Color of Indoor Multimode Optical Cable

Indoor multimode fiber cables are color-coded to indicate their type: OM1 and OM2 are orange, OM3 and OM4 are aqua (sometimes violet for OM4), and OM5 is lime green.Standard Indoor Multimode Fiber ColorsOM1 (62.5/125 µm): Typically has an orange jacket and is considered legacy fiber, suitable for lower-speed applications like 100 Mb/s Ethernet over short distances (up to 33 meters) .OM2 (50/125 µm): Also uses an orange jacket, supports up to 10 Gb/s Ethernet over short distances (up to 82 meters), and is largely considered legacy .OM3 (50/125 µm, laser-optimized): Uses an aqua jacket, designed for high-speed networks (10, 40, 100 Gb/s) over short distances, typically up to 300 meters at 10 Gb/s .OM4 (50/125 µm, laser-optimized): Usually aqua, but some manufacturers use Erika violet to differentiate higher bandwidth performance (up to 400 meters at 10 Gb/s) .OM5 (50/125 µm, wideband multimode): Uses a lime green jacket, designed for Shortwave Wavelength Division Multiplexing (SWDM) to support multiple wavelengths on a single fiber, enabling 100 Gb/s and beyond .Single-Mode Fiber for ComparisonOS1/OS2: Always yellow, used for indoor (OS1) or outdoor/long-haul (OS2) applications .Notes on Indoor ApplicationsIndoor multimode cables are often tight-buffered and color-coded according to ANSI/TIA-598-D standards for easy identification .While OM3 and OM4 both use aqua, the printed markings on the cable are important to confirm the exact type, especially when violet is used for OM4 .OM5 is backward compatible with OM4 but is specifically optimized for SWDM applications, making its lime green color a clear visual indicator for future-proof installations .SummaryFor indoor multimode fiber installations, the color of the cable jacket provides a quick visual cue for the fiber type and its performance capabilities: orange for OM1/OM2, aqua (or violet) for OM3/OM4, and lime green for OM5. Always verify the printed markings to ensure correct fiber selection for your network requirements.