Safety of using SFP Transceivers
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Thanks, note that my main problem always have been noise!!!
I own a very capable Mikrotik CRS317 switch, but with a IHMO disgusting thermal design. Noisy fans really cooling nothing and and SFP+ cases without heat sinks. I did replace the fans with Noctua fans, does not help enough. And later on using a big Noctua fan in the lid of the case (that helps).
It was not the CPU which did ramp up the fans, it where SFP+ to RJ45 modules!
With as additional issue that the fans air stream can not cool those modules at all !At this moment, I am not using the CRS317 with as main reason 'noise' .
(I am using a less capable but good completely silent TP-link SX3008F at the moment)However for certain connections where fiber is no option, I will perhaps use SFP+ to RJ45 modules yes or no in combination with the CRS in the future, however only if that is possible without fan noise!
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@louis2 said in Safety of using SFP Transceivers:
At this moment, I am not using the CRS317 with as main reason 'noise'
It's a bit off topic but: I'm very, very picky about noise, everything in my office is fanless.
I do use a CRS309 (and a UniFi USW-Aggregation), that is only 8 ports but for the price of the CRS317 (I also got one but too loud with RJ45 adapters) you can get two CRS309 :). 3 of the eight ports are with 10G RJ45 adapters.Your TP-Link looks good too (and cheaper), are you happy with it?
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Another option would be to go with a SFP+ to RJ45 media converter, e.g. something like this perhaps:
https://www.fs.com/products/101476.html?now_cid=1038
Uses a bit more power than just a SFP+ to RJ45 transceiver, but heat wouldn't be an issue.
I have used lower power SFP+ to RJ45 transceivers as well (if I recall correctly power consumption was around 1.8 watts or so) and never felt like they got excessively hot during operation.
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@louis2 I know how you feel. I have the same pickyness/sensitivity for noise and everything is completely fanless with me because of it.
The only thing that does have fans are my Arube CX-6100 switch (replaced with noctua fans).
For the very same reason I’m using fiber and DAC cables for 10Gbe interlinking, but if you have no SFP+ ports and only 10Gbe RJ45 on the other end, then I get your problem.It might not be the temperature of the SFP+ module that causes the fans to spin like crazy - just as often it’s because its not a 100% supported SFP+ module by the switch (where it can’t read the operating parameters of the module). Just so you know….
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Yep! Very happy!
However only eight ports. -
I did pull fiber optic to my servers and to my room and migrated all 10G in my "server room to fiber" as well. And placed a 2.5G main switch next to my 10G switch (Zyxel XMG1915-10E) in favor of less important connections. That setup is silent
Also a home build pfSense version in there using a near silent PC-setup.
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Ended up going with a mediaconverter as the temp solution. Stumbled on a shop locally that was selling them with a warranty and 30 day return window. Was hesitant on them given what most people say about them but the return window at least gives me time to decide.
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@stephenw10 I was, my biggest concern was the transceiver burning out the 10g SFP port on the pfsense box. The 6100 was a bit of a splurge to future proof for 10g and worried about anything that might reduce the lifespan.
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Hmm, well I've not heard of that happening on a 6100. But I couldn't vouch for all transceivers.
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We use lots of different 10G SFP+ at work. They do certainly vary, but rarely have over heating issues as long as they are in a high end switch/router such as Juniper, Cisco, etc.
We did have quite bad over-heating issues in a TP-Link SX3008 switch. The problem was the SFP cages, so we modified the switch adding cheap self-adhesive heatsinks. Attached pictures show the main board before & after. Approx 20degC SFP temperature reduction.
