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

Product Overview

AI-generated summary

StarTech’s gigabit copper-to-fiber media converters are the sort of “just make it work” items you hope you’ll never think about again after install. At **£182.92 ex-VAT** for a **20 km single-fibre (SM, LC) link**, this is good value if you actually need that reach between an office/cabinet and a remote site and you don’t want to replace switching hardware. In real deployments, they’re particularly handy for extending an existing gigabit Ethernet run over fibre when the remote end is already set up for copper. Pair them carefully and you’ll typically get stable link behaviour without the headaches of cheaper no-name units.

That said, I wouldn’t buy this for every situation. If you’re building a new network, a media converter can be a “patch, not a platform” — you’re effectively adding a point you’ll manage per link, and you may end up with troubleshooting friction later (especially if someone expects PoE or higher-than-gigabit performance and your design doesn’t account for it). Also, double-check the fibre assumptions up front (single-mode, LC, matching optics/connector type, and that 20 km is appropriate for your actual budget and attenuation). If you’re confident about the fibre match and just need a reliable copper-to-fibre handoff at gigabit over a medium distance, this is the kind of converter that earns its keep. If not, I’d look at alternatives aligned with your broader switching/PoE strategy rather than dropping a converter into the middle of it.