 1Data is encoded as rapid pulses of light.
- 2The light travels through hair-thin glass fibers.
- 3It reflects along the fiber with almost no signal loss.
- 4This allows very high speeds over long distances.
Frequently asked questions
- How does fiber optic internet send data?
- It converts data into pulses of light that travel through thin glass fibers at extraordinary speed.
- Why is fiber faster than copper?
- Light carries far more data with less signal loss than electrical signals in copper wires.
- How does light stay inside the fiber?
- It bounces along the inside through 'total internal reflection', barely leaking out over long distances.