Can I use a multimode LC-to-LC cable on a single-mode link?

No — the fiber grade has to match end to end. A single-mode link uses single-mode OS2 fiber and single-mode optics; a multimode jumper has a wider core and is built for short-reach multimode optics, and putting one on a single-mode link produces a connection that errors, trains slowly, or does not come up at all. The same applies in reverse and between multimode grades: an OM3 cord where the design assumed OM4 gives you the OM3 reach. Read the transceiver's grade and reach, match the patch cable and the structured cabling to it, and keep the whole link on one grade.

What is the difference between duplex and simplex LC cables?

How many fibers the cord carries. A duplex LC-to-LC cable has two fibers — a transmit and a receive strand — which is what most transceivers use, so it is the common case for a switch uplink or an SFP link. A simplex cable has a single fiber and is used where the optic carries both directions on one strand, such as a bidirectional (BiDi) transceiver, or for single-fiber links. Read the transceiver: if it has two LC ports it wants a duplex cord; if it has one, it wants simplex. Ordering the wrong one is the usual reason a link has a spare fiber dangling or a missing one.

What is the difference between UPC and APC LC connectors?

The endface polish, and they do not mate. UPC is a flat (ultra physical contact) polish and is what most links use, with a common blue or black connector body. APC is an angled physical contact polish, with a green body, used on some single-mode links to reduce back-reflection — and a UPC and an APC connector must not be plugged into each other, which damages the endfaces and fails the link. Read the polish on the exact part when a link specifies APC, and keep APC to APC and UPC to UPC throughout. Most of the cables here are UPC; the ones that are APC say so in the title.

Can business, government and education buyers order these?

Every line Uniqcli quotes is sourced through US distribution and screened for TAA country-of-origin and NDAA §889 status before checkout — with documentation tied to the specific part number, not a product family.

Best LC-to-LC Fiber Patch Cables

The LC-to-LC jumper that connects a switch, an SFP or a patch panel to the next one — read by fiber grade, duplex or simplex, jacket rating and length rather than by connector alone.

LC-to-LC fiber patch cables in stock at Uniqcli

How to choose →

A curated selection with live pricing — in-stock lines first, then back-ordered lines with a typical lead time. Every line is sourced through US distribution and screened for NDAA §889 status before checkout, with TAA verified on request.

OS2 single-mode duplex

StarTech.com

StarTech 2m (6.6ft) LC to LC (UPC) OS2 Single Mode Duplex Fiber Optic…

SMDOS2LCLC2M

A StarTech 2 m LC-to-LC OS2 single-mode duplex cable with UPC connectors — the yellow-jacket single-mode jumper for a long-reach or higher-speed link paired with single-mode optics.

$19.79In stock

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OM4 multimode

StarTech.com

StarTech 2m (6.6ft) LC to LC (UPC) OM4 Multimode Fiber Optic Cable…

OM4RLCLC2M

A StarTech 2 m LC-to-LC OM4 multimode fiber cable — the violet-jacket short-reach jumper for 10/40/100G optics where OM4's reach is what the link budget assumed.

$19.79In stock

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OM5 wideband

StarTech.com

StarTech 1m (3.3ft) LC to LC (UPC) OM5 Multimode Fiber Optic Cable…

LCLCL-1M-OM5-FIBER

A StarTech 1 m LC-to-LC OM5 multimode fiber cable — the lime-jacket wideband multimode jumper for a link designed around OM5's shortwave-division capability.

$21.68In stock

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OM5, Tripp Lite

Eaton

Tripp Lite by Eaton LC to LC Multimode Duplex Fiber Optics Patch Cable…

N820-01M-OM5

A Tripp Lite by Eaton 1 m LC-to-LC OM5 multimode duplex patch cable — an OM5 jumper from the Eaton line for a wideband multimode uplink or panel jumper.

$29.22Back-ordered

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OS2 plenum, Ortronics

Legrand

Ortronics Infinium Core LC to LC Duplex Patch Cord 2mm OS2 Plenum…

L1-0101B2JYD0001M

An Ortronics Infinium Core 1 m LC-to-LC OS2 single-mode duplex patch cord in a plenum jacket — a plenum-rated single-mode jumper for a run above a ceiling from Legrand's structured line.

Plenum-rated — for an air-handling space where an ordinary jacket is not permitted.

$64.70Back-ordered

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OM4 plenum, Ortronics

Legrand

Ortronics Infinium Core LC to LC Duplex Patch Cord, 2mm OM4 Plenum…

L1-0101B2EAD0003M

An Ortronics Infinium Core 3 m LC-to-LC OM4 multimode duplex patch cord in a plenum aqua jacket — a plenum-rated multimode jumper for a between-floor or ceiling-space run.

Plenum-rated.

$74.41Back-ordered

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OS2 plenum, 10 m

Legrand

Ortronics Infinium Ultra LC to LC Duplex Patch Cord 2mm OS2 Plenum…

L3-0101B2JYD1010M

An Ortronics Infinium Ultra 10 m LC-to-LC OS2 single-mode duplex patch cord, plenum yellow — a longer single-mode plenum jumper for a vertical backbone jumper run.

Plenum-rated.

$119.87Back-ordered

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OS2 simplex, riser

AddOn

AddOn 1m LC to LC Yellow OS2 Simplex OFNR (Riser-Rated) SMF…

ADD-LC-LC-1MS9SMF

An AddOn 1 m LC-to-LC OS2 single-mode simplex riser (OFNR) jumper — the single-fiber single-mode cord for a bidirectional optic or a single-strand link, in a riser jacket.

$7.82Back-ordered

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OM3 duplex, riser

AddOn

AddOn 1m LC to LC Aqua OM3 Duplex OFNR (Riser-Rated) MMF (Multi Mode)…

ADD-LC-LC-1M5OM3

An AddOn 1 m LC-to-LC OM3 multimode duplex riser (OFNR) fiber patch cable in aqua — the short-reach multimode duplex jumper for 10G optics within a building.

$11.04In stock

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OM4 simplex, riser

AddOn

AddOn 1m LC to LC Aqua OM4 Simplex OFNR (Riser-Rated) Fiber Patch…

ADD-LC-LC-1MS5OM4

An AddOn 1 m LC-to-LC OM4 multimode simplex riser (OFNR) fiber patch cable — the single-fiber OM4 cord for a single-strand or BiDi multimode link.

$8.74In stock

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Multimode duplex, 5 m

4XEM

4XEM 5M AQUA Multimode LC To LC 50/125 Duplex Fiber Optic Patch Cable

4XFIBERLCLC5M

A 4XEM 5 m LC-to-LC 50/125 multimode duplex fiber optic patch cable in aqua — a value multimode duplex jumper for a mid-length switch or panel run.

$16.28In stock

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Multimode duplex, 10 m

4XEM

4XEM 10M AQUA Multimode LC To LC 50/125 Duplex Fiber Optic Patch Cable

4XFIBERLCLC10M

A 4XEM 10 m LC-to-LC 50/125 multimode duplex fiber optic patch cable — the longer value multimode jumper for a run between racks or across a room.

$18.21In stock

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OM3 10G, ENET

NSI Industries

ENET LC to LC OM3 50/125 10G Multimode Duplex Yellow Fiber Cable 1 Meter

LC2-YLOM3-8M-ENC

An ENET LC-to-LC OM3 50/125 10G multimode duplex fiber cable — a 10-gig-rated OM3 duplex jumper for a short-reach multimode uplink, from NSI's ENET line.

$68.30Back-ordered

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Uniboot OM4, ENET

NSI Industries

ENET LC to LC Uniboot OM4 50/125 10/40/100G Multimode Duplex Aqua Fiber…

LC2-UNIB-OM4-3M-ENC

An ENET LC-to-LC Uniboot OM4 50/125 10/40/100G multimode duplex fiber cable in aqua — a Uniboot OM4 jumper whose reversible latch simplifies dense patch-panel work.

$99.68Back-ordered

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Or send it through the quote desk

The LC connector is the small-form-factor duplex latch that ended up on nearly everything in the data center — switch uplinks, SFP and SFP+ transceivers, fiber patch panels and media converters — so an LC-to-LC patch cable is the jumper most fiber links actually terminate on. Buying it well is not about the connector, which is standard; it is about the fiber inside the jacket and the jacket around it, because those are what decide whether the link runs at the distance and the speed the equipment expects. The connector at each end is the easy part to get right and the least important to the result.

The decision that matters most is the fiber grade, and it has to match on both ends of the link and along it. Single-mode OS2 is the yellow-jacketed fiber for long reaches and higher speeds, paired with single-mode transceivers; multimode comes in OM3 (aqua), OM4 (aqua or violet) and OM5 (lime), each rated for a distance at a given speed with short-reach optics. The rule is that the patch cable, the transceivers and any structured cabling in between have to be the same grade — a multimode jumper on a single-mode link, or an OM3 cord where the budget assumed OM4, is the quiet cause of a link that trains slowly or not at all. Duplex versus simplex is the second choice: a duplex cord carries the transmit and receive pair most transceivers use, while simplex is for a single-fiber or bidirectional-optic link.

Nothing on this page is a test result. The grid is fenced to Connector Cables whose own manufacturer title names an LC-to-LC fiber cable, which is what makes the heading true for every card; the picks below span single-mode OS2 and multimode OM3, OM4 and OM5, duplex and simplex, in the riser, plenum and LSZH jackets a building requires, across the brands the catalog carries. Cards show live pricing and current availability, and Uniqcli can quote the jumpers, the transceivers, the panels and the structured cabling on one document.

Buyer's checklist

How to choose an LC-to-LC fiber patch cable

Match the fiber grade end to end. Single-mode OS2 for long reach and higher speed with single-mode optics; multimode OM3/OM4/OM5 for shorter reach with short-reach optics — the jumper, the transceivers and the cabling between must all be the same grade.
Pick duplex or simplex by the optic. Most transceivers use a duplex transmit/receive pair, so a duplex LC-to-LC cord is the common case; simplex is for a single-fiber or bidirectional (BiDi) link that carries both directions on one strand.
Choose the jacket rating for where the cable runs. Riser (OFNR) for vertical between-floor runs, plenum (OFNP) for air-handling spaces above a ceiling, and LSZH where low smoke and zero halogen is specified — a jumper in a plenum has to be plenum-rated.
Get the length right, with a little slack. Fiber does not like tight bends, so order enough to reach with a service loop rather than pulling a cord taut across a bend radius it should not see, and avoid a long coil that just adds loss and clutter.
Confirm the connector polish where it is specified. UPC is the common flat-polish endface; APC (angled, green) is used on some single-mode links, and UPC and APC do not mate — read the polish on the exact part when a link calls for APC.
Buy the color and grade as the label the site uses. Aqua and violet signal multimode, yellow signals single-mode; keeping the jacket color matched to the grade at the patch panel saves an afternoon of tracing later.

Single-mode versus multimode, and why the grade has to match

The single most consequential thing about an LC-to-LC cord is the fiber inside it, because a fiber link only works when the cable, the transceivers and any structured cabling between them are the same grade. Single-mode OS2 fiber, in its yellow jacket, carries light down a very narrow core and is the fiber for long reaches and higher speeds, paired with single-mode optics. Multimode fiber — OM3 in aqua, OM4 in aqua or violet, OM5 in lime — has a wider core and short-reach optics, and each grade is rated for a distance at a given data rate: OM4 reaches farther than OM3 at the same speed, and OM5 adds wideband capability. Mixing grades is the quiet failure mode: a multimode jumper on a single-mode link, or an OM3 cord where the design assumed OM4, produces a link that trains slowly, errors, or does not come up at all.

The practical rule is to decide the grade at the design stage and then hold it across every jumper, transceiver and panel in the link. Read the transceiver's own reach and grade requirement, match the patch cables and the structured cabling to it, and keep the jacket color matched to the grade at the patch panel so the next person can see at a glance what they are looking at. A color-coded, grade-consistent link is one that is easy to certify and easy to maintain; a link with a stray wrong-grade cord in it is the one that is fine until someone moves it.

Jacket rating, polish and length

Where the cable runs decides the jacket, and it is a code question as much as a performance one. A riser-rated (OFNR) jumper is for a vertical run between floors; a plenum-rated (OFNP) jumper is required in an air-handling space above a suspended ceiling, where an ordinary jacket is not permitted; and an LSZH jacket is specified where low smoke and zero halogen matters for occupant safety in an enclosed space. A jumper in the wrong environment is a code finding, so read the rating against the pathway, not just the price.

Polish and length finish the specification. The common LC endface is UPC — a flat polish — and it is what most links use; APC is an angled, green-bodied polish used on some single-mode links, and UPC and APC connectors do not mate, so read the polish when a link specifies APC. Length wants a little slack and no tight bends: fiber has a minimum bend radius, so order enough to reach with a small service loop rather than pulling a cord taut around a corner it should not see, and avoid a long coil that only adds loss and mess in the cabinet. Uniqcli can quote the jumpers alongside the transceivers, the panels and the enclosures so the whole link arrives as one order rather than a jumper short of working.

Common questions

Can I use a multimode LC-to-LC cable on a single-mode link?: No — the fiber grade has to match end to end. A single-mode link uses single-mode OS2 fiber and single-mode optics; a multimode jumper has a wider core and is built for short-reach multimode optics, and putting one on a single-mode link produces a connection that errors, trains slowly, or does not come up at all. The same applies in reverse and between multimode grades: an OM3 cord where the design assumed OM4 gives you the OM3 reach. Read the transceiver's grade and reach, match the patch cable and the structured cabling to it, and keep the whole link on one grade.
What is the difference between duplex and simplex LC cables?: How many fibers the cord carries. A duplex LC-to-LC cable has two fibers — a transmit and a receive strand — which is what most transceivers use, so it is the common case for a switch uplink or an SFP link. A simplex cable has a single fiber and is used where the optic carries both directions on one strand, such as a bidirectional (BiDi) transceiver, or for single-fiber links. Read the transceiver: if it has two LC ports it wants a duplex cord; if it has one, it wants simplex. Ordering the wrong one is the usual reason a link has a spare fiber dangling or a missing one.
Which jacket rating do I need — riser, plenum or LSZH?: It follows the pathway the cable runs in. A riser-rated (OFNR) jumper is for a vertical run between floors; a plenum-rated (OFNP) jumper is required in an air-handling space above a suspended ceiling, where an ordinary or riser jacket is not permitted by code; and an LSZH jacket is specified where low smoke and zero halogen matters for occupant safety in an enclosed space. Read the rating against where the cable actually runs, because a jumper in the wrong environment is a code finding, not just a preference. Within a rack or a cabinet the requirement is usually looser, but the run to it may not be.
What is the difference between UPC and APC LC connectors?: The endface polish, and they do not mate. UPC is a flat (ultra physical contact) polish and is what most links use, with a common blue or black connector body. APC is an angled physical contact polish, with a green body, used on some single-mode links to reduce back-reflection — and a UPC and an APC connector must not be plugged into each other, which damages the endfaces and fails the link. Read the polish on the exact part when a link specifies APC, and keep APC to APC and UPC to UPC throughout. Most of the cables here are UPC; the ones that are APC say so in the title.
Can business, government and education buyers order these?: Every line Uniqcli quotes is sourced through US distribution and screened for TAA country-of-origin and NDAA §889 status before checkout — with documentation tied to the specific part number, not a product family.

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