Network Switch with Optical Input

[Axiom05]

Can someone point me to a network switch that accepts an optical connection as well as std gigabit ethernet connections? Does something like this exist or will have to use a converter and an ethernet connection instead? Thanks.

[ericuco]

Media Converters | Gigabit Unmanaged

[occamsrazor]

Netgear GS110TP. You will need to buy the Optical modules separately, but 3rd party ones can be had pretty cheap.

[jabbr]

The "Optical Network" thread discusses this extensively. All SFP based switches can be loaded with SFP modules that support either fiber optic and copper Ethernet ... at least up to 10gigabit. You pick a module that supports single mode fiber, multi mode fiber or copper. SFP goes up to 1g. SFP+ goes up to 10g.

 

Copper 10Gb Ethernet requires too much power to use an SFP+ module. How many ports do you want, requirements etc. ... many many many switches that will do this.

 

 

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[Axiom05]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

 

Here is what I am looking to do: At the moment I have a NUC in my listening room connected to our home network via ethernet and a MoCA network adapter. I have my music stored on an internal HDD on the NUC but I am thinking about moving to a NAS in the future and I want the NAS in a closet in the listening room. I will need a network switch in the listening room to connect both the NAS and the NUC, so I really only need a 4-port switch. I want to run FO from the MoCA network adapter end to the switch to isolate the NAS and NUC from the home network "noise."

[Axiom05]

Is there any advantage to using a TP-link 220 plus SFP module vs a TP-link 200 that already has multimode included? Cost is higher with the 220/SFP.

[Albrecht]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

 

Here is what I am looking to do: At the moment I have a NUC in my listening room connected to our home network via ethernet and a MoCA network adapter. I have my music stored on an internal HDD on the NUC but I am thinking about moving to a NAS in the future and I want the NAS in a closet in the listening room. I will need a network switch in the listening room to connect both the NAS and the NUC, so I really only need a 4-port switch. I want to run FO from the MoCA network adapter end to the switch to isolate the NAS and NUC from the home network "noise."

 

Just setting up mine now. I was considering media converters with 1 fiber & 2 or 3 RJ45 GB Ethernet ports, and an 8 port switch with SFP modules: but decided to go with others here who assert that it's better to isolate out the fiber. So, I'm just going one to one and am considering isolating 1 of the ports on the NAS which has two Ethernet ports, by a direct Ethernet + MC + Fiber out of 1 port of the NAS. The QNAP NAS seems like the best NAS to go with because of its virtual switch feature.

 

Cheers,

[jabbr]

Is there any advantage to using a TP-link 220 plus SFP module vs a TP-link 200 that already has multimode included? Cost is higher with the 220/SFP.

 

More flexible. My original reason for using the 220 + SFP is that SFP modules are very cheap on eBay ... you also swap between single and multi mode, also I've standardized on the LC as opposed to SC connector.

[tboooe]

Is there any advantage to using a TP-link 220 plus SFP module vs a TP-link 200 that already has multimode included? Cost is higher with the 220/SFP.

The MC200CM would require a fiber optic cable with much larger terminations. BTW, the MC220L + SFP is actually cheaper (if you buy the SFP from ebay).

[jabbr]

Just setting up mine now. I was considering media converters with 1 fiber & 2 or 3 RJ45 GB Ethernet ports, and an 8 port switch with SFP modules: but decided to go with others here who assert that it's better to isolate out the fiber. So, I'm just going one to one and am considering isolating 1 of the ports on the NAS which has two Ethernet ports, by a direct Ethernet + MC + Fiber out of 1 port of the NAS. The QNAP NAS seems like the best NAS to go with because of its virtual switch feature.

 

Cheers,

 

A good way to isolate the copper from optical is to use an SFP switch (8 port) and optical SFPs ... then use FMCs to connect the copper connections. If you have many copper connections you can always use both an optical and copper switch and connect the two with an FMC.

[tboooe]

A good way to isolate the copper from optical is to use an SFP switch (8 port) and optical SFPs ... then use FMCs to connect the copper connections. If you have many copper connections you can always use both an optical and copper switch and connect the two with an FMC.

 

As my music network is very simple I think I can get away without a switch. Here is my network:

 

Wireless bridge >> Control PC >> Audio PC

>> = wired connection

 

With this configuration I plan on getting 4 FMCs, 2 fiber cables, and 4 1ft cat6 ethernet cables. For now, I will power with FMCs with Jameco linear wall wart power supplies. If this set up sounds good I will look into using batteries or LPS to power the FMC.

[jabbr]

I started that way.

 

Now my network:

Fiber from street to SC connection to ISP media converter to 1g Ethernet to copper switch that concentrates 1g Ethernet to 10g uplink to my main fiber switch.

 

Main fiber switch distributes 10g/1g Ethernet to house including a 1g SFP switch that is LPS and switches my music network. Including a direct fiber connection to my NAA.

 

My fiber optic NIC (Intel x520) also allows iSCSI boot so my NAA has no disc drive if any sort.

 

In any case there are many ways to do things and many that give great results. You can start with two FMCs and grow any way you like.

[Audio_ELF]

Is there any advantage to using a TP-link 220 plus SFP module vs a TP-link 200 that already has multimode included? Cost is higher with the 220/SFP.

One thing, its usually best to have identical SFP modules at each end - so a pair of TP-Link MC200 would be fine, but if you have a switch with built in SFP module best to use a TP-Link MC220 plus a SFP module. This is for reliability and compatibility rather than any "sound quality" issues.

 

For isolation purposes the best arrangement is a single media converter connected directly to your HiFi PC (or streamer). If you add a switch the the HiFi end then you are undoing any isolation.

[tboooe]

 

For isolation purposes the best arrangement is a single media converter connected directly to your HiFi PC (or streamer). If you add a switch the the HiFi end then you are undoing any isolation.

 

Can you please explain this a bit more? Why would adding a switch undo any isolation?

[Axiom05]

The MC200CM would require a fiber optic cable with much larger terminations. BTW, the MC220L + SFP is actually cheaper (if you buy the SFP from ebay).

 

Am I correct in assuming that everyone prefers LC to LC connections because of the smaller termination?

[Albrecht]

One thing, its usually best to have identical SFP modules at each end - so a pair of TP-Link MC200 would be fine, but if you have a switch with built in SFP module best to use a TP-Link MC220 plus a SFP module. This is for reliability and compatibility rather than any "sound quality" issues.

 

For isolation purposes the best arrangement is a single media converter connected directly to your HiFi PC (or streamer). If you add a switch the the HiFi end then you are undoing any isolation.

 

Yes, - this makes really good sense to me, and I'm glad that posts like this swayed me from buying some expensive multi-port MCs as one really only needs fiber for the NAA or audio computer. The AppleTV doesn't even have a gigabit NIC...

[Albrecht]

Am I correct in assuming that everyone prefers LC to LC connections because of the smaller termination?

 

No. What's wrong with SC? Running two TP-Link MC200cms is the cheapest I've seen...

[Axiom05]

No. What's wrong with SC? Running two TP-Link MC200cms is the cheapest I've seen...

 

Can't imagine there is anything negative about the SC connector as they seem to be fairly standard. I was just wondering if there is any advantage to the LC connector due to its smaller size. For me, now is the time to decide as I have not invested in any components yet but I am leaning towards the MC200 route as I have not found the "cheap" SFP modules on ebay yet but I only did a quick look.

[tboooe]

Can't imagine there is anything negative about the SC connector as they seem to be fairly standard. I was just wondering if there is any advantage to the LC connector due to its smaller size. For me, now is the time to decide as I have not invested in any components yet but I am leaning towards the MC200 route as I have not found the "cheap" SFP modules on ebay yet but I only did a quick look.

Here is what I bought...$20 for 4.

 

Lot of 4 Genuine Cisco GLC SX mm 30 1301 02 SFP Mini GBIC Modules 1000Base SX | eBay

[Audio_ELF]

Can you please explain this a bit more? Why would adding a switch undo any isolation?

Well, as I read @Axiom05's suggestion he was saying run fibre from the main network to a "HiFi" switch where he would connect both the NAS and the player. Now if the reason for using fibre is to isolate noise from the NAS reaching the player, then if you connect both to a switch then you are not isolating them.

[tboooe]

Well, as I read @Axiom05's suggestion he was saying run fibre from the main network to a "HiFi" switch where he would connect both the NAS and the player. Now if the reason for using fibre is to isolate noise from the NAS reaching the player, then if you connect both to a switch then you are not isolating them.

Thank you for the reply. I am by no means an expert in networking but I thought using a fiber connection eliminates noise. If so it stands to reason that it wont matter having a switch???

[Axiom05]

Well, as I read @Axiom05's suggestion he was saying run fibre from the main network to a "HiFi" switch where he would connect both the NAS and the player. Now if the reason for using fibre is to isolate noise from the NAS reaching the player, then if you connect both to a switch then you are not isolating them.

 

I was more concerned about isolating my music system from the rest of the house network "noise." You are correct about any noise from the NAS and if this was a concern I could run another stretch of FO from switch to computer/music server. Unfortunately there will always be some copper and a device, i.e., adapter, between FO and computer unless the computer also has FO input.

[Albrecht]

Thank you for the reply. I am by no means an expert in networking but I thought using a fiber connection eliminates noise. If so it stands to reason that it wont matter having a switch???

 

 

(In the optical network configs thread) I thought that it may have been Jabbr, or Jabbr reporting on someone that moved from a combo switch & multiport MC to exclusive MC to MC with 1 fiber cable: as being more noisy. I would guess, (and please, don't hold me up as an expert), that it could be due to "collisions" in the switch(s).

[jabbr]

(In the optical network configs thread) I thought that it may have been Jabbr, or Jabbr reporting on someone that moved from a combo switch & multiport MC to exclusive MC to MC with 1 fiber cable: as being more noisy. I would guess, (and please, don't hold me up as an expert), that it could be due to "collisions" in the switch(s).

 

I'm not sure about that, a good switch doesn't have 'collisions' whereas some home routers are bandwidth limited.

 

I first tried a pair of FMCs, heard a significant improvement and have moved to a complete optical network. All of my music related machines have optical NICs (SFP+). My music switch has 8 SFP ports and is powered by LPS. I do have a 'legacy' copper network for things like IPMI and some legacy copper connections, also for our video 'TV' and this copper switch has a 10 fiber optic uplink to the main fiber switch.

 

... but music is distributed by fiber

 

 

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[mansr]

I'm not sure about that, a good switch doesn't have 'collisions' whereas some home routers are bandwidth limited.

 

Even the best of switches will have 'collisions' if the combined traffic destined for a certain port exceeds the capacity of that port. A decent switch will have a larger per-port queue allowing it to absorb short bursts of traffic. However, audio bandwidths are low enough that even a basic switch rarely struggles.