Embodiments are disclosed for driving a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL). An example method includes injecting, via a universal driver, a direct current (DC) bias current to a VCSEL. The VCSEL is configured to convert the modulated signal into an optical signal encoding one or more bits. The example method further includes providing a modulated signal to the VCSEL. The modulated signal encodes a digital sequence comprising the one or more bits using a modulation method.