DWDW

DWDW (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) is an optical technology used to increase bandwidth over existing fiber optic backbones by combining and transmitting multiple signals simultaneously at different wavelengths on the same fiber. There are two different versions for DWDW: an active solution and a passive solution. An active solution is going to require wavelength management and is a good fit for applications involving more than 32 links over the same fiber. In most cases, passive DWDM is looked at as a more realistic alternative to active DWDM. DWDM offers essentially the same benefits of CWDM, especially when evaluating a passive solution. However, there are still many differences between DWDM and CWDM. Usually, DWDM is defined by frequencies for long-haul transmission, while CWDM is defined by wavelengths for short-range communications. Besides, DWDM works by breaking the spectrum into big chunks and the light signal isn’t amplified, but CWDM dices the spectrum into small pieces and the signal amplification may be used.