SFP+ multigig twisted pair module
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Niche case probably, but here goes.
I have AT&T fiber, currently buying 1Gbps service. The CPE they make us use terminates their fiber at 10Gbps and presents me with a switch that has 1 multigig twisted pair port that will negotiate up to 5Gbps (along with a a few more 1Gbps ports). They offer 2Gbps and 5Gbps service to my address and I'm considering my options for upgrading. Obviously I want to use pfSense or I wouldn't be posting here. Right now the only hardware I know of that would allow me to take advantage of a 5Gbps connection over twisted pair is the Intel X710-T4L and T2L which are 4 and 2 port respectively.
On to my question, I guess. I'm looking at new hardware, both DIY and at the Netgate appliances. Seems like the 6100 would be a good choice for a 5Gbps connection but the only way to terminate it to my CPE is with twisted pair and the built-in ports top out at 2.5Gbps unless there is a SFP+ module that can do multigig. Alternately I could just do 10Gbps to a managed switch that has 5Gbps twisted pair copper ports but if there's one of those on the market, I haven't seen it. There are a few that do 10Gbps SFP+ combined with 2.5Gbps copper but none that I have seen with ports that do 5Gbps as well.
Hope this makes sense.
M
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AFAIK there are no sfp->utp modules supported at this time.
A solution is to buy a multigig switch & use a dac between pfsense & switch
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That is true, there are no supported modules of that type for the 6100. The 10G SFP+ ports there there are 10/1G only.
Steve
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My plan should ATT update my area is to buy a multi-gig managed switch with SFP+ ports to do the conversion from 2 or 5 to 10Gb fiber for my 7100.
Zyxel is one switch I found that will work for my un-executed and undertested plan. I do run the current 1Gb through my switch now for other reasons.The upcoming "6101" FW from Netgate needs 10Gb multi-gig ports...
^^ Don't hate me Netgate. -
It's almost as if AT&T should just allow us to plug their fiber into our router and be done with it.... It's already coming in as 10Gbps SFP+ ffs.
I'll continue my search for a suitable switch that is vaguely affordable, preferably fanless, and actually available for purchase.
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Try the MikroTik S+RJ10. I don't have the Netgate 6100 to say one way or another, but in normal switches SFP+ will sync at 10Gbps, the module will handle the buffering/etc. and relay that through.
Many SFP+ modules out there that support NBase-T, but it's a bit hit/miss as to what actually works or not and what caveats you will get. Many will handle download rates, but crater upload rates. MikroTik has worked reliably well for me in SFP+ switches. Note, it will run very hot. Much hotter than other SFP+ modules I've used.
To be clear, I don't have Netgate HW. I'm in the process of building a system, but won't put that in service for a while. I currently use a UniFi UDM SE, with ATT 5Gbps fiber. RJ45 to UDM SE with the MikroTik S+RJ10 module and just swapped out to the UniFi NBase-T SFP+ module (cooler running).
I can't say if it will work with Netgate gear, but the support for this is available. My build will be using Intel NICs, so can follow up if it works or not. I suspect it will be fine.
@whosmatt said in SFP+ multigig twisted pair module:
It's almost as if AT&T should just allow us to plug their fiber into our router and be done with it.... It's already coming in as 10Gbps SFP+ ffs.
I'll continue my search for a suitable switch that is vaguely affordable, preferably fanless, and actually available for purchase.The problem is that they are no longer providing a separate ONT, and it's integrated into the gateway. The BGW320 is a combined router + ONT. I'm guessing it's some cost savings.
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Thanks all.. Seems like this Zyxel switch might be a good swiss army knife device do do what I want. DAC from pfSense to the SFP+ port with a VLAN for WAN and one for LAN, 5Gbps UTP to the AT&T device, and that leaves me 2 NBASE-T ports to play with for my workstation / NAS and I can do a link aggregation back to my existing 1Gbps switches with 2-4 of the 1Gbps to connect it all back to the rest of my network.
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To close this out, I bought the Zyxel switch and an Intel SFP+ NIC for pfSense and connected them with a DAC cable and it works exactly as expected. I haven't upgraded my AT&T service yet but I gained about 300Mbps on the upstream in a speedtest (?!) just from not being limited by the port speed. It's 10Gbps from pfSense to the switch and 5Gbps from the switch to the AT&T CPE. I'll call that a win even if I don't go for a package above 1Gbps. I'm getting 940Mbps down and ~1250Mbps up now. Even 2.5Gbps to the AT&T CPE would yield the benefit. Obviously YMMV but it's worth a look if you have AT&T fiber.