OLT TROUBLESHOOTING

ALARM IMPACT POSSIBLE PROCEDURE Remark

CAUSE
The power of the ONT Check electrical power,
When the OLT receives is abnormal or the adaptor/power cord
Dying-gasp DG message from ONUi. ONT is shut down.
(DGI) DGi is asserted.When the
OLT receives a PLOAM
message during ranging
process.
1. The Optical Fiber is 1.Reconnect the optical fiber to
Faulty ensure that the optical fiber
2.The ONT is abnormal correctly and securely
LOFi The data channel cannot 2.clean the optical fiber
(Loss Of Frame transmit data, services of 3.if the optical fiber is
ONUi) the ONT are interrupted aged,bent,or damage replace
the optical fiber
3.reset or replace the ONT
1.the fiber is broken 1.Reconnect the optical fiber to
2.the quality of the ensure that the optical fiber
LOSi/LOBi The OLT fails to receive optical is poor correctly and securely
(Loss Of 3.the ONT is abnormal
valid optical signals from 2.clean the optical fiber
Signal ONUi) the ONT in consecutive 3.if the optical fiber is
frames aged,bent,or damage replace
the optical fiber
3.reset or replace the ONT

1.the laser of the port is 1.check the status of the laser

LOS The feeder fiber is shutdown switch
(Loss Of 2.the backbone optical
broken or OLT can not 2.enable the laser switch of the
Signals) fiber connected to the
receive any expected port is faulty port according to the port ID
optical signals 3.ONT connectedto the 3.check the backbone optical
port is power off or faulty fiber connected to the port
4.the port hardware is 4.check the ONT device
faulty
 1. ONU Frequently Goes Online and Offline – a
Rogue ONU

This topic describes how to troubleshoot the fault of ONU frequent going online and offline.

Fault Description

All ONUs connected to a port in an office frequently go online and offline after a flood.

Alarm Information
Rogue ONU alarm

Possible Cause
l The ONU receive optical power is larger than the overload optical power.

l The ONU receive optical power is smaller than the sensitivity.

l There is abnormal attenuation on ODN lines.

Procedure
Step 1 After communicating with the customer, we learn that there was once a flood some ONUs are
flooded.

Step 2 Analyze the condition. Only certain ONUs are flooded. This should not cause all ONUs to go
offline repeatedly. It is concluded that the optical modules of certain ONUs transmit signals
abnormally because of flood and the ONUs become rogue ONUs.

Step 3 Check optical lines one by one near the optical splitter. It is found that one ONU works in the
continuous mode, as shown in Figure 2.
Step 4 Replace the ONU. System services recover.
Step 5 Such a fault does not recur in the next week.

—-End

Suggestion and Conclusion

In normal conditions, ONU signal transmit timeslots are controlled by the OLT. A rogue ONU is an
ONU that goes out of control of the OLT and works in the continuous mode or irregular mode. You
can locate a rogue ONU manually or locate a rogue ONU by querying alarms generated on the OLT. If
a rogue ONU is detected, replace it in time.

2. ONU Frequently Goes Online and Offline –

Unmatched Optical Fiber Connectors
This topic describes how to troubleshoot the fault when the deployed ONT frequently goes online

and offline because the optical fiber connectors do not match.

Fault Description
When an ONT is installed in the deployment, the optical path attenuation is -23 dBm, which is within
the normal attenuation range. After the optical fibers are connected, the LED of the PON port blinks.
In addition, the ONT fails to register with the OLT normally, and the ONT goes online and offline
frequently.

Alarm Information
The up and down alarms about the ONT (OT928) are generated on the OLT.

Cause Analysis

l The optical path attenuation is very large.

l The optical fiber connectors are not clean or not connected properly.

Procedure
Step 1 Use an optical power meter to measure the optical path attenuation. It is found that the
optical path attenuation is -23 dBm, which is within the normal range of the optical path
attenuation.

Step 2 It is suspected that the poor quality of optical signals is caused by the dirty optical fiber
connectors of the ONT (OT928). Clean the optical fiber connectors, and remove and then insert the
optical fiber connectors again. The fault, however, persists.
Step 3 Replace the ONT with another ONT (OT928) to conduct a test. The fault, however, persists,
which indicates that the hardware of the ONT (OT928) is normal.

Step 4 Check the fiber patch cord of the ONT (OT928). It is found that the connector of the fiber
patch cord does not match the optical fiber connector of the ONT. Though the connector of the fiber
patch cord is square, the color is different. After verification, the optical fiber connectors used in the
ONT (OT928) are green, square, and SC/APC.

NOTE
The BOM is 14130252, and the name is Patch Cord, SC/APC-FC/PC, Singlemode-G.652, 3mm, 3m.

Step 5 Replace the fiber patch cord with a correct fiber patch cord (SC/APC-FC/PC). As a result, the
LED of the PON port is stable, and the ONT can register with the OLT normally.
—-End

Suggestion and Conclusion

Currently, the type of the fiber patch cord used in the ONT (OT928) is seldom used in China, but is
mostly used abroad. Therefore, note that you should use the correct fiber patch cord.

The greatest difference between green and blue fiber patch cords is as follows: The

interconnection section between the fiber patch cord with green connectors and the OT928 is
oblique. The interconnection section between the fiber patch cord with blue connectors and the
ONT is plane, which can result in 3-6 dBm optical attenuation.

3. ONU Frequently Goes Online and Offline–

Mismatching Fiber Connector

Fault Description
Network topology: Optical split level: one level; split ratio: 1:32; connector: SC/APC connector. In an
office, an ONU frequently goes online and offline.

Alarm Information

LOSi alarm and LOFi alarm

Possible Cause

l The ONU receive optical power is larger than the overload optical power.

l The ONU receive optical power is smaller than the sensitivity.

l There is abnormal attenuation on ODN lines.

Procedure

Step 1 Test the receive optical power on ONU optical ports. It is found that the receive optical power
is -27 dBm. This indicates that there is abnormal attenuation on ODN lines.

Step 2 Perform a test on the optical splitter. It is found that the connector of the optical splitter is an
SC/APC connector but that of the ONU fiber is an SC/PC connector. When an APC-endface fiber is
connected to a PC-endface fiber, at least 3 dB attenuation will be generated, as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 Interconnection of PC and APC connectors

Step 3 Remove the SC/PC fiber (blue) and splice it to an SC/APC fiber (green). Test the ONU receive
optical power again. It is found that the receive optical power becomes -23.5 dBm, which is within
the normal range. This indicates that the mismatching fiber connector causes abnormal attenuation
on ODN lines and consequently causes the ONU to go online and offline frequently.

Step 4 Such a fault does not recur in the next week.

—-End

Suggestion and Conclusion

It is recommended that you connect an SC/PC connector to an SC/PC connector (or an SC/APC
connector to an SC/APC connector). The biggest difference between an SC/PC connector and an
SC/APC connector lies in that the endface of an SC/PC connector is a plane but the endface of an
SC/APC connector is a slop. If an SC/PC connector is connected to an SC/APC connector, at least 3 dB
attenuation will be generated.

4. ONU Frequently Goes Online and Offline – a

Too Small Fiber Bend Radius
This topic describes how to troubleshoot the fault of ONU frequent going online and offline.

Fault Description

Network topology: Optical split level: one level; split ratio: 1:32; backbone fiber: 8.6 km long; branch
fiber: 1.5 km long. In an office, an ONU frequently goes online and offline.
Alarm Information

LOSi alarm and LOFi alarm

Possible Cause
l The ONU receive optical power is larger than the overload optical power.

l The ONU receive optical power is smaller than the sensitivity.

l There is abnormal attenuation on ODN lines.

Procedure
Step 1 Test the receive optical power on ONU optical ports. It is found that the receive optical power
is only -28 dBm. This indicates that there is abnormal attenuation on ODN lines.

Step 2 Check field conditions. It is found that fibers are placed disorderly, the fiber bend radius is too
small and the fiber is almost broken, as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 Too small fiber bend radius

Step 3 Replace the fiber and test the ONU receive optical power again. -18 dBm optical power is
obtained and services recover. This indicates that the too small fiber bend radius causes abnormal
attenuation on ODN lines and consequently causes the ONU to go online and offline frequently.
Step 4 Such a fault does not recur in the next week.

—-End
Suggestion and Conclusion

Make sure that the fiber bend diameter is larger than 8 cm when bending a fiber.
 5. ONU Frequently Goes Online and Offline – a
Too Large Split Ratio

Fault Description
Network topology: Originally, the system uses one-level optical split and the split ratio is 1:8. Later,
the customer connects a 1:16 optical splitter to the 1:8 optical splitter. The three ONUs are
connected to the 1:16 optical splitter.

During deployment in an office, three ONUs frequently go online and offline.

Alarm Information

None

Possible Cause

l The ONU receive optical power is larger than the overload optical power.

l The ONU receive optical power is smaller than the sensitivity.

l There is abnormal attenuation on ODN lines.

Procedure

Step 1 Test the ONU receive optical power. It is found that the receive optical power of the three
ONUs is approaching the sensitivity.
Step 2 Analyze the total split ratio of the three ONUs. It is found that the total split ratio is 1: (16 x 8)
= 1:128, which is too large and therefore causing too large attenuation, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Too large split ratio

Step 3 Change the 1:16 optical splitter to a 1:4 one. Then, the fault is rectified.

Step 4 Such a fault does not recur in the next week.

—-End

Suggestion and Conclusion

Bit errors will occur on an ONU if the ONU receive optical power is approaching the sensitivity and
even the ONU may go offline. Reserve a 3 dBm attenuation margin in ODN planning.
NOTE
The specifications of the optical path attenuation are as follows (the following are theoretical values
and the actual values vary with the environment):
l The optical attenuation on the ONU GPON port should be within the range of 15 dBm to 25 dBm.
l The attenuation on an optical fiber is about 0.3 dB per kilometer.
l The attenuation for an optical splitter is as follows:
l 1:2 optical splitter: 3 dBm
l 1:4 optical splitter: 6 dBm
l 1:8 optical splitter: 9 dBm
l 1:16 optical splitter: 12 dBm
l 1:32 optical splitter: 15 dBm
l 1:64 optical splitter: 18 dBm