An optical
receiver is provided for reducing in scale the overall
system for
wavelength division
multiplex transmission lines configured redundantly and improving the quality of transmission when the line is switched. The optical
receiver includes a variable
optical attenuator for controlling an optical loss value for each optical
transmission line based on a predetermined optical loss value. A variable
dispersion compensation module is also provided for controlling a
wavelength dispersion value for each optical
transmission line based on a predetermined dispersion value. An optical loss / dispersion controller is also provided for measuring the optical loss value and the
wavelength dispersion value of every optical
transmission line, outputting the predetermined optical loss value and dispersion value so that the optical loss values and the wavelength dispersion values are equal in all the optical transmission lines, and controlling the variable
optical attenuator and the variable
dispersion compensation module based on the outputted predetermined values. A receive
amplifier is also provided for receiving the optical
signal whose
light level is kept constant and amplifying the
signal. Also, a transmission line switch control module is provided for switching a working transmission line into a protection line if the optical
signal level of the working line is lower than a threshold value.