Optical Fiber, Splitter & Pfsense

[PHILOX24]

Hi all,

I'm coming to ask you some questions on optical fiber and PLC splitters.

I currently have two production sites. These two sites are connected by a black fiber, in simplex. At each end, there is a Pfsense (Supermicro 505-2).
The current configuration works perfectly. However, I want to create a PFsense cluster on each side, to create a FailOver.
Therefore, I have to connect the Wan of both Pfsenses to this fiber, on each sites.

I am thinking of using a PLC splitters to connect. But I do not know which type of SFP should I use? I am a little lost with all these references ...
Do you think this kind of architecture can work ? or do you have a better idea to interconnect this two clusters.

Between this two building, i just have two optical pairs.

Thanking you for your help :)

[NogBadTheBad]

Is there any sort of marking on the fibre ?

Is there any sort of marking on the sfp in pfsense ?

What is the distance between the two sites ?

https://www.fs.com/uk/c/plc-splitters-1017 << guessing this is what you mean by a PLC splitter, never come across then till you mentioned.

"Between this two building, i just have two optical pairs" 2 single core or 4 single core fibres ?

[PHILOX24]

Thanks NogBadTheBad for your answer.

On the fiber there is : Gl - CA438 - 00020 - 02 - 4 FO
For the moment i use 2 fsp bidi between the 2 pfsense in production. But i think i'll need to change them.

The distance between the two sites is less than 1Km. Like 500 ~ 600 meters.

Exactly, i have this splitter: https://www.fs.com/uk/products/11958.html

For the moment, i don't have any Pfsense cluster on the first building.
I would love to setup my failover on the second building first.

Here what i want to do. In green my optical fiber. In red, what i want to setup : https://www.noelshack.com/2019-41-2-1570539882-capture.png

Thank you for your help.

[NogBadTheBad]

@PHILOX24 said in Optical Fiber, Splitter & Pfsense:

The distance between the two sites is less than 1Km. Like 500 ~ 600 meters.

I wonder if there is any way to query the SFPs from pfSense to find the type then work out what the fibre is from that.

At 500 ~ 600 M I'd guess its single mode.

2 single core or 4 single core fibres between the buildings ?

[PHILOX24]

I have no idea if it's a single mode or not... I don't have this info.
It's a 4 single core fibres between the buildings.

Sadly i don't think it's possible to query the FSPs directly from the Pfsense.
I'll wait for the people to leave, then i'll check the specs of the SFPs to let you know !

Thank you so much for yor help.

[dotdash]

Maybe you could terminate the fiber on a switch with several sfp slots.

[PHILOX24]

@dotdash Yes, i can maybe do that. But i didn't wanted to add this kind of equipment. I'm looking for an other way to do it.

[JKnott]

@NogBadTheBad said in Optical Fiber, Splitter & Pfsense:

I wonder if there is any way to query the SFPs from pfSense to find the type then work out what the fibre is from that.

Just look at the sheath. The colour indicates the type. Also, there's the matter of wavelength. You need to use different wavelengths for each system. With a single fibre "simplex" connection you will need 2 wavelengths for each system. The splitters will have ports for each supported wavelength.

[JKnott]

@NogBadTheBad said in Optical Fiber, Splitter & Pfsense:

At 500 ~ 600 M I'd guess its single mode.

Not necessarily.

[PHILOX24]

@JKnott Thank you for your answer.

Here, a picture of the cable, and the sheath : https://www.noelshack.com/2019-41-2-1570545356-capture.png
So i guess it's a single mode.

What about the wavelength. it's mean i need 2 SPF with the same wavelength for one system, and 2 SPF with the wavelength, but different at the 2 first SPF ?
Sorry, i'm new in optical.

Thank you for your help.

[NogBadTheBad]

@dotdash said in Optical Fiber, Splitter & Pfsense:

Maybe you could terminate the fiber on a switch with several sfp slots.

I'm with you on this.

[JKnott]

@PHILOX24 said in Optical Fiber, Splitter & Pfsense:

@JKnott Thank you for your answer.

Here, a picture of the cable, and the sheath : https://www.noelshack.com/2019-41-2-1570545356-capture.png
So i guess it's a single mode.

It's hard to tell from that picture what it is. That looks like white or cream to me. Also, it appears a bit thick for fibre. That might be an out sheath, with individual fibres inside.

What about the wavelength. it's mean i need 2 SPF with the same wavelength for one system, and 2 SPF with the wavelength, but different at the 2 first SPF ?

With a single fibre, you have to get 2 different wavelengths for each system. So, for 2 systems, you'd need 4 different wavelengths. The SFP should list the wavelength. If you look up the part number, it should provide the details.

[NogBadTheBad]

@JKnott said in Optical Fiber, Splitter & Pfsense:

@NogBadTheBad said in Optical Fiber, Splitter & Pfsense:

I wonder if there is any way to query the SFPs from pfSense to find the type then work out what the fibre is from that.

Just look at the sheath. The colour indicates the type. Also, there's the matter of wavelength. You need to use different wavelengths for each system. With a single fibre "simplex" connection you will need 2 wavelengths for each system. The splitters will have ports for each supported wavelength.

Its between two buildings it wont look like a patch lead

[JKnott]

@NogBadTheBad said in Optical Fiber, Splitter & Pfsense:

@dotdash said in Optical Fiber, Splitter & Pfsense:

Maybe you could terminate the fiber on a switch with several sfp slots.

I'm with you on this.

You'd still need a splitter. The detectors used in the SFP are not wavelength selective, so you need a filter ahead of it, to separate the different systems. Filters have multiple connectors on them, for each wavelength supported.

[PHILOX24]

@JKnott Ok i'll check better tomorrow, to be sure.
One person in the company told me they ask for single mode. So i guess it's single mode. But i'll check.

When you said i need 2 different wavelengths by systems, it's mean i need 2 fibre by systems ?
Or it's mean i just need 2 SPF with different wavelenths by systems ?
I'm a bit confuse :/

Sorry to be stupid, can you explained it quiclky with a quick scheme ?
Thanks so much.

[JKnott]

@NogBadTheBad said in Optical Fiber, Splitter & Pfsense:

Its between two buildings it wont look like a patch lead

What point is he looking at the cable? In my experience, the telecom brings the fibre right to the filters, though in some cases there may be a separate patch panel elsewhere in the building with a patch cable to the filter. However, the cable in the picture he later provided, it appears he has a cable with multiple strands. The different colours designate the strands. He needs to determine the specs of that cable somehow. There's no way we can tell him that. Perhaps he can talk to whoever installed the cable or provides the service.

[JKnott]

@PHILOX24 said in Optical Fiber, Splitter & Pfsense:

@JKnott Ok i'll check better tomorrow, to be sure.
One person in the company told me they ask for single mode. So i guess it's single mode. But i'll check.

When you said i need 2 different wavelengths by systems, it's mean i need 2 fibre by systems ?
Or it's mean i just need 2 SPF with different wavelenths by systems ?
I'm a bit confuse :/

Sorry to be stupid, can you explained it quiclky with a quick scheme ?
Thanks so much.

With a single fibre, you need one wavelength for one direction and a different wavelength for the other. That's 2 for a single system. Multiply that by the number of systems for the total number of wavelengths. With 2 fibres, you'd generally use the same wavelength in each direction.

[NogBadTheBad]

If resiliency is your main issue and cost not an issue I'd use 2 switches per site in a stack and create a LAG across the two switches.

Are the 4 strands in the same sheath, if so 2 switches would be an overkill at each site.

[NogBadTheBad]

@JKnott said in Optical Fiber, Splitter & Pfsense:

@NogBadTheBad said in Optical Fiber, Splitter & Pfsense:

Its between two buildings it wont look like a patch lead

What point is he looking at the cable? In my experience, the telecom brings the fibre right to the filters, though in some cases there may be a separate patch panel elsewhere in the building with a patch cable to the filter. However, the cable in the picture he later provided, it appears he has a cable with multiple strands. The different colours designate the strands. He needs to determine the specs of that cable somehow. There's no way we can tell him that. Perhaps he can talk to whoever installed the cable or provides the service.

Thats why I suggested looking at the cable and sfp.

[NogBadTheBad]

@PHILOX24 said in Optical Fiber, Splitter & Pfsense:

@JKnott Thank you for your answer.

Here, a picture of the cable, and the sheath : https://www.noelshack.com/2019-41-2-1570545356-capture.png
So i guess it's a single mode.

What about the wavelength. it's mean i need 2 SPF with the same wavelength for one system, and 2 SPF with the wavelength, but different at the 2 first SPF ?
Sorry, i'm new in optical.

Thank you for your help.

BTW you can drag your screenshots into the message window, no need to host them somewhere :)