Finisar SFP+ Modules for Audio Grade Network Switch (Group Buy for Audiophilestyle.com)

[GryphonGuy]

 

This is a problem for readers/followers of a particular subject matter when people acting as though they are an oracle on a subject have no practical understanding behind their own words.

[GryphonGuy]

Spot-on Superdad!

 

His Aruba JL683A switch is 10Gbe capable so when the 1Gbe link goes down (the SOTM) the Aruba is probably resetting the speed on that port to 10Gbe and the SOTM does not appear to perform speed auto-negotiation.

So if he logs into his Aruba JL683A switch and manages that fibre port to be 1Gbe max (I don't know if that is even possible) then it should overcome the need to replug the SOTM after its reboot. Otherwise simply going back to 1Gbe fibre transceivers should also "fix" the reboot problem.

[GryphonGuy]

The snh-10g switch seems to be sensitive to SFP+ transceivers in my system at least. I have to power down the switch and leave it off for some minutes then swap the transceivers before turning it back on with the LEDs turned on (Switch up). Hot swapping has never worked for me on the SOtM even though other switch brands have no problems with hot swapping.

 

If you have always turned the device off before taking out and reinserting the SFP+ modules, I have no other clue. Sorry.

 

Regards

GG

[GryphonGuy]

3 hours ago, R1200CL said:

That won’t work unless you force SOtM into 1GB, or put a 1GB SFP into the SOtM. 

 

The SOtM has two SFP ports (1Gb/s each) and the EtherREGENs also have 1Gb/s optical ports, so no forcing necessary and is not even possible.

 

 

8 hours ago, lxgreen said:

I just tried this, turning off ER and SOTM for several minutes, then replacing Finisar SPF+ in both, then turning on. Still no communication. Is your SOTM switch connected to an EtherRegen? Which optical cable fo you have?  If so, I agree, this should be working. I hope someone else with this configuration can give me done guidance. Thanks in advance for any help with this.

 

Yes I do have 2 EtherREGENs attached, but they are connected by copper. The fibre connection is back to my main switch. I'll try to find time to test one of the EtherREGENs on the last remaining SFP port on the sNH-10G and get back to this post.

 

FYI, I found the Finisars to be quite coloured in my system. So I use the cheaper FS.COM transceivers (1310nm wavelength) and OS2 fibre (single-mode). It all works exceedingly well for me at least and provides the transparency I crave.

 

Also FYI I find I need the EtherREGENs in addition to the SOtM. The SOtM broadens the tonal range and dynamics of the signal but to my ears delivers it with a slight harshness (perhaps distortion) in the high notes. The EtherREGENs bring a sophistication and smoothness to the dynamically broadened soundstage. If I'm honest, I have lost a bit of depth with this configuration so I have ordered some external clocks to synchronise all these boxes in the hope that the loss of depth (typically a timing issue) will be eliminated or reduced to undetectable levels. 

 

Regards

GG

[GryphonGuy]

3 hours ago, lxgreen said:

Thanks but don’t think I know how to force the SOTM into 1 Gb. However, as a last attempt I just hot swapped the Sfp+ Finisar transceivers after removing the multi mode tp-link transceivers I had and voila, music. No clue what I did but the Finisar single mode tranceiver with the Commscope cable is working. It would be nice to know what I did to make it work because I certainly won’t try trouble shooting for hours if I have to turn off switch or make cable changes. I tried following all your comments @R1200CL in your previous posts but I thought maybe I bought the wrong cable or sfP+ transceivers.

 

Hmmm. I think it is a pressure issue. The transceivers need to be pushed quite hard into the SFP cages on the SOtM and EtherREGENs. So if you are being gentle, there is a definite firm resistance at the end of the slide into the cage as the pins on the transceiver meet the circuit board. At this point the insertion is NOT finished, so an extra little push harder is met with a satisfying short and resistive slide and a very solid stop of the transceiver reaching the plugged-in stage. Also make sure the locking mechanism on the cable itself is firmly locked on (since you have the LC or locking connectors).

 

The correct way of pulling out the transceivers is to unlock and remove the cables from the transceiver, swing the locking bar on the transceiver down so it becomes a handle and pull the handle and the transceiver comes out easily. Like wise, before inserting, I lock the cable into the transceiver and slide the assembly into the cage with fingers on the side. If you are uncomfortable on my insert routine, you can of course push the transceiver in without the cable attached. I have a crowded switch and big fingers so I find attaching the cable after inserting the transceiver to be a little difficult.
 

Regards

GG

[GryphonGuy]

I havr the Finisar FTLX1475D3BTL in my SOtM sNH-10G switch running at 1Gb/s no worries at all. I use the yellow jacketed single mode fibre. Also make sure the transceiver is clicked in ALL THE WAY. push hard as it may feel like the end of travel for the gentleman but firmly inserted and with single-mode fibre they work just fine.

 

Make sure you have your LED lights turned on (power switch on sNH-10G in the up position) and check that there is a connection LED on the far right of the front panel and that the associated data activity LED is blinking.

[GryphonGuy]

1 hour ago, audiophilac said:

What happens after you power cycle/reboot the switch?

is there any impact to network connectivity?

 

The simple answer is the switch powers off and back on again. There is an impact to network connectivity whilst the switch is off and whilst it reboots.

 

In my particular network, I run a 10Gb/s main switch with the port connected to the SOtM manually set to 1Gb/s. So when the SOtM switch comes up fully, I hot-swap the Finisar FTLX1475D3BTL in the SOtM switch and the 1Gb/s link comes up, like it has to handshake again at the 1Gb/s speed. The fibre link from SOtM to my main switch does not come up by itself. Hot-swap in this context means I withdraw the transceiver whilst the SOtM switch is powered on (by removing the cable then the transceiver itself and reassembling the cable into the transceiver and reinserting the entire assembly into the SOtM SFP port.

 

Perhaps this is something @Blakecould try this as well on both the SOtM switches.

 

My network is up 24/7 on battery backup so this hot-swap event is a rarity for me.

[GryphonGuy]

Digital transmissions are in fact all analogue facsimiles of digital. Hence why so much variation is heard in audio signal transmissions even in the "digital" realm.