2023-12-26 0

What is the difference between routing-type and bridging-type ONTs?

What-is-the-difference-between-routing-type-and-bridging-type-ONTs
What is the ONT(Optical Network Terminal)?

Optical Network Terminals, commonly known as optical modem or optical network unit, refers to network equipment that transmits through optical fiber media and modulates and demodulates optical signals into signals of other protocols. Optical network terminal equipment is used as relay transmission equipment for large-scale local area networks, metropolitan area networks and wide area networks. Unlike fiber optic transceivers, fiber optic transceivers only receive and emit light, and do not involve protocol conversion.

According to the mode, optical network terminals can be divided into bridge mode and routing mode. Bridge mode often does not have a WIFI function, but not all-optical network terminals without WIFI function are bridge mode. Almost all the ones with WIFI functions are in routing mode.

Bridging-type optical network terminal

Bridge mode Literally understood, it is equivalent to a bridge pipeline, only connecting the two. The actual data exchange is the direct interaction between the user and the upper-level computer room server, without going through a third party. The optical cat only plays a role in the mutual conversion of optical signals and electrical signals, and it is a two-layer mode. Typical bridge-type models are Huawei HG8310M, Huawei HG8010H, ZTE ZXHN F601, Nokia G-101.

Layer 2 Mode

The router dials directly to get the IP address of the external network, and the router assigns the address to the terminal Internet access device;

Advantages:
  1. The ONTis not managed by the operator and ISP company, which can protect users’ personal information.
  2. It can maximize the performance of the ONT, and only do the photoelectric signal conversion.
  3. You can purchase a router with better performance by yourself, and the router has many options.
Routing-type optical network terminal

In routing mode, the data arrives at the router first, the router first sends it to the device (optical modem), and then forwards the data to send it out. Data is forwarded and sent through routers and optical network terminal devices, which is a three-layer model. Most of the optical network terminals on the market are in routing mode.

Advantages:
  1. In order to facilitate remote maintenance, remote troubleshooting of faults, and reduce maintenance costs;
  2. Remote upgrade of equipment, push new business and functions;
  3. Device information reporting for data analysis (with built-in plug-ins in the device, device operation information, access device information, surrounding Wi-Fi, etc. will be reported);
Reasons:
  1. If the device is in bridge mode, the optical modem cannot access the Internet, a lot of information cannot be communicated with the operator management platform, and the platform cannot manage the device; it increases maintenance costs;

In order not to affect the performance of the routing mode, it does not change to Layer 3 forwarding; the routers officially launched by the operator all support the bridge mode, (a considerable part of the general market does not support the bridge mode)

In this way, it also belongs to Layer 2 forwarding, without affecting performance, and operators can also remotely manage optical modems and routers.