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    XG-1537 correct SFP connector

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    • D
      DraNick
      last edited by

      Hello,

      I have a pfSense Super Micro XG-1537 and I would like to connect the optical fiber cable directly to one of the SFP ports; I only have one optical fiber cable and I would like to know which SFP connector is the correct one for this scenario?

      Thank you in advance,

      Nick

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      • DerelictD
        Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
        last edited by

        I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you are asking. You need an SFP module that matches the type of fiber and the range, etc. You connect the fiber cable to that. You can use either of the ports (ix0 or ix1) if available.

        https://www.netgate.com/docs/pfsense/solutions/xg-1537/io-ports.html

        Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
        A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
        DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
        Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

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        • D
          DraNick
          last edited by

          My optical fiber cable doesn't have separate cables for TX/RX. From what I have seen, the connectors have 2 entries (one optical fiber cable for TX and one for RX). I am trying to determine which connector I should purchase so it has TX/RX on the same (one) optical fiber cable.

          Thank you.

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          • DerelictD
            Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
            last edited by

            There are ones that transmit and receive on different wavelengths over one fiber. You need to match whatever it will be connecting to.

            Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
            A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
            DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
            Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

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            • D
              DraNick
              last edited by

              Thank you for your answer. Without wanting or trying to sound ungrateful it doesn't help much.
              My question was quite specific: does pfSense recommend, for this specific scenario and for the type of router I have, a connector or should I go purchase several, that match the optical fiber cable length, and see which one works? :)

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              • DerelictD
                Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                last edited by

                You have to match what the other side is expecting. It is as simple as that. Get together with the other side and decide how you are going to connect with each other. Get the proper gear to make that happen.

                Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
                A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
                DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
                Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

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                • T
                  tman222
                  last edited by

                  Without knowing more specifics about your networking environment and intended use case, it's difficult to answer this question in great detail.

                  Having said that, it sounds like you might have a single mode fiber cable where data is both transmitted and received over the same cable (albeit at different wavelengths). If that's the case you'll want a SFP+ connector similar to this:

                  https://www.fs.com/c/bidi-sfp-plus-64

                  If you're planning on just using SFP in the SFP+ slots, keep in mind that it while this may work fine, it's not guaranteed. In that case, you're looking at something like this instead:

                  https://www.fs.com/c/bidi-sfp-89

                  In either case, you'll need to know what the other side is using to make sure you buy the right connector for your end. Since both RX and TX data go over the same fiber cable, when one side transmits at wavelength A (TX), the other side receives at wavelength A (RX).

                  Now if you're not set on single mode fiber, you can also go multimode fiber which is generally cheaper, especially if you are just planning on running fiber over short distances. For example these would probably work fine in the XG-1537 SFP+ ports:

                  https://www.fs.com/c/intel-10g-sfp-plus-1345

                  Just make sure you get the right multimode transceiver for the other side (depending on what device it is), and the proper cabling to connect the devices together, e.g:

                  https://www.fs.com/c/om3-10gb-50-125-multimode-1324

                  Hope this helps.

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                  • D
                    DraNick
                    last edited by

                    It helps a lot!

                    Finally a proper answer :)

                    Thank you very much!

                    Best,

                    Nick

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