StarTech.com Gigabit Ethernet Copper-to-Fiber Media Converter - SM LC - 20 km - Ethernet Media Converter - GbE Converter

The StarTech.com ET91000SM20 is a Gigabit Ethernet copper-to-fiber media converter with a preinstalled SFP transceiver, designed to extend a network link up to 20 km over single-mode LC fiber. It suits businesses and network installers connecting Ethernet devices across long-distance fiber runs.

Recommended For

• IT teams linking a copper Gigabit Ethernet device to a remote building or network area over existing single-mode LC fiber, where an Ethernet cable run would not reach.
• Organizations connecting network equipment across electrically noisy areas, such as factory floors or separate facilities, that want a fiber link between copper Ethernet and a compatible Gigabit fiber endpoint.
• Network administrators adding a fiber uplink for a copper-only Gigabit device, such as a server or network appliance, without replacing that device.
• IT staff who need a standalone converter now and the option to integrate compatible ET91000-series converter modules into StarTech’s separately sold rack chassis later.

Real-World Use Scenarios

• Connecting a detached building to a copper-based LAN: place the converter between a Gigabit Ethernet switch and a single-mode fiber run, then use a compatible fiber port or converter at the far end. This carries the network link between buildings without relying on a long copper run.
• Linking a distant equipment room or building when the existing network gear has no fiber port: connect the converter’s RJ45 side to the copper Ethernet equipment and its LC side to the single-mode fiber. The remote end still needs compatible fiber networking equipment or another suitable converter.
• Extending a Gigabit Ethernet connection across a site where the route is too long for a standard copper Ethernet run: use single-mode LC fiber between compatible endpoints. The converter translates the copper connection to fiber; it does not add network switching or routing.
• Connecting a copper-only switch to a fiber backbone in a campus or multi-building network: use the converter at the copper switch’s uplink and connect it to the matching single-mode fiber path. This lets the existing switch use the fiber link without replacing it with a model that has an SFP port.
• Bridging fiber cabling to an Ethernet device or switch in a remote area: the converter provides a copper RJ45 connection where the fiber run ends, provided the device and far-end fiber equipment support a compatible Gigabit link. The converter itself does not supply PoE, so a remote camera or access point would need separate power.

Spec Summary