A system, device, and method are disclosed. In one embodiment the system includes an optical link and a peripheral device optically coupled to the optical link. The system also includes a host controller, such as a graphics, network, or I/O controller. The system also includes a unified optical connector port, which is optically coupled to the optical link and electrically coupled to the first host controller. The port has a wavelength allocation unit that can allocate an optical wavelength for an optical signal that is utilized to communicate with the peripheral device. The port also includes an electrical-to-optical transmission unit capable of converting an electrical signal, received from the host controller, to the optical signal that was allocated at the first optical wavelength. The electrical-to-optical transmission unit is also capable of transmitting one or more data packets within the first optical signal to the peripheral device across the optical link.