Transition Networks Fiber Gigabit Ethernet Card N-GXE-LC10-01
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Has anyone had any experience with the Transition Networks Fiber Gigabit Ethernet Network Interface Card model number N-GXE-LC10-01. I have been search all over the last few weeks for a good low cost fiber Ethernet card and I came across a pair of these. I search the web and found the site for them but didn't FreeBSD see in the compatibility listing. It does say Linux is support but FreeBSD is based on UNIX. I hoping someone here has some experience with these cards and can let me know if they work of if possible, if someone could research this site for me and see what they can dig up since I am new to BSD.
http://www.transition.com/TransitionNetworks/Products2/Family.aspx?Name=N-GXE-xx-01
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The chip must be supported otherwise like on all other systems it will not work.
I hoping someone here has some experience with these cards and can let me know if they work of if possible, if someone could research this site for me and see what they can dig up since I am new to BSD.
Do a fresh install of FreeBSD and let us know if this card gets recognized.
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I will do just that. These cards should be in in a few days and I will post what happens. I am assuming that the since cards support Linux that there is potential that these cards may actually support BSD but just has never been tested by transition networks.
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So, I received the cards in and installed them into both my Server 2012 box and my pfsense box. Both installation booted up fine and installed the required drivers and in pfsense, I was able to assign an interface and such. My next issue concerning these cards and it happened for both is that when I connected the fiber cable to each other the cards, the lights turned solid on the cards and on my switch, the lights never turned on. Now, I am not very experienced with fiber optic internet and my limited understanding may be to blame here. So, that in mind, what I am trying to connect these two via fiber cable is the combo ports on my TP-Link TL-SG2424 switch. It has 4 combo ports and I acquired TP link branded SFP GBIC adapters and made sure the corresponding RJ45 ports for the combo ports are empty. Again, when plugging the fiber cords into the switch then into the fiber cards in either machines results in the activity lights on the cards turning solid and the activity lights on the switch staying off. Any clue as to why this is? can the combo ports be used in this manner since after all, I am trying to provide internet to the switch via one of these fiber cards.
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Hello back,
fine to hear from your that this card will be recognized by pfSense, but now you have to
find out what kind of card you exactly own! There are 4 different models on the market!This are the 4 different models:
N-GXE-SC-01
1000BASE-SX 850nm multimode (SC)
[50/125 μm fiber: 550 m/1804 ft.]
[62.5/125 μm fiber: 220 m/722 ft.]
Link Budget: 7.5 dB
N-GXE-LC-01
1000BASE-SX 850nm multimode (LC)
[50/125 μm fiber: 550 m/1804 ft.]
[62.5/125 μm fiber: 220 m/722 ft.]
Link Budget: 7.5 dB
N-GXE-SC10-01
1000BASE-LX 1310nm single mode (SC)
[10 km/6.2 mi.] Link Budget: 10.5 dB
N-GXE-LC10-01
1000BASE-LX 1550nm single mode (LC)
[10 km/6.2 mi.] Link Budget: 11.5 dBAnd now after you where sure witch card you exactly got, you must find out the standard this
card is matching right. In your entry post you wrote you got this model N-GXE-LC10-01
from all 4 available cards.This is then the following standard you need supported on both ends!!!! Not only at one end
of the line, both ends must matching the same standard regulations and fiber cable specifications.N-GXE-LC10-01
1000BASE-LX 1550nm single mode (LC)
[10 km/6.2 mi.] Link Budget: 11.5 dBThis card is using the Base-LX standard
That means you need a single mode fiber cable with 1550 nm with a (LC) jackThe fiber cable must matching the following criterias:
1000BASE-LX 1550nm single mode (LC) maximum 10 Kilometers / Minimum 2 MetersAnd now you must get a corresponding device at the other side! That means you need a SFP
transceiver that is matching the 1000Base-LX Standard with 1550 nm wavelength too and a
Switch that is able to host this SFP transceiver also and as I see it right this would not be your
TP-Link TL-SG2424 Switch. -
Damn. I am striking out all over the place with the fiber business.lol For my switch, I have two types of GBIC's at my disposal; TL-SM311LM and V23818-M305-857. Both of these types plug in and will light up with activity if I connect cable between any two of them while inserting in my switch. Now my question would be which card would be right to use; N-GXE-LC-01 since it is 850nm? Thank you by the way. You guys are actually teaching me quite a bit right now.
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TL-SM311LM = 1000Base-SX 850nm MM 50/125µm or 62,5/125µm Multimode 1 GBit/s LC/LC
V23818-M305-857 = 1000Base-SX 850nm MM 50/125 µm 1 GBit/s LC/LCBoth are using the SX Standard and MultiMode fiber over a wave length from 850 newton meter
and LC jacks on both ends of the fiber cable.But your actual fiber NIC is using the LX standard!!!
Now my question would be which card would be right to use; N-GXE-LC-01 since it is 850nm?
Not only there fore, but while they are using the same standard! 1000Base-SX
N-GXE-LC-01
1000BASE-SX 850nm multimode (LC)
[50/125 μm fiber: 550 m/1804 ft.]
[62.5/125 μm fiber: 220 m/722 ft.]
Link Budget: 7.5 dBIn Your case I would be going well with the following combination.
TL-SM311LM
N-GXE-LC-01Multimode Fiber Cable with wave length of 850nm and 50/125 μm LC/LC OM2
The SFP tranceiver and this fiber card are needing LC jacks on both ends
This is for a total length of 550 meters serving 1 GBit/sIf you are using the same cable but with a 62.5/125 μm it will be serving 1 GBit/s
over 220 meters. -
Have you checked to see that you have the TX side of the SFP in the switch connected to the RX side of the card, and vice versa? Unlike copper ports, which in most modern switches are auto-uplink, with fiber you must make sure TX is connected to RX and not TX to TX, RX to RX.
Your switch is a managed switch. Have you logged into the management interface of your switch and checked the port configuration and status?