The six fixes below cover the most common causes of optical audio problems, including protective caps left on the cable, damaged cable ends, incompatible audio formats, inactive ports, and possible hardware failure. Don't let cable woes ruin your streaming binge or video conference; instead, explore these six proven ways to troubleshoot and fix your optical cable issues. Optical cables transmit data as light. Since a damaged optical cable will prevent you from using your external speakers, you need to solve it as soon as possible. Figuring out the cause and solving it is not that cumbersome. The cause is often simple, but because optical links use light instead of electricity, the failure points are different from standard copper cables. Because optical cables carry digital audio as light, even a small issue with alignment, port selection, or. Troubleshooting common issues with single-mode fiber patch cables involves a systematic approach to identify and resolve problems that may arise in the fiber optic network. Verify Cable Integrity Visual Inspection: Examine the cable.