A system and method are disclosed for monitoring a fiber optic network between a managed location and a remote location. In a particular embodiment of the method the monitoring wavelength signal is separated from the communication wavelength signal at the remote location and coupled on to the optical fiber carrying a communication wavelength signal from the remote location. In a particular embodiment of the system, the system includes a first optical filter for coupling a selected monitoring wavelength signal on to an optical fiber carrying a communication wavelength signal between the managed location and the remote location and a second optical filter at the managed location for recovering a permanently separated monitoring wavelength signal sent to the managed location from the remote location.