A 2.times.2 optical switch routs each light signal received from input ports to selected output. The optical switch has an adjustable light signal steering element, a fixed light signal steering element, and a steering element actuator. The adjustable light signal steering element is repositioned by the steering element actuator to selectively place one light signal received from the input ports such that the light signal is transferred from the input port to a selected output port. The fixed light signal steering element is placed in the path of each light signal such the light signals from the input ports is transferred to of mirrors, prisms, and light waveguides, default output ports, when the adjustable light steering element is removed from the path of each light signal.