An optical network architecture comprising: a first pair of tapered mixing rods, comprising a first tapered mixing rod and a second tapered mixing rod; a second pair of tapered mixing rods, comprising a third tapered mixing rod and a fourth tapered mixing rod; a first plurality of line replaceable units; a first plurality of plastic optical fibers communicatively coupled from the first tapered mixing rod to the first plurality of line replaceable units; a second plurality of plastic optical fibers communicatively coupled from the second tapered mixing rod to the first plurality of line replaceable units; a second plurality of line replaceable units; a third plurality of plastic optical fibers communicatively coupled from the third tapered mixing rod to the second plurality of line replaceable units; a fourth plurality of plastic optical fibers communicatively coupled from the fourth tapered mixing rod to the second plurality of line replaceable units; a first plastic optical fiber communicatively coupled from the first tapered mixing rod to the fourth tapered mixing rod; a second plastic optical fiber communicatively coupled from the first tapered mixing rod to the second tapered mixing rod; a third plastic optical fiber communicatively coupled from the third tapered mixing rod to the second tapered mixing rod; and a fourth plastic optical fiber communicatively coupled from the third tapered mixing rod to the fourth tapered mixing rod; wherein the first plastic optical fiber includes an optical repeater positioned closer to the first tapered mixing rod than to the fourth tapered mixing rod, and configured to increase a strength of optical signals propagating along the first plastic optical fiber; and the fourth plastic optical fiber includes an attenuator configured to attenuate optical signals propagating along the fourth plastic optical fiber, such that signals received at the fourth tapered mixing rod from the first optical fiber and from the fourth optical fiber are within a predetermined range of signal strengths. a first pair of tapered mixing rods, comprising a first tapered mixing rod and a second tapered mixing rod; a second pair of tapered mixing rods, comprising a third tapered mixing rod and a fourth tapered mixing rod; a first plurality of line replaceable units; a first plurality of plastic optical fibers communicatively coupled from the first tapered mixing rod to the first plurality of line replaceable units; a second plurality of plastic optical fibers communicatively coupled from the second tapered mixing rod to the first plurality of line replaceable units; a second plurality of line replaceable units; a third plurality of plastic optical fibers communicatively coupled from the third tapered mixing rod to the second plurality of line replaceable units; a fourth plurality of plastic optical fibers communicatively coupled from the fourth tapered mixing rod to the second plurality of line replaceable units; a first plastic optical fiber communicatively coupled from the first tapered mixing rod to the fourth tapered mixing rod; a second plastic optical fiber communicatively coupled from the first tapered mixing rod to the second tapered mixing rod; a third plastic optical fiber communicatively coupled from the third tapered mixing rod to the second tapered mixing rod; and a fourth plastic optical fiber communicatively coupled from the third tapered mixing rod to the fourth tapered mixing rod; wherein the first plastic optical fiber includes an optical repeater positioned closer to the first tapered mixing rod than to the fourth tapered mixing rod, and configured to increase a strength of optical signals propagating along the first plastic optical fiber; and the fourth plastic optical fiber includes an attenuator configured to attenuate optical signals propagating along the fourth plastic optical fiber, such that signals received at the fourth tapered mixing rod from the first optical fiber and from the fourth optical fiber are within a predetermined range of signal strengths.