Some methods factory make the connector with a fiber stub which is spliced to the fiber for termination. However, either epoxy or anaerobic adhesives followed by polishing have been determined to be the best methods. Manufacturers have invented and tested many different ways of attaching a connector to that hair-thin strand of glass, including various methods of gluing, crimping or clamping. Get the wrong connector type, the wrong polish, or skip proper fusion splicing technique—and you're looking at elevated signal loss, increased back reflection, and a. Proper installation and regular maintenance of fiber optic patch cords play a crucial role in achieving optimized network performance, preventing signal errors, and extending service life. This guide addresses expert-certified best practices applied by professionals in the telecommunications, data. Fiber optic joints or terminations are made two ways: 1) splices which create a permanent joint between the two fibers or 2) connectors that mate two fibers to create a temporary joint and/or connect the fiber to a piece of network gear. Their performance directly impacts signal quality, insertion loss (IL), and return loss (RL).