Discussion of Cisco Catalyst 2960 series switches and miscellaneous chatter about SFP modules (started with OT posts from EtherREGEN thread)

[soares]

4 hours ago, Afveep said:

Can the optical port on this Cisco switch be used to feed an OpticalRendu (while waiting for the EtherREGEN!)? I just received mine and did a reset. It works fine for copper, but does not connect to my Optical SignatureRenduSE with the SFP supplied by Sonore.  I know that the SFP works fine as it works in the Trendnet switch with optical port. I note that the Cisco spec says that the optical port is for "uplink"; I'm not network-savy so not sure if this means that it will only connect to other switches and routers or if it can be also be used to connect to a device as well in which case maybe my Cisco has a bad optical port?

From what I read around, it seems that the Cisco is only compatible with Cisco's SFP. Not sure also is the oRendu will connect to Cisco.

While I am waiting for  the Etherregen I also would like to try a fiber connection with the Cisco and My TPlink FMC, but I still need to know which SFP model I should buy.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks,

Jorge 

[soares]

2 hours ago, ericuco said:

I was a bit surprised when Superdad posted the information on this Cisco switch with the pending release of the etherREGEN.

 

In any case, I bit and purchased one since is was cheap to do so. I got the switch working in my system but didn't like what I was hearing so I removed. The center vocals seemed to smeared instead of focused.

 

I have been on the fiber optic bandwagon for several years now when this all was the rage here on the forum. Miska had come out with the HQP NAA setup which meant that you needed to include networking equipment to your music system so people started experimenting and fiber optics showed nice results.

 

For me, fiber optics makes good sense because you can don't have to worry (as much) about transmitting unwanted noise and my system always sounded better.

 

Currently, my music server has an Intel NIC with an SFP port so right off the bat, the signal coming out of my server is using fiber optics. It was very simple to install the NIC into my Linux server (built for me by Small Green Computer). If you have ever installed a card into a computer, that is all there is to it. Plus Ubuntu Studio (Linux) handles updates to the Intel card as part of routine system updates which is nice.

 

From the music server, the signal goes into a no-name Chinese switch (bought from AliExpress ... Asia's Amazon) that cost about $100. The switch has 8 SFP ports and 2 RJ-45 ports. Besides the music server, the switch also connects to the opticalModule as well as to my Google Wifi meshpoint with a TP Link MC220L converting the signal to optical. So, the switch only has 3 fiber optic connections and no RJ-45 connections meaning it is fairly isolated. The switch is powered by a quality linear power supply. Yes, I understand the issue with cheap clocks but ...

 

My advice is to go with fiber optics as much as possible. The cables for fiber optics are dirt cheap when compared to CAT 6, 6A, 7 cables plus they are much thinner and flexible so easier to route. There are a lot of used SFP modules available on ebay for cheap so just buy a batch of what works for you (I use Cisco modules). Install a fiber optic NIC in your server ... easy to do if you server allows cards to be added.

 

Personally, I like Linux and not sure why more people don't. Heck of a lot cheaper (Linux is free) with as good as if not better sound that a Win or Apple computer. With Ubuntu Studio, the GUI (graphical user interface) is easy to use for basic functions, very similar to Windows or Apple OS. From my understanding all of the Sonore units are running some form of Linux.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

On my system the Cisco was had really a positive impact over my 2 Tplink with fiber.

I've ordered 1 SFP to connect to the Cisco to 1 Tpling and will report my findings!

Cheers,

 

Jorge  

[soares]

16 hours ago, LewinskiH01 said:

 

Are these sonic improvements with the 2960 accomplished through optics, ethernet or both?

On my system it was a major improvement over 2 Tplinks connected over fiber.

With the Cisco I just tried the copper connection (Ethernet).

Will thy fiber this weekend if I receive the transceiver.

Jorge  

[soares]

On 6/20/2019 at 3:07 PM, LewinskiH01 said:

Tagged.

 

Jorge, 

To make sure I get it right: your tplink over fiber was better than a household switch over CAT cable, and the Cisco over CAT cable sounds better than the tplink over fiber. Is that right?

 

Horacio

Yes Horacio, but what I did not tried was the Cisco over a fiber connection (1 TPlink).

And from the tests I did today, I will never do.

It seems that the Tplink MC 200 just do 1000 and do not change the protocol to 10/100 the one that is used by my Cisco...

Need to further investigate, but from, what I read I am not too much optimistic.  

Wanting for the Etherregen...    

[soares]

On 6/22/2019 at 1:07 AM, McNulty said:

@soares : the SFP port of the Cisco is gigabit so should work with a gigabit SFP port of a TP Link, as long as compatible transceivers are used. I have the SFP port of the Cisco connected to the gigabit SFP port of a TP Link MC 220.

 

The 8 regular ethernet ports of the Cisco are 10/100. To be complete there is also one gigabit ethernet port next to the SFP port. 

 

Hi McNulty,

 

Following  several recommendations, I ordered the 2 following SFP transceivers from amazon:  

 

30-1301-01 Cisco Systems SFP GBIC Transceiver 1000Base-SX

SFP Transceiver Single-Mode Gigabit Mini-GBIC Module 1000BASE-LX/LH Compatible for Cisco GLC-LH-SMD (SMF, 1310nm, 10km, Dual LC DOM)

Despite all my efforts I was not able to have it working (resetting/changing the order of the fiber cables connected to the Cisco/using auto mode and force on the TPlink) . I am using an TP-Link MC200CM .

 

Kind regards,

 

Jorge

[soares]

1 hour ago, McNulty said:

@soares : I'm not an SFP specialist, but if I look at the specs of the TP Link MC200M it doesn't seem to accept 1310nm and is only compatible with 850nm, whereas the MC220L is compatible with both. My best guess is that's where the problem is.

I don't even know the meaning of nm... :-)

But thanks . Will probably get one used for the try. 

Do yo know by heart the references of your SPF transceivers?  

Best , Jorge

 

[soares]

10 hours ago, Ricardo007 said:

I bought also 2 WS-C2960-8TC-L switchs, on their way.

I guess for using SFP port it may be useful to take a look at you tube videos on how to configurate trunk ports and about router communication protocols like spanning tree protocol.

Hi Ricardo! I am a totally info excluded l, so I doubt I can do anything. In any case I am more than happy with the SQ improvements from my Cisco and I am  waiting for the Etherregen. Probably as Mcnulty hinted, I need to try the TP link mc220. Cheers Jorge

By the way I am curious to see if using 2 Cisco’s in série makes a difference:-)

[soares]

1 hour ago, McNulty said:

 

Hi @soares, I kindly refer to my post #16 in the Q&A topic elsewhere on this forum (see link below). For your situation I would either buy different transceivers and a different cable to work with the MC200L, or indeed buy a MC220, whatever is cheapest.

 

Oh Gosh... I am sorry McNulty

Thanks for being so patient... :-)

All the best,

Jorge

[soares]

36 minutes ago, jabbr said:

 

The first SFP you list above 1000Base-SX is multimode -- "SX" think "short" -> multimode

 

The second SFP you list above 1000Base-LX is singlemode - "LX" think "long" -> singlemode

 

These aren't compatible with eachother -- if you have a multimode cable (I use aqua for multimode) you need 2 1000Base-SX

if you have singlemode cable (I use yellow for singlemode) you need 2 1000Base-LX

 

You need the MC200L FMC assuming your cable is LC-LC.

 

If you are using the MC200CM its a multimode FMC which requires an SC-LC multimode cable. In that case use only the 1000Base-SX SFP on the Cisco end.

 

Now if you need to connect to an ancient 100m Ethernet device on the RJ-45 side, you need this FMC instead because the TP-link assumed you have gigabit on both sides:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Converter-SFP-Transceiver-20KM-ipolex/dp/B06XBZB7P7/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stvp?keywords=fmc%2B1000%2F100%2F10&pd_rd_i=B0719HS31P&pd_rd_r=9941dd75-5120-4632-8ec9-e4f44c170898&pd_rd_w=sUa31&pd_rd_wg=GV8gY&pf_rd_p=a6d018ad-f20b-46c9-8920-433972c7d9b7&pf_rd_r=7FJHCKEHJNXKH9M76FFV&qid=1561579007&s=electronics&th=1

Thanks for your input. 

I am not using the 2 SFP at the same time as my tplink 200 does not accept SFP. I ordered them because they were recomended to use with theCisco. So I tried them always with the Cisco. So I am using a SCLC cable. On my RJ 45 side I use my router that works with the tplink with problems. Cheers Jorge

[soares]

17 hours ago, jabbr said:

Ok, what is the exact cable you are using? 

2 Meter Multimode Duplex Fiber Optic Cable (62.5/125) - LC to SC - Orange

Tks,

 

Jorge

[soares]

After many different attempts with 4 different SFP, I finally got it working with the following equipment  :    

 

SFP

Cisco GLC-SX-MMD Compatible 1000BASE-SX SFP 850nm 550m DOM Transceiver Module

Link: https://www.fs.com/products/22138.html

 

FMC

Gigabit Ethernet Multi-Mode LC Fiber Media Converter (SFP SX Transceiver 

Included), up to 550M, 10/100/1000Base-Tx to 1000Base-SX

Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0716XT1QT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_fFLdDbT94VD0P

 

It's an nice improvement over copper!

 

Will also try this SFP with my tplink 200. 

 

On the past I got good results feeding my tplinks with a LPS1. Unfortunately mine is death but I   have a spare ipower 5 v. Will try and report back.

 

Thank you all,

 

Jorge   

[soares]

On 6/20/2019 at 8:07 PM, LewinskiH01 said:

Tagged.

 

Jorge, 

To make sure I get it right: your tplink over fiber was better than a household switch over CAT cable, and the Cisco over CAT cable sounds better than the tplink over fiber. Is that right?

 

Horacio

Sorry for this late reply. Yes Horácio! 😊