Although the data center is developing in the direction of high speed, in most application scenarios, such as many schools, units and companies' computer rooms are still based on 10G Ethernet network system, so 10G optical modules still have high demand. As the optical module of 10G data transmission, 10G SFP + optical module and 10G XFP optical module are the mainstream, so ETU-Link will explain 10G SFP+ / XFP dual fiber long-distance transmission optical module solution.

Ⅰ. What Are 10G 80KM XFP And SFP+ Optical Modules?

10G optical module:

10G XFP optical module adopts hot pluggable XFP package, with a transmission distance of up to 80km using a dual LC connector, supporting 9.95Gbps to 11.1Gbps bit rate, support DDM digital diagnosis function, and XFP MSA protocol.

10G SFP+ optical module adopts hot pluggable SFP+ package, and the transmission distance can reach up to 80km by using double LC connector. It has extremely low electromagnetic immunity and excellent electrostatic protection. Support DDM digital diagnosis function and follow the protocol of SFP+ MSA.

Both 80KM ZR‑grade modules adopt 1550 nm EML external‑modulated laser + high‑sensitivity APD receiver chip, working on OS2 G.652 single‑mode fiber.
XFP is the older large‑form‑factor 10G package for legacy transmission routers;
SFP+ features compact size for high‑density line‑cards.
Both modules support multi‑rate working for 10G Ethernet, SONET/OC‑192 and SDH/STM‑64 services, DDM/DOM allows real‑time reading of Tx/Rx optical power, temperature and laser bias current from switch CLI.

Ⅱ. 10G XFP 80KM Optical Module Point‑to‑Point Connection Solution

1) 10G XFP 80KM optical module connection solution:

Deployment notes:
XFP slots are only compatible with XFP package; cannot insert SFP+ module directly.
Use OS2 single‑mode duplex LC fiber; multimode fiber will cause complete link failure.
Before power‑on, inspect LC ferrule end‑faces with fiber microscope to eliminate dust contamination which will bring excessive insertion loss.

Ⅲ. 10G SFP+ 80KM Optical Module Point‑to‑Point Connection Solution

2) 10G SFP+ 80KM optical module connection solution:

Ⅳ. Key Link‑Budget & Fiber Requirements For 80KM 10G ZR Deployment

Nowadays 10G network technology and market are mature. 10G SFP+ / XFP 80km optical module is matched with switch, and then matched with single-mode dual fiber OS2 patch cord to form a long distance 10G transmission solution.

1. Mandatory fiber: OS2 G.652.D single‑mode fiber, 1550 nm window attenuation approx 0.2 dB/km. Do NOT use multimode OM3/OM4 fiber.
2. Link budget calculation: Reserve 3‑5 dB safety margin for connectors, splices and fiber aging; real‑world usable distance may be less than nominal 80 km when many splices exist.
3. Dispersion risk: At 1550 nm long‑distance transmission, chromatic dispersion is the main cause of bit‑error; for links close to 80 km, enable port FEC function if the switch supports it, improving anti‑dispersion performance.
4. Monitoring: Use DDM/DOM commands to check real‑time received

Ⅴ. Typical Application Scenarios For 10G 80KM XFP/SFP+ Modules

1. Metropolitan enterprise inter‑office 10G point‑to‑point private‑line connection;
2. Campus cross‑city branch backbone network;
3. Medium‑size DCI (Data‑Center Interconnect) for park‑to‑park 10G service transmission;
4. Legacy OTN / SDH transmission equipment using XFP ports for upgrade reconstruction;
5. Telecom access‑layer long‑distance 10G Ethernet service bearer.

Ⅵ. ETU‑LINK Supporting Product Portfolio & Compatibility

The above is about the long-distance transmission solution of SFP+ / XFP optical module shared by ETU-Link. Thank you for your support!

Last updated: August 25 2026