MX250 SFP to Copper (RJ45)

[GFrazier]

Looking at the MX250: It has 10G SFP WAN Ports.  I only see the 1Gb SPF Copper Module... Is there a 10Gb SFP Copper Module that will work with the WAN Ports on the MX250 ??

The internet connection is only 1Gb and the modem has RJ45 ports.

[Claes_Karlsson]

I believe you could use third party SFP for the SFP+ coppar transceiver. I don't think you can shift rate down to 1 Gb from 10 Gb though. Maybe there is a option to use another port on MX250 for WAN to achieve the 1Gb speed?

/CK

[GFrazier]

@Claes_Karlsson 

Thanks... As soon as I posted this, I found the solution on another post - they were actually able to use the 1Gb Copper Module.  Thanks for your reply.

[DarrenOC · Accepted solution]

Hi @GFrazier , the MA-SFP-1GB-TX SFP will work absolutely fine in the dedicated WAN ports. Tried and tested 

[GFrazier]

@DarrenOC 

Thanks a lot.  I will definitely use that.  

[Maclanta]

Why is this an accepted solution? A 1Gb transceiver is not a 10Gb transceiver. Many of the Meraki AP’s have 2.5 or 5Gb RJ45 ports. So how are we supposed to utilize 2.5 or 5Gb connections if there is no 10/5/2.5/1 Gb transceiver that will work with an MX250 or a Meraki switch that has SFP+ ports? This is simply bizarre and not acceptable.

[DarrenOC]

You’ve not read the original post @Maclanta 

The question was can we use a 1Gbps Transceiver in a 10Gbps port.  Not do Cisco manufacture a 1-10Gbp sfp

Meraki also have available some mulitgig switches such as the MS390 and MS355

https://meraki.cisco.com/products/switches/models/#tabs

All available Cisco SFPs can be found

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/interfaces-modules/gigabit-ethernet-gbic-sfp-modul...

[Maclanta]

@DarrenOC It’s not me who did not read the original post. It said clear as day:

“Is there a 10Gb SFP Copper Module that will work with the WAN Ports on the MX250 ??”

This is effectively asking is there a compatible 10G SFP+ copper module for the MX250, because the WAN port is simply an SFP+ port capable of 10G.

I don’t see anywhere in there where he asked about a 1Gb though it may have turned out to be sufficient in his case. Of course we know a 1Gb works and that they exist. But I don’t understand how the whole conversation ignored the base question. We need a 10/5/2.5/1 Gb SFP+ transceiver in order to fully utilize the 2.5 & 5Gb capabilities of some of the Meraki AP’s. Why would they sell us AP’s with faster than 1Gb ports with absolutely no way to connect them at those speeds to any of their devices?

I might point out I have tested multiple SFP+ 10/5/2.5/1Gb transceivers with multiple links to Meraki AP’s and can’t find one compatible. They connect and even negotiate the right link speed but the through put is a fraction of the through put when connected to a simple 1Gb port. So forgive my frustration, but I have literally wasted weeks searching for a solution to this.

[GFrazier]

Good Afternoon,

Our client is opening anew location and wanted to have a 10Gig Fiber backbone.  The environment is a club / restaurant / work space / event space... There is lots of A/V LAN Traffic along with member WiFi traffic.  They were originally using the MX100 at the primiary location; the MX250 is perfect for what they want and need at the new location.  Thing is, we found that the ISP will be running copper from the dmarc, then running an RJ-45 cable (CAT6) from the Router; the connection will be just 1 - 2 Gigs.... I figured if we keep the LAN at 10G, that would help with all of the local traffic, but we are forced to down to 1Gig on the WAN.

So that's why I asked if a 1Gig Copper Module will work with this setup - that will be connected to the modem.

[Maclanta]

@GFrazier 

I now see your later post about the 1Gb. But I was confused by the fact that your original post only mentioned the need for a 10Gb copper transceiver.

But I'm still confused. If the ISP is delivering 1-2Gb why are you settling for a 1Gb transceiver that is throttling you down in speed rather than seeking a 10Gb transceiver that could deliver the full 2Gb? Do you have information that there is no 10Gb transceiver anywhere to be found? I'm going to accelerate this up the food chain, because that is not acceptable if it's the case, and I certainly won't settle for it in my situation.

[GFrazier]

@Maclanta

Hi, Maclanta

According to the datasheet, the only Copper Transceiver available is the "MA-SFP-1GB-TX Cisco Meraki 1 GbE RJ45 Copper Module (1000BASE-T for twisted pair) for MX84, MX100, MX250, MX450"

https://meraki.cisco.com/product-collateral/mx-family-datasheet/?file

After posting my last reply, I confirmed with the ISP today that the circuit will only be 1Gig. 

I needed to know if anyone has tried this with the MX250.  

UCcert did mention in a previous post he used them successfully.

[Maclanta]

@GFrazier 

Yes, I know the 1Gb is all they offer. That's my point. Meraki sells AP's that have ports that only accept RJ45 connections that are capable of up to 5Gb connections and throughput. Yet Meraki provides us no way to actually connect them. That is not an acceptable proposition. There has to be a solution, or they are potentially guilty of making false marketing claims.

I have found 10Gb copper transceivers that seem to work with the MX250 and MS225-48LP from FS.com on 10Gb connections. However, there are upload speed issues that may be a compatibility issue. I can't tell for sure, and since Meraki does not certify any 10Gb modules, we have nothing to test against. These same 10Gb modules from FS.com are able to down negotiate to 2.5Gb to the AP's, but then the through put on the AP's to the MX falls to maybe 25% the throughput when plugged to a 1Gb port on the MX250. I have found this same issue at other sites. The bottom line is that to support what Meraki sells us we need a 10Gb copper module that works properly at 10/5/2.5/1Gb just like most any other vendor out there.

[CptnCrnch]

Of course Meraki gives you possibilities to use MGig ports for the newer APs, just not on your firewall itself. 😉 E.g. https://meraki.cisco.com/product/switches/stackable-access-switches/ms350-24x/

[kn-kimura]

For supported SFPs, please check the following URL.

https://meraki.cisco.com/lib/pdf/meraki_datasheet_sfp.pdf