Active Optical Cables

Frequently Asked Questions

• General FAQs
  • Where can I buy these cables?

    Corning will not sell direct to the end-customer. These cables will be sold through select consumer electronic retail stores (both brick and mortar and online). Contact us for more information.

  • You announced USB and Thunderbolt™ versions - will you create more protocols?

    With state-of-the-art copper connectivity at its limits and new consumer applications driving consumer bandwidth demands to 10+ Gb/s, consumers are demanding innovative footprints and smaller cables. Optical fiber connectivity solutions are able to address these demands and move both the Thunderbolt and USB specs into the future. We are assessing the viability of providing the market with solutions for other protocols in the future.

  • What is that symbol on the Connector?

    That is the Mark of Excellence. It symbolizes Quality Optical.

  • Do Optical Cables by Corning require external power?

    Optical Cables by Corning are powered directly from the host and peripheral devices. No external power adapter or injector is needed. NOTE: Optical Cables by Corning do not provide or transmit power to devices.

  • How do I know if the cable is working?

    As with any electrical cable, simply transferring a file is an easy way to verify operation. Additionally, Optical Cables by Corning provide ‘handshake’ (enumeration) data to devices with which it is connected. Many devices will display a ‘pop-up’ window acknowledging successful connection.

  • I can’t seem to get things working. Do I need to load special drivers or software?

    No additional software or drivers are needed. Here are a few things to check:

    Determine which technology your computer and device support, either: Thunderbolt™ technology; or USB technology, compliant with USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 standard

    Ensure that your peripheral device is self-powered. Optical Cables by Corning are for use only with self-powered peripheral devices.

    Choose the Optical Cable by Corning that supports your computer and device technology, either:

    Thunderbolt™ Optical Cable for computers and devices with a Thunderbolt™ port; or

    USB 3.Optical™ Cable for computers and devices with a USB 3.0 or 2.0 port.

    Insert the Optical Cable by Corning into the appropriately marked ports on your computer and device. The device should turn on automatically when it receives a signal from the computer. If not, please make sure the device is connected to an appropriate power supply.

    When disconnecting the Optical Cable by Corning, remember to eject the device on your computer before disconnecting the cable.

  • What special care do I need to take to make sure the Optical Cables by Corning don’t break?

    Treat your Optical Cables by Corning as you would any high-performance copper cable, i.e. minimizing extreme bending and heavy weights where possible. The Optical Cables by Corning are constructed with rugged Corning® ClearCurve® VSDN® optical fiber and a specially engineered cable design to make it as durable as its copper counterparts.

  • My Optical Cable by Corning was cut in two pieces. Is there any way to field repair?

    Unfortunately, no. Optical Cables by Corning consist of glass fiber optics and cannot be spliced or soldered together like copper cable.

  • The connector on my Optical Cable by Corning got wet. What can I do?

    Unfortunately the connector more than likely is damaged beyond repair. Allowing it to air dry for many days may allow the assembly to work again, but could cause potential damage to the peripheral device. Discard the Optical Cable by Corning in an environmentally friendly fashion and replace.

  • I accidentally shut my AOC cable in the file cabinet drawer and it no longer works. Is there anything I can do to fix it? The Optical Cable by Corning gets tangled easily when uncoiling from the package. Is there a special way to coil this cable for transport? Will dust affect the performance of my Optical Cables by Corning?

    The Optical Cables by Corning cable assembly is designed to be durable and rugged. There are some instances that sharp bends along with extreme force could cause cable damage. There are no user repairable components in the cable or connector. Discard the Optical Cables by Corning in an environmentally friendly fashion and replace.

  • The Optical Cable by Corning gets tangled easily when uncoiling from the package. Is there a special way to coil this cable for transport?

    Optical Cables by Corning are designed to be extremely durable. When unpacking, carefully uncoil with minimal force and straighten the entire length if possible. The assembly can then be easily coiled for storage and shipping. If your Optical Cable by Corning came on a plastic reel, you can save it for future use.

  • Will dust affect the performance of my Optical Cables by Corning?

    The Optical Cables by Corning connector is engineered to perform optimally in the conditions experienced in consumer electronics, and dusty environments will not affect performance.