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    Plugging SFP transceiver from AT&T box directly into SG-2100

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Official Netgate® Hardware
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    • GTAXLG
      GTAXL @AndyRH
      last edited by

      @andyrh

      @andyrh said in Plugging SFP transceiver from AT&T box directly into SG-2100:

      If the internet provided is greater than 1Gb the SFP will be 10Gb.

      Yep, if it's XGS-PON it would be a 10Gbps module. The specs for the RG show
      One port SFP/SFP+ Cage for GPON/XGS-PON optic module

      So if they used an SFP module for GPON, it may work. If they used SFP+ for XGS-PON, no.

      @andyrh said in Plugging SFP transceiver from AT&T box directly into SG-2100:

      The fiber is a single fiber, not a pair, so the SFP may not be 'standard'

      Yes, the SFP module will be GPON or XGS-PON, the module acts as the ONT. It will work as long as the ethernet controller accepts the module, being Marvell it's likely.

      @andyrh said in Plugging SFP transceiver from AT&T box directly into SG-2100:

      ATT uses VLAN 0 which is problematic with FreeBSD.

      VLAN 0 support should be fixed in the next upcoming pfSense Plus release, see
      https://redmine.pfsense.org/issues/12070
      https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/releases/23-01.html#interfaces

      @andyrh said in Plugging SFP transceiver from AT&T box directly into SG-2100:

      According to the pfATT project, ATT uses a certificate to validate the end point. It is hard to get the cert.

      802.1x auth appears to be done at the ONT level. The SFP module being the ONT, it may not require this.
      See https://www.dslreports.com/forum/r33442912-AT-T-Fiber-Bye-bye-802-1x-you-will-not-be-missed

      D 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • D
        DominikHoffmann @AndyRH
        last edited by

        @andyrh: I will see, what I can do, when I get back to the client’s house. Hopefully, I will be able to pull it out and take a picture without disrupting the client’s work. Not sure about that, though.

        I have never operated an SFP module. Do you know of instructions on what to do mechanically, in order to pull it out?

        I have since my original post found out that the client does not have a line-item charge for the rental of the equipment. It may be included in the 1 Gbit/s plan from AT&T. Consequently, it will not be worth if to pay me for doing the configuration change, if it doesn’t result in cost savings.

        GTAXLG AndyRHA 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • GTAXLG
          GTAXL @DominikHoffmann
          last edited by

          @dominikhoffmann I would unplug the RG (residential gateway) first before pulling the module, it may not like the module being removed from it and borke something.

          You'll probably have to unplug the fiber first from the module before the module un-latches. The module will just pull out. Be careful with the fiber, don't touch the end of it and don't look at it.

          If you haven't messed with SFP modules before, then I'm confused as to why you'd want to do this. This is usually done by geeks that are familiar with such modules and know why they want to do it.

          D 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • D
            DominikHoffmann @GTAXL
            last edited by

            @gtaxl, @AndyRH: Like I said, my work with the client will not fund extensive experimentation with this. I may be able to spend 5–10 min on it. If it’s not plug-and-play I have to disappoint you guys. Either way, I’d have to wait for the next version of pfSense.

            GTAXLG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • GTAXLG
              GTAXL @DominikHoffmann
              last edited by

              @dominikhoffmann Well what Internet speed does the client pay for? If it's more than 1Gbps then it'll be using XGS-PON which would use an SFP+ module, which would not work with the SG-2100.

              D 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • AndyRHA
                AndyRH @DominikHoffmann
                last edited by

                @dominikhoffmann SFP removal - Remove the fiber. There will be a small handle that will easily swing out, typically opposite of the locking side of the fiber. Gently pull on the extended handle, this will release the lock and the SFP will slide out. A small amount of force (~1lbs) may be needed to remove the SFP, but it should slide easily once the lock releases.

                o||||o
                7100-1u

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • D
                  DominikHoffmann @GTAXL
                  last edited by

                  @gtaxl: I have actually spliced fibers in a laboratory before and connectorized them. However, those were multimode and of the FC type. In the late ’90s I was working on a fingernail-sized 10 Gbit/s datalink.

                  GTAXLG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • GTAXLG
                    GTAXL @DominikHoffmann
                    last edited by

                    @dominikhoffmann Then doing this procedure shouldn't be much of an issue. The fiber is likely going to be a Singlemode fiber with a SC APC connector.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • AndyRHA
                      AndyRH
                      last edited by

                      My ATT fiber is a single mode SC connector. Doing this will bring you back to the GBICs used for FC in the 90's.

                      o||||o
                      7100-1u

                      GTAXLG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • GTAXLG
                        GTAXL @AndyRH
                        last edited by

                        @andyrh said in Plugging SFP transceiver from AT&T box directly into SG-2100:

                        My ATT fiber is a single mode SC connector. Doing this will bring you back to the GBICs used for FC in the 90's.

                        Out of curiosity, do you have one of these units? Or a standalone ONT?

                        AndyRHA 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • D
                          DominikHoffmann @GTAXL
                          last edited by

                          @gtaxl: I will hopefully be able to pull out the modules, take pictures of it and plug it back in, at the very least. We’ll have to see. I’ll come back to this thread, once I have accomplished something on site.

                          I am trying to talk my client into going with a lower-speed package. Most people willingly pay for way too much bandwidth.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                          • AndyRHA
                            AndyRH @GTAXL
                            last edited by

                            @gtaxl I have a standalone ONT.
                            I was told it was 1Gb to my house. If you get a greater than 1Gb ATT changes the SFP at both ends to 10Gb. The throttling is done at the CO.

                            o||||o
                            7100-1u

                            GTAXLG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • GTAXLG
                              GTAXL @AndyRH
                              last edited by

                              @andyrh Yeah likely the OLT is doing the traffic shaping for the line. I don't have AT&T in my area, my brother does. I'm waiting on Spectrum to finish RDOF for my area, they will be deploying EPON based FTTH. Their ONTs give you a 10Gbps Ethernet port, which will pair well with my XG-1541. FS.com makes EPON and GPON ONT SFP modules that you can ssh into and configure the serial number and other parameters and will take an SC APC fiber connector, generally used by these ONT units, but if Spectrum's ONT has a 10G port and just acts as a layer 2 uplink only, I probably won't bother. It definitely is neat though plugging an SFP module directly into your pfSense box.

                              D 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • D
                                DominikHoffmann @GTAXL
                                last edited by

                                @gtaxl: I thought Spectrum was a cable company…

                                GTAXLG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • GTAXLG
                                  GTAXL @DominikHoffmann
                                  last edited by

                                  @dominikhoffmann They are, but for new deployments they use FTTH including their RDOF (Rural Digital Opportunity Fund) deployments. In some areas it will start out as RFoG in other areas they are using EPON. RFoG areas will eventually be upgraded to full EPON. EPON they will give you the Spectrum SONU unit, which is an EPON ONT with a 10G Ethernet port. Upload will be limited to 500Mbps until they change their minds on that.

                                  keyserK 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                  • keyserK
                                    keyser Rebel Alliance @GTAXL
                                    last edited by

                                    @gtaxl I’m using the before mentioned fs.com ONT SFP pluggable in my SG-2100 i france, and it works like a charm. That ONT, can link at both 1Gbe and 2.5Gbe at the SFP side - and it works automatically at 1Gbe in the SG-2100 (which is 1Gbe only).

                                    I have actually tried a wide range of different SFP’s in my SG-2100 (and SG-6100), and both are quite forgiving. Almost anything that can link at 1Gbe will work in them.

                                    However, the SG-6100 does not allow 2.5Gbe SFP link speeds - seems it SFP 1Gbe/SFP+ 10Gbe link only.
                                    Also: it does not like SFP/SFP+ to RJ45 pluggables unless they still emulate being a SX/LX Tranciever.

                                    Love the no fuss of using the official appliances :-)

                                    M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                    • M
                                      mrsunfire @keyser
                                      last edited by mrsunfire

                                      @keyser Got the Ubiquiti UF-GP-B+ which should be 2.5G speed. Was working in my 6100. Couldn't provision it by my ISP because I can't access the module to find out it's modem ID that my ISP needs.

                                      Screenshot 2023-01-06 114539.jpg

                                      Netgate 6100 MAX

                                      keyserK 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                      • keyserK
                                        keyser Rebel Alliance @mrsunfire
                                        last edited by

                                        @mrsunfire Good to know, but I assume it was set to 1Gbe on the pfSense side, or was this actually a unit that could link @ 2.5Gbit?

                                        Love the no fuss of using the official appliances :-)

                                        M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • M
                                          mrsunfire @keyser
                                          last edited by

                                          @keyser It's by default on 1G I think. But it's a OLT not a ONT so it's useless. I go for the FS.com module.

                                          Netgate 6100 MAX

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • D
                                            DominikHoffmann @GTAXL
                                            last edited by

                                            @gtaxl: I have a couple of pictures of the module now. There was no time to mess with plugging it into the SG-2100 directly.

                                            Here are the pictures:

                                            IMG_1970.png
                                            IMG_1971.png

                                            The unit is a Nokia XGS-PON I-temp 1270 TX. I am trying to find specs on it, but haven’t had much luck. One of Nokia’s white papers says that an XGS-PON is a “10-gigabit-capable symmetric passive optical network.”

                                            So, is the AT&T fiber coming in pulsing at 10 Gbit/s, but throughput is throttled at the CO or somewhere else, or is that module compatible with multiples speeds.

                                            GTAXLG AndyRHA 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
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