Application · campus
Campus Fibre Network
A campus has several buildings, a mix of services and a long cable route. A GPON/EPON backbone with 1:32/1:64 splitters, PoE at the building cabinet and PoF at the no-mains edge gives one managed network instead of separate CCTV, Wi-Fi and access-control silos.
Updated October 24, 2026
- Copper limit
- 100 m
- PoF limit
- 200 m
- PoF power
- 12 W / port
- PON reach
- 20 km
The engineering problem
Why the obvious answer fails.
The endpoint is small; the distance, the power and the environment are not. Three paragraphs explain where the design usually breaks.
Campus networks grow by addition: a CCTV switch here, a Wi-Fi controller there, a separate access-control network, a fibre pair for each system. The result is duplicated cable routes, multiple management systems and no single view of the optical budget.
Distance is the second issue. Buildings are 200 m to 2 km apart, and the devices inside them are up to 100 m from the building cabinet. A single technology cannot cover both ends of that range economically: copper stops at 100 m, and a home-run fibre to every camera is expensive.
A layered design works better: a PON backbone between buildings, a PoE switch in each building for the copper edge, and PoF for the handful of endpoints without mains. One OLT, one VLAN plan and one management path cover CCTV, Wi-Fi, access control and tenant data.
Path comparison
Four paths, one decision.
The correct path is the one that matches the endpoint power, the distance and the presence of mains. Do not compare only on cable price.
| Path | Reach | Power at the endpoint | Mains at endpoint | Best for | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper PoE | 100 m channel | 15.4 / 30 W at the source (af / at) | Required for the switch | Devices within 100 m of a powered cabinet | Cable loss, surge path, no reach beyond 100 m |
| PoE extender | 200 – 500 m with hops | Reduced at each hop | Required at every extender | Retrofit where a mid-point has power | Another powered box outdoors; still copper |
| Power over Fiber | Up to 200 m per port | Up to 12 W per port | Not required | Ceiling APs, pole cameras, readers, sensors | 12 W per port, hybrid cable, 200 m limit |
| Fibre + local PoE switch | 20 km PON backhaul | Local switch budget | Required at the local cabinet | Cabinets, buildings, dense clusters | Needs a powered cabinet and a switch |
The correct path is the one that matches the endpoint power, the distance and the presence of mains. Do not compare only on cable price.
Design approach
How we lay it out.
Layer the network
Core/OLT in the headend building; fibre to each building; a PoE switch in each building; PoF only for ceiling or pole endpoints without mains. Each layer has one job.
Plan the optical budget per building
Use 1:32 or 1:64 splitters at the headend or in a building box. Keep a 3 dB ageing margin and calculate the worst-case path, not the average.
One VLAN and management plan
Separate CCTV, guest Wi-Fi, access control and tenant data on VLANs; use IGMP snooping for video; manage OLT, ONUs and switches from one system.
Bill of materials
A starting BOM.
Quantities follow the endpoint count and the number of cabinets. Adjust after the site survey.
| Item | Specification | Quantity basis |
|---|---|---|
| OLT | GPON/EPON, 8–32 PON ports | 1 per campus headend |
| PLC splitter | 1:32 / 1:64, SC/UPC | 1 per building or fibre route |
| Building PoE switch | 24/48 ports, 10G uplink | 1 per building floor group |
| PoF splitter | 8 outputs, 12 W | 1 per no-mains cluster |
| Hybrid PoF cable | 20/50 m | 1 per PoF endpoint |
| ONU / ONT | Wi-Fi 6 or 1-GE bridge | 1 per room/device group |
For a 6-building campus, one 16-PON OLT and six building switches is a typical starting architecture. Confirm the fibre route and split ratio.
Numbers to check
The design rules.
| Design rule | Value to confirm |
|---|---|
| PON reach | 20 km |
| Split ratio | 1:32 typical, 1:64 dense |
| Copper edge | 100 m |
| PoF edge | 200 m, 12 W |
| Ageing margin | 3 dB |
| Uplink | 10G per building switch |
Recommended equipment
What this design usually uses.
PON access · OLT
GPON OLT
From a 1-PON gateway to a 112-PON headend.
GPON OLT platforms for FTTH, campus and hotel access: 2.5 Gbps downstream and 1.25 Gbps upstream, 1:64 split per PON port and 20 km reach on Class B+ optics. Configurations run from a compact 1-PON gateway with built-in AC to a chassis with up to 112 PON ports.
- Line rate
- 2.5 Gbps ↓ / 1.25 Gbps ↑
- Max split
- 1:64 per PON port
- Reach
- 20 km, Class B+
- PON ports
- 1 – 112
Best for FTTH Access Network · Campus Fibre Network · Outdoor Wireless Coverage
View specifications
PON access · ONU / ONT
GPON / XPON ONU & ONT
From a 1-GE bridge to a 4-GE Wi-Fi 6 gateway.
XPON ONU and ONT options for FTTH, hotel rooms, offices and outdoor cabinets: 1, 2 or 4 GE ports, Wi-Fi 4/5/6, CATV and POTS options, and 10G PON models. All units are SC single-mode, 20 km, EPON/GPON dual-mode where the model supports it.
- PON
- XPON, EPON/GPON
- User ports
- 1 – 4 × GE
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi 4 / 5 / 6
- Reach
- 20 km
Best for FTTH Access Network · Campus Fibre Network · Outdoor Wireless Coverage
View specifications
PoE switching · managed & unmanaged
PoE Switches
8 to 48 PoE ports, with 10G and 100G uplinks.
PoE switch families from compact 4–8 port units to 48-port Layer 3 switches with 100G uplinks. IEEE 802.3af/at power, VLAN and IGMP isolation, and a 100 m copper limit that decides where the fibre has to take over.
- Ports
- 4 – 48 × GE PoE
- Uplinks
- GE / 10G / 100G
- Power
- 802.3af / at
- Distance
- 100 m copper
Best for CCTV & Surveillance Power · Parking Lot Camera System · Perimeter Security Power
View specifications
Power over Fiber · access
PoF Switch & PoF ONU
One hybrid cable to the ceiling: data and 12 W.
A Power-over-Fiber access set: an optical gateway, an 8-output PoF power splitter, hybrid PoF cable and a ceiling Wi-Fi 6 ONU. Each output delivers up to 12 W to 200 m, so ceiling APs and cameras run without a local mains socket.
- Power per port
- Up to 12 W
- Reach
- Up to 200 m
- Outputs
- 8 + 1 cascade
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi 6 AX3000
Best for Outdoor Wireless Coverage · Campus Fibre Network · Parking Lot Camera System
View specificationsApplication FAQ
Campus Fibre Network: site questions.
If your question is not here, send the site details and we will answer with the calculation, not a brochure.
Ask an engineerShould I use GPON or EPON for a campus?
Either works. GPON gives 2.5G/1.25G and is common for ISP handover; EPON gives symmetric 1.25G and is often cheaper. Choose based on the ONU stock, the existing headend and the bandwidth per building.
How many buildings can one OLT serve?
An 8-PON OLT can serve eight fibre routes, each with a 1:32/1:64 split. The number of buildings depends on the splitter plan and the distance, not on the port count alone.
Do I need a switch in every building?
Yes for copper endpoints. The OLT terminates the PON; a building PoE switch provides the 100 m copper edge for cameras, APs and access control. PoF is only for endpoints without mains.
How do I separate tenant and CCTV traffic?
Use VLANs end to end, with QinQ if tenants need their own VLAN ranges. Apply QoS so CCTV does not starve tenant data, and keep the CCTV recorder on a dedicated VLAN.
Can the campus network share one fibre route?
Yes. A single ODN can carry multiple services with WDM and VLANs, provided the optical budget and the split ratio are planned for the worst-case path.
What about a building more than 20 km away?
Beyond the PON reach, use a point-to-point fibre link or an EDFA/1550 nm transport for the backbone, then a local OLT or switch at the remote site.
Next step
Planning Campus Fibre Network?
Send the device list, the longest run, the mains condition and the country. We return the path, the BOM and the budget assumptions.
No obligation. The plan states its assumptions so your engineer can check it.