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This section provides an overview for media converters as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 45 media converter manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked media converter companies as of December, 2024: 1.Red Lion, 2.AutomationDirect Inc., 3.Allied Telesis.
Table of Contents
A media converter is a device for connecting a metal cable, which transmits information using electrical signals, and an optical fiber, which transmits information using light as the medium.
A media converter is a device for mutually converting signals in different media, but the media used here are limited to electrical and optical signals. In other words, a media converter is a device that converts electrical signals into optical signals and optical signals into electrical signals, and is also called an optical media converter or MC.
Media converters are used to connect metal cables, which transmit information using electrical signals, and optical fibers, which transmit information using light as the medium. Metal cables that transmit electrical signals are susceptible to electromagnetic noise as well as signal attenuation as the transmission distance increases. Therefore, the transmission distance is limited to about 100 m.
On the other hand, transmission of optical signals by optical fiber is not affected by electromagnetic noise and is less susceptible to signal attenuation, making it ideal for transmission over long distances. However, since the signal medium is different between metal cables, which transmit signals based on voltage changes, and optical fiber, which transmits signals based on light flashes, the signals must be converted to each other in order to connect the two.
Therefore, a network line that takes advantage of the strengths of each cable is constructed by intervening media converters and mutually converting the two types of signals.
Typically, a pair of media converters is installed at both ends of an optical fiber connecting two networks built with metal cables. The first media converter converts the electrical signals of the metal cable to optical signals of the optical fiber. The electrical signal input to the media converter is transmitted to a light emitting device such as a laser diode, and output to the fiber optic cable as an optical signal modulated in response to the signal.
The second media converter converts the sent optical signal into a change in voltage by means of a light-receiving element and restores it to the original electrical signal. This mechanism enables reliable signal transmission over long distances using an optical fiber between the two networks.
Media converters can also be classified into the following two types according to the way packet signals are processed.
This type is characterized by the fact that the transmission speed of the electrical signal side is equal to that of the optical signal side. When the communication speeds are the same, conversion can be performed without delay. In other words, when a media converter receives a packet of electrical signals, it immediately converts it into optical signals and outputs them regardless of their contents.
There is no signal delay time, making this mechanism suitable for applications where transmission speed is critical and signal delays are not tolerated. In addition, any packet can be used regardless of the communication protocol, as it passes through without modification. Even if an error packet exists, it is not discarded. This is effective when monitoring equipment to grasp information on equipment trouble and utilize it for countermeasures.
In the bridge type, the packet signal sent from the transmitting side is once received by the media converter on the transmitting side in a buffer circuit. It then converts them to optical signals and transmits them to the media converter on the receiving side.
Therefore, this type can handle cases where the communication speeds of electrical and optical signals are different, and is also called a switch type. Another feature of this type is that communication can be continued without any problems, even if the communication speed between the connected devices is changed for some reason.
Compared to the repeater type, the transmission delay is larger due to the buffer circuit, and the larger the packet length to be transmitted, the more noticeable the delay becomes. On the other hand, the bridge type can determine and remove error packets as soon as the signal is received in the buffer circuit.
Generally, a dual-core type is used for optical fiber communications. This is a communication method that uses a dedicated optical fiber core for each of the transmitting and receiving sides, which is usually connected using a cable with two cores in one set. Since light always travels in a fixed direction, the structure of the media converter is simple.
On the other hand, there is a single-core type that uses a single optical fiber core to pass light in both directions, i.e., bidirectional communication. This type of media converter is often used in environments where space is limited, such as when many optical fibers need to be passed through. In single-core bidirectional communications, opposing media converters use light sources with different wavelengths, so the light receiving element must also be sensitive to the wavelength of the other side.
In other words, single-core media converters must be equipped with light sources of different transmit wavelengths from each other, and the light-receiving part must be a combination of light-receiving elements with light-receiving elements that match the transmit wavelength of the other side.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Pepperl+Fuchs, Inc. was founded in Mannheim, Germany in 1945 developing the forerunner of the proximity switch. Pepperl+Fuchs continues to develop proximity sensors as well as other industrial sensors including ultrasonic sensors, rotary encoders, positioning systems, display and signal processing, vibration monitoring, industrial communication, and signal processing as well as related accessories and software. Explosive protection products include safety barriers, surge protection, wireless solutions, HMI systems, power supplies, electrical explosion protection equipment, level measurement, and related software.
Amphenol Fiber Systems International, founded in 1993 and based in Allen, Texas, is a manufacturer of fiber optic connectivity products and systems and an Amphenol Military & Aerospace Operations division. Its product portfolio ranges from media converters, termini, and transceivers, and the company is AS9100, ISO 9001, and MIL-STD-790 certified. It has 12 product categories and nine patents and serves industries like military, broadcast, and aerospace. Besides offering training to its customers, the company provides fiber optic engineering assistance, including fiber optic spooling, panel manufacturing, and designing custom precision optical interconnect systems.
Allied Telesis, established in 1987 and headquartered in San Jose, California, USA, serves as a manufacturer and supplier of network equipment and software solutions. Its offerings encompass switches, routers, wireless access points, network adapters, and media converters. Additionally, they provide network management, security software, and solutions for the Internet of Things and smart cities. These products find application in building, managing, and securing networks across sectors like enterprise, education, healthcare, government, and hospitality. The company has received several awards including gold for endpoint security and silver for its wireless solutions in the 2020 IT World Awards.
Red Lion was founded in 1972 and headquartered in York, Pennsylvania as part of Spectris, PLC, headquartered in Egham, England. The company serves manufacturing, oil & gas, alternative energy, transportation, and water industries with products for their industrial automation and industrial networking needs. The company’s industrial automation division creates controllers, secure remote access platforms, panel meters, and process control devices. The industrial networking division offers ethernet devices, IIoT gateways and routers, and communication converters.
Fiber Instrument Sales, Inc., an American company founded in 1985 and headquartered in Oriskany, New York, is a manufacturer and distributor of communication fiber optic products. The company's product portfolio includes AFL fiber optic cleaning tools, fiber optic patch cords, fiber optic cables, test equipment, and other fiber optic products. These products find applications in various industries, including telecommunications, cable television, healthcare, education, and the government and public sector. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified and offers services, including technical support, training, custom manufacturing, sample requests, and product catalogs.
TP-Link Technologies Co., Ltd., founded in 1996 with headquarters in China, is a global manufacturer of computer networking products and accessories. The company's products include consumer and business modems, routers, WiFi devices, smart plugs, smart sensors, and many more. TP-Link products are available through numerous distributors and online stores and are found in homes, businesses, factories, and even large infrastructure projects. The company also offers repairs and troubleshooting services for all of its products.
SF Cable Inc., established in 2002 and based in San Francisco, California, is a wholesale supplier of electronic products like power cables, adapters, and fiber optic products. The company has an inventory of over 8,000 items and accepts purchase orders from organizations such as government agencies, hospitals, and universities. Since it does not accept middlemen, the company offers wholesale prices and additional discounts on volume orders, and all adapters, cables, and non-electronic products come with a lifetime guarantee. The company sources its products from ISO 9001:2000 certified manufacturers and donates 2% of its net profits yearly to a cancer-related non-profit.
Advanced Torque Products LLC, founded in Newington, CT, is a supplier of digital torque multipliers. The company's product portfolio includes Digital Torque Multipliers, Lifting Devices, Angle Verification, Click Wrenches and Ultrasonic boxes. The company also provides services such as calibration, machining, engineering services, repair services and customer and technical support. The company's products are used in markets such as automotive and transportation, telecommunications, industrial automation, healthcare and medical devices, and aerospace and defense.
Tripp Lite, since 1911, is a manufacturer of power, cables & connectivity, racks & cooling, networking & KVMS, and infrastructure products. Located in Nairobi, Kenya, the company offers product support by offering extended warranties & onsite services, adding or replacing UPS batteries, UPS & battering recycling, and return services. The power products produced by the company include USB power banks, power distribution units, surge protectors, power strips, and charging stations. Rack & cooling products include server racks & cabinets, environmental sensors, and IT storage and shipping containers. These items are used in data centers, IT antimicrobial, industrial, and retail industries.
Antaira Technologies LLC, founded in 2005 and headquartered in California, United States, is a manufacturer of industrial networking and communication product solutions. The company specializes in the production of Ethernet infrastructure equipment and devices with extended temperature tolerance and rugged enclosure designs. Its products include rugged wireless access points, IoT gateways, and industrial serial communication devices. With the establishment of Antaira Technologies in Taiwan and Poland, the company serves automation, transportation, and medical industries worldwide.
D‑Link Corporation, founded in 1986 and headquartered in Taipei City, Taiwan, is a manufacturer of brand networking products that also provides related services. Its portfolio includes wireless LAN products, digital home appliances, and switches. It also sells cloud application product solutions and has won several foreign and local awards, including iF Design, Red Dot Design, and IoT Breakthrough awards. The company has ISO certifications like ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001, and it is traded on Bloomberg, Reuters, and Taiwan Stock Exchange. It has 90 operating and sales locations in 43 countries worldwide, and its paid-in capital is NT$6 billion.
Lumen was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Zielona Góra, Poland. The company is a manufacturer of industrial automation devices including transducers, network parameter analyzers, and analogy meters, primarily serving water & gas utilities, solar energy production, electronics, and manufacturing. The company’s product categories consist of network parameter meters and analyzers, digital and analog meters, current transformers, and shunts. The company offers customers OEM, EMS, and ODM services in the scope of housing, designing, electronics, mechanics, hardware, and software.
CONTEC is a manufacturer and developer of industrial computers founded in 1975 in Osaka, Japan as a subsidiary of Daifuku Co., Ltd. The company produces IoT devices, solutions, and components used in infrastructure, energy, medical care, and factory automation. Some of the company's products include M2M gateways and controllers for data collection, I/O modules for direct or remote control, industrial motherboards for performance reliability, and networking solutions like switching hubs for data communication. These supply clients companies like Hitachi, Mouser Electronics, and Acal BFi.
VIVOTEK Inc., founded in 2000 and headquartered in New Taipei City, Taiwan, is a manufacturer and distributor of network security surveillance products. Its product line includes network cameras, video servers, video receivers, recording software, and various accessories utilized across diverse applications, particularly in global security surveillance. The company holds several certifications, including ISO 9001 for Quality Management Systems and TL9000 for Telecommunications Quality Management Systems. Additionally, the company has been honored with the first-ever Golden Security Award for its cybersecurity capabilities in the IoT era.
Korenix, established in 2006, and based in Taiwan, Japan, is a manufacturer and supplier of wired and wireless network solutions. The product portfolio of the company includes ethernet switches, wireless solutions, media converters, industrial connectivity, accessories, and software management. The products are used in industries that include surveillance, machine-to-machine, automation, remote monitor, power, energy, and transportation. The company also offers support for product lifecycle, eco-systems, and product support. The company products are ISO certified.
Electro Standards Laboratories is a designer and manufacturer of electronic data acquisition and communication products that was established in 1976 in Cranston, Rhode Island, USA. The company’s product lineup includes linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs), load cells, and strain gages for collecting and processing data from sensors. It also offers network converters and switches for enabling and protecting data transmissions over fiber optic networks. The company’s products are used mainly by clients in the defense, telecommunication, and public utilities sectors.
S.I. Tech Inc., founded in 1984, is an American manufacturer of fiber optic communication products located in Batavia, Illinois. The company specializes in fiber products for private local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), and industrial applications. These products include modems (media converters), multiplexers, and repeaters. Other products include fiber clusters, hubs, cable assemblies, and ethernet. Fiber optics accessories, such as adapters, attenuators, and connectors, are also available. The company's clientele spans a range of industries such as aerospace, military defense, and homeland security.
Data Connect Enterprise is an ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018-certified networking products manufacturer that was established in Olney, Maryland, USA, in 1988. The company offers wireless products such as access points and bridges, networking devices including modems and routers, and power solutions such as uninterruptible power supplies and surge protectors. It also offers fiber optic, coaxial, and ethernet cable and harness assemblies. The company’s products are used mainly by clients in the ISP, telecom, and corporate sectors.
BrainChild Electronics Co., Ltd., established in 1977 and headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, is a manufacturer of industrial control equipment. The company offers a wide range of products including temperature controllers, BC software, graphic recorders (paperless recorders & chart recorders), signal conditioners, and converters like ethernet converters among others. The company’s products serve various industries like food & pharmaceutical, textiles, plastics injection molding, petrochemicals, semiconductors, and more. The company receives the ISO 9001 certification from TUV Rheinland every year and holds a CSA certificate.
LEMO, founded in Écublens, Vaud in 1946 is a manufacturer of medical connectors, Plastic Connectors and Miniature Connectors. The company's product portfolio includes Low voltage connectors, High Pressure Connectors, High Voltage Connectors, Media converters and Harsh Environment Connectors. The company serves markets such as , medicine, robotics, communication, transport, power and energy. The company also provides services including national distribution, product selection, installation, preventative maintenance, troubleshooting, repair and customer service.
WoMaster is a manufacturer of industrial products. The company offers goods for critical applications such as railway, power and utility, intelligent transportation, and smart city surveillance. The company's R&D team owns critical IIOT hardware and software technologies. With full SMT, DIP, assembly, and test lines, the company EMS has produced industrial devices for more than 20 years. The company EMS passes ISO9001:2015 and ISO14001:2015 quality certificates. The company provides SW and HW (ASIC) integrated protection mechanisms that apply the latest application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) secure technology.
Advantech was established in 1981 and is a manufacturer and supplier of embedded computing and intelligent connectivity system solutions based in Taiwan. The company offers various IoT hardware and software solution products, including arm-based computing platforms, industrial display systems, advanced video appliances, wireless industrial automation sensors, and industrial ethernet switches. The products created by the company have been certified with REACH Compliance certificate. The company has partnered in the WISE-Marketplace Ecosystem with other businesses, including Anewtech Systems, Ibcon, Mirai Electronics, Lubi Electronics, and BioEnergy Projects Sdn Bhd.
Phoenix Contact is headquartered in Blomberg, Germany, originally founded in 1923. Phoenix Contact’s Israeli subsidiary was founded in 2006 and located in Quadima Tzoran. Phoenix Contact provides tools and components for e-mobility, power, infrastructure, process industry, production manufacturing, system manufacturing, and others. Phoenix Contact’s product lines include automate including cloud computing, connect including PCB terminal blocks, “mark, assemble, and install” including hand tools, “supply, charge, and protect” including power distributors, and “switch, measure, and monitor” including relays and optocouplers.
HuMANDATA FA (High-Definition Laboratory Inc.), established in Japan in 1997, is a manufacturer and supplier of state-of-the-art high-definition display solutions for various applications. The company’s product range includes high-resolution monitors, video walls, and display systems tailored for industries like medical imaging, broadcasting, industrial visualization, and more. Tasked with providing great visual experiences, the company offers technological advancement and quality craftsmanship. By delivering precision and clarity through their display solutions, HDL supports improved visual communication and analysis in diverse professional fields.
Moxa Inc. is a manufacturer of networking and automation technology for the industrial sector that was established in 1987 in Taipei, Taiwan. The company produces items designed to enable Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) functionalities via interconnectivity between devices or equipment. These include industrial edge computers, ethernet switches, and isolators for legacy device connectivity. It also offers additional services including personnel training, technical support, and custom product design. The company mainly serves clients in the mining, automation, and transportation sectors.
EtherWAN Systems Inc., founded in 1996 and operating under the Phoenix Contact Group, is a manufacturer of industrial networking devices with dual headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan, and California, United States. The company develops products for challenging environments requiring high reliability and performance. Its portfolio includes industrial Ethernet switches for connecting multiple devices and forwarding data packets, industrial Ethernet extenders for expanding network coverage, and industrial wireless solutions for various industrial applications. The company also offers power over Ethernet (PoE) solutions for data and power delivery over a single Ethernet cable and network peripherals for network functionality extension.
DLL Partners, founded in 2002 and located in Poland, is a manufacturer and supplier of complex telecommunication and teleinformatics solutions, based on fiber optic technology. The company offers a range of products including wave division multiplexing systems, fiber optic splicing closures, and fiber optic distribution frames. Moreover, it provides services such as site inspection, comprehensive supply of fiber optic network equipment, and localization and resolution of optical line accidents. These products and services cater to internet suppliers and distributors.
Pixsys Electronics was established in the early 1990s and is headquartered in Pianiga near Padua, Italy. The company services industrial sectors such as railway, water treatment, plastics, and refrigeration to customers globally. The company’s hardware components include controllers, terminals, converters, sensors, and others. The company also provides software tools for monitoring hardware performance. The company also sells a multizone monitoring and recording system called iModView and a graphic datalogger called iTrendView.
Gao Tek Inc., started in 2001, and headquartered in Manhattan, New York, is a supplier of test and measurement equipment like embedded development tools, electronic measurement instruments, and telecommunication testers. The company is a B2B tech supplier that also stocks drone products, commercial gas detectors, and transceivers and is incorporated in the USA and Canada. It provides a one-year product warranty against defective material or workmanship and offers overnight delivery in the continental USA and Canada. It is a member of the GAO group and has served customers in over 50 countries worldwide.
Computer Network Accessories Inc., based in Dayton, Ohio, is an online supplier of several electronic products, such as power adapters, network hardware, and bulk cabling. The company also stocks computer hardware and accessories like keyboards, hard drives, and modems and sells toner cartridges compatible with several brands like HP, IBM, and Epson. The company has an online catalog of its products where customers can make orders, and it allows purchase orders. It provides free shipping for all orders over $99, and customers can return goods if unsatisfied within 30 days of purchase.
3onedata Co., Ltd., founded in China in 2001, is a supplier of IIoT products and industrial communication solutions. The company offers a range of IIoT edge devices for collecting and transmitting data from industrial machinery and equipment, IIoT gateway devices that bridge the gap between field devices and the cloud, enabling seamless data transmission, IIoT cloud platform for data storage, analytics, and remote monitoring and tailored IIoT solutions to meet specific industrial needs.
CXR Anderson Jacobson, incorporated in 1974 and based in Abondant, France, is an ISO 9001 and ISO 14001-certified networking and communication equipment supplier. Some of its products include ethernet switches, optical converters, and industrial routers, and it serves customers in 96 countries in markets such as telecom, defense, and transport. The company represents Tempo Communications and stocks its test and measurement products, including optical power meters, VFL emitters, and OTDR optical reflectors. The company also supports its customers with several services, including training, installation, and on-site expertise in network synchronization and measuring related to telecommunications.
Grid Solutions, established in 1892, is a global producer and distributor of GE Renewable Energy solutions headquartered in Boulogne-Billancourt, France. The company is a part of GE Vernova with over 12,000 employees offering equipment, systems, and services to power utilities and industries, ensuring efficient power delivery from generation to consumers. These include Power Electronics, High Voltage Equipment, Automation & Protection, Software Solutions, and Projects & Services. Addressing the challenges of the energy transition, Grid Solutions provides safe integration of renewable and distributed energy into the grid using HV/MV equipment, gas-insulated substations, and more.
Black Box is headquartered in Texas, USA, and is an ISO 9001-certified distributor of IT products originally founded in 1976 as Expandor, Inc. before rebranding in 1982. The company's products include various cable management, video, and networking products. It also stocks touchscreens, cabinets, and environmental monitoring devices for ensuring sound installation of its products. The company mainly markets to government offices, educational institutions, and manufacturing facilities. It provides additional consultation, installation, and maintenance services for customers with unique projects.
AutomationDirect.com was founded in 1994 to provide solutions for the industrial automation market and has been growing its list of offerings ever since. AutomationDirects’ extensive catalog includes individual components such as cables, various controls, I/O devices, relays, gauges, fittings, and sensors to complete systems. Many parts and devices, especially PLC units are customizable. AutomationDirect.com also provides support via video instructions, online manuals, a learning library, an active community forum to further assist customers.
Ranking as of December 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red Lion |
5.8%
|
| 2 | Allied Telesis |
4.8%
|
| 3 | AutomationDirect Inc. |
4.6%
|
| 4 | Belden Inc. |
4.3%
|
| 5 | Pepperl+Fuchs Inc. |
3.9%
|
| 6 | Amphenol Fiber Systems International |
3.6%
|
| 7 | LEMO S.A. |
3.6%
|
| 8 | Fiber Instrument Sales, Inc. |
3.4%
|
| 9 | LUMEL S.A. |
3.4%
|
| 10 | TP-Link Corporation |
3.2%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the media converter page as of December 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
United States of America
|
10 | 37.0% |
|
Taiwan
|
6 | 22.2% |
|
Japan
|
3 | 11.1% |
|
France
|
2 | 7.4% |
|
Singapore
|
1 | 3.7% |
|
United Kingdom
|
1 | 3.7% |
|
Poland
|
1 | 3.7% |
|
Germany
|
1 | 3.7% |
|
Italy
|
1 | 3.7% |
|
China
|
1 | 3.7% |
154 products found - Page 3
154 products - Page 3
FXC Co., Ltd.
10+ people viewing
Last viewed: 1 day ago
■Summary ・LEX1851-1F is a switch type media converter that converts 10/100/1000BASE-T ports to 1000BASE-SX/SX2/LX/ZX ports. -Various functions can...
FXC Co., Ltd.
30+ people viewing
Last viewed: 15 hours ago
■Summary ・LEX1852 series is a switch type media converter that converts 10/100/1000BASE-T ports to 1000BASE-SX/SX2/LX/ZX ports. -Various functions...
FXC Co., Ltd.
20+ people viewing
Last viewed: 15 hours ago
■Summary ・LEX1841 series is a switch type media converter that converts 10/100BASE-T ports to 100BASE-FX. -Various functions can be changed using ...
Headspring Co., Ltd.
30+ people viewing
Last viewed: 1 day ago
■Research and development using biRAPID to bring products to market “fast” (RAPID) Prototyping and manufacturing power electronics equipment requir...
FXC Co., Ltd.
20+ people viewing
Last viewed: 22 hours ago
■Summary ・LEX1842 series is a switch type media converter that converts 10/100BASE-T ports to 100BASE-FX. -Various functions can be changed using ...
Headspring Co., Ltd.
20+ people viewing
Last viewed: 1 day ago
■Research and development using biRAPID to bring products to market “fast” (RAPID) Prototyping and manufacturing power electronics equipment requir...
FXC Co., Ltd.
20+ people viewing
Last viewed: 1 day ago
■Summary ・LEX1542-02/15 is a 100BASE-T and 100BASE-FX repeater type media converter. ・Supports a wide temperature range from -10℃ to 60℃, and var...
FXC Co., Ltd.
20+ people viewing
Last viewed: 1 day ago
Gigabit media converter with PoE power receiving function "NC1G-PE series" 1000BASE-SX and 1000BASE-LX lineup ■Summary ・NC1G-PE series (PoE power...
FXC Co., Ltd.
20+ people viewing
Last viewed: 13 hours ago
Gigabit media converter "NC1G series" 1000BASE-SX and 1000BASE-LX lineup ■Summary ・NC1G series (ACType) is a media converter that mutually conver...
Matsuda Tsusho Co., Ltd.
20+ people viewing
Last viewed: 17 minutes ago
FMX-GE1000 is a standalone media converter. 10/100/1000 BASE-T Ethernet can be converted to 1000 BASE-SX/LX single mode fiber using SFP. The wavele...
Matsuda Tsusho Co., Ltd.
20+ people viewing
OIP-N AV over IP converters extend the range of traditional video transmission and are available as encoder/decoder pairs that provide NDI HX3/HX2 ...
