Hi I have been having a heck of a time finding an SFP+ to rj45 module that works in my network. I found your website via recommendations by users in forums. Perhaps you can help me purchase the right gear?
Over the last couple years I have watched Tom’s videos and then decided to get out the wallet for my home lab. I was running DAC just fine between the XCP-NG server on a Dell R710 and my Supermicro FreeNAS box. Both servers are next t each other so that was great, direct attach no switch needed. Then I tried a rj45 module in the chelsio card that I have in FreeNAS, no carrier. So I decided I would get a switch, in the hopes it would give the boost of power needed for SFP+ to RJ45… so far no dice. Migrating my network with Tom has not worked out as well as I had hoped. Any advice is much welcome, I tried to put as much info as I can in ths post… Hopefully it is not too rambley.
The switch is a Mikrotik CRS305-1G-4S+IN
There are three NICs I need to communicate with
2x Chelsio 10GB 2-Port PCI-e OPT Adapter Card 110-1088-30 (2 SFP+ ports)
1x Aquantia AQC107 which is an onboard NIC for the ASRock x470 Taichi Ultimate x470 Motherboard
I also have DAC Cables 2m and 1m I am using 10G SFP+ DAC Cable - 10GBASE-CU Passive Direct Attach Copper Twinax SFP Cable for Cisco SFP-H10GB-CU2M, Ubiquiti, D-link, Supermicro, Netgear, Mikrotik, Open Switch Devices,
These DAC cables work with the switch and can ping the dell R710 host and the Supermicro FreeNAS host. I can not ping a host connected to the same switch with a SFP+ to rj45 adapter.
I have tried the following modules:
10gtek
SFP+ to RJ45 Copper Module - 10GBase-T Transceiver for Cisco SFP-10G-T-S, Ubiquiti UF-RJ45-10G, Netgear, D-Link, Supermicro, TP-Link, Broadcom, Linksys, up to 30m
ipolex
10G SFP+ RJ45 Copper Transceiver, 10GBase-T Module for Cisco SFP-10G-T-S, Ubiquiti, D- Link, Supermicro, Netgear, Mikrotik (Cat6a/7, 30-Meter)
and
fibay
10G SFP+ to RJ45 for Cisco SFP-10G-T Netgear AXM765 Mikrotik Finisar 10GBase-T SFP+ Transceiver Module Copper, Cat6a/7, 30M
I can get a DHCP lease on these but they will not ping out to anything else on the switch.
Ideally I would direct attach without the switch but (inform me if I am incorrect) these old Chelsio NICs do not have compatiable SFP+ to rj45 modules because the card does not supply enough power.
To connect the RJ-45 runs I have flexboot cat6 cables from monoprice, they are only 5 foot runs while I am testing.
I have cat6 but the run is too long and jumpers through a cat6 patch panel and two wall jacks to get from NAS to Workstation which is too much for 10gbe plus the run is approx 60 meters.
The run will be approx 55-60 meters and I will upgrade that run to cat6a or cat 7 depending on your recommendation. I could also go fiber if that works better?
I can put a 10GBe card in my workstation with SFP+. The supermicro has all it’s PCIE slots taken so I only have the option of replacing the chelsio card with something else like an intel x540-T2.
The switch can be part of the mix or taken out and just direct attach SFP+ or 10Gbase-T cables. All the runs are short the problem comes in with the workstation being about 200 feet away.