Free tool
Fiber Loss Budget Calculator
Work out the total optical loss on a fiber link from cable length, splices, connectors and splitters, then compare it against your power budget.
How the figure is worked out
Total loss is the cable attenuation across the full length, plus every splice, plus every connector pair, plus the splitter if the link is a PON. The safety margin covers ageing, future repairs and a splice or two added later, so the link still works in five years rather than only on the day it was installed.
The link passes when total loss plus margin stays inside the power budget of the optics at each end. The defaults shown are typical values: 0.22 dB/km at 1550 nm, 0.35 dB/km at 1310 nm, 0.1 dB per fusion splice and 0.5 dB per connector pair. Use the real figures from your own datasheets and OTDR results where you have them.
This is a planning estimate. The number that matters on site is the one measured with a light source, power meter and OTDR after the link is built, which is what we document on every fiber job.