How to connect the Fiber Internet link to MX84

[SCC]

Hi All,

As you know that MX84 has only GbE (Gigbit Ethernet) WAN1 and WAN2 ports. But I have the Fiber uplink from ISP for the Internet connection, how can i use the fiber uplink to the MX84 which has only as only GbE (Gigbit Ethernet) WAN1 and WAN2 ports only.

Thanks

[Nick]

Hello

Will your ISP provide you a Base-T connection? You could use an SFP to Base-T transceiver so the connection through to the MX is Base-T

As an example this little number

[SCC]

Hi Nick,

MX84 does not have the Fiber Port for WAN. This SFP will only work when you have the SFP port and you want to use the Copper Link (RJ-45) to the SFP Port, then you have to use this Base T.

Sorry this will not work in my case. I will be getting the Multimode Fiber uplink (LC-LC) from my ISP for the Internet link.

Hope this help to clarify more.

[Nick]

Hi SCC,

Are you sure? 

We have used an SFP to RJ-45 adapter in a similar fashion break out of a Cisco router into the back of an MX64 when we're separating out of the ISP's EDD.

Perhaps the model linked requires SFP at both end but you can turn SFP to Base-T

[SCC]

Hi Nick,

This is how my ISP link looks like, Now advice how can i connect this using the Base T connector.

k looks like.

[BrechtSchamp]

See this topic.

https://community.meraki.com/t5/Security-SD-WAN/MX84-Internet-ports-GbE-SFP-option/td-p/5499

[SCC]

So the option i have is :-

1) use some kind of media convertor which will convert my fiber link to Ethernet and use that to connect to the WAN port on MX84

2) Or  as mentioned in the URL you have shared ... Put the SFP LAN port and a copper LAN port into a separate dedicated VLAN. Plug in your fibre SFP circuit. Then run a copy patch lead from the other port n the VLAN back to your WAN port. Will this work ? I have no idea.

Which one would be easy and simple to use.

[BrechtSchamp]

Someone here is using the MX itself as medium converter, but the setup is a little dirty. It's basically that what @PhilipDAth describes in the topic I mentioned above:

https://github.com/swiatecki/Networking/blob/master/MX84Fiber/MX84FiberUplink.md

Simplest would be a medium converter.

[SCC]

This setup does not look good. Atleast better to use the some kind of Media converter and connect the Internet link directly to the WAN port. There should be a one Fiber Internet link option. Now a days its very common to get the Fiber link and using MX250 is very expensive.

[SCC]

https://www.fs.com/au/products/35333.html

Will this work? so that i can connect the Fiber link to the FX link on this Media convertor and connect the RJ-45 cable from this media convertor to the RJ-45 WAN port on MX84

[SCC]

I hope this can solve this issue.

Mini Gigabit Ethernet Media Converter, 1x 10/100/1000Base-T RJ45 to 1x 1000Base-X SFP Slot, AC 100V~240V
https://www.fs.com/au/products/35333.html

1000BASE-SX SFP 850nm 550m DOM Transceiver Module (Multimode Transceiver)
https://www.fs.com/au/products/29838.html

With this one - You can do Multi Mode over 600m or Single mode over 2 km
https://www.fs.com/au/products/29848.html

[BrechtSchamp]

That should work. Multimode uses 850nm light normally. Best to check with your ISP what wavelength they're using and make sure that it is indeed multimode.

If the link is long they would normally go for single mode rather than multimode. The basic rule of thumb is multimode within buildings and single mode in between buildings.

[Nick]

Ah I see SCC sorry for the confusion you get a tail off as an LC cable. Whats the connection on the ISP box? Could you adapt it from there?

[Duran]

I know this is ugly but this is what I am going to be forced to do. You should try an avoid the media converters, they tend to be the weak link in your network, even if you get one that can be monitored.

https://github.com/swiatecki/Networking/blob/master/MX84Fiber/MX84FiberUplink.md

[Granthanimal]

Hi All,

I would like to see if this works for my current environment.

Our uplink is a fiber access port ran from an ms225 to an mx84 tagged with vlan80. The fiber run plugs in to port 11 via SFP, this port is assigned as an access port tagged with vlan80. 

So do I need to assign vlan 80 to both the sfp port 11 and baset port as access ports?

Or do I bring in vlan 80 as a trunk port on 11 then set up the baset port that connects to wan1 as an access port?

Any assistance is appreciated.

Update: I was able to figure this out & it does work, thanks for the solution.

[kordm · Accepted solution]

I'd use a media converter like a TP-Link MC220L, or a spare L2 switch if you have one lying around.

Most ISPs hand off internet traffic on a tagged VLAN. If that's the case, correct me if I'm wrong here, to do the "patch cable hack" on your MX84, you would need to make the SFP port a tagged access port to that VLAN, then assign one of the BaseT ports as an untagged access port to pass traffic to the WAN port without a VLAN ID conflict.

It's messy, and IME may possibly result in some strange errors with CDP/LLDP.