MX250 WAN Port -SPF Compatibility

[ignatius]

Hi, Does anyone know if MA-SFP-1GB-TX(1 GbE SFP Copper Module) Compatible for MX250 On WAN Ports.

Thank you,

Ignatius

[ww · Accepted solution]

Yes you can run SFP and SFP+ in this WAN ports.

[ignatius]

Hi, Thanks for your reply, so you mean to say 1gig Copper SFP i can connect on WAN ports right ?

[ww]

yes.

also this page show the compatible meraki spf's:

https://meraki.cisco.com/products/appliances/mx250

[MerakiDave]

Correct, the WAN interfaces were designed to be SFP+ for that reason, to maximize flexibility so you could use 1G copper or fiber SFP transceivers or use 10G SFP+ depending on what Internet-facing handoff you have.

[ignatius]

Hi,

Thank you! all for your support and inputs, it helped.

-Ignatius

[Paul_s]

Not doubting your information at all (and it makes perfect sense) but I can't see any reference to this compatibility in any official documentation.

The data sheet does list 1Gb SFPs but doesn't specifically say they can be used in the WAN port.

Just wondering if there is any official document or guide that mentions this?

[Slate]

I tried a 1Gb RJ45 Cisco compatible from FS.com.  It would link, then go off... then link, and go off, and keep this cycle.  I talked to Meraki and they said a genuine Cisco module would work...   But I have doubt.  I am hoping to find one, and test before I go buy a 250 ish dollar module.   Its my plan.. we'll see.

[kordm]

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@Slate wrote:

I tried a 1Gb RJ45 Cisco compatible from FS.com.  It would link, then go off... then link, and go off, and keep this cycle.  I talked to Meraki and they said a genuine Cisco module would work...   But I have doubt.  I am hoping to find one, and test before I go buy a 250 ish dollar module.   Its my plan.. we'll see.

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That sounds fishy. An unsupported SFP just wouldn't work at all IME, though I've actually never had an issue with that in any routers or switches. I only run into that issue with NICs and stacking ports that only support direct-attach cables.

[Slate]

FS.com normally has been really good in the past.  But I tried 2 different compatible modules and same results, so its not like it was one specific bad module.  Right now I am running it over a SX fiber module to the ISP.  But there is an ISP issue with the Fiber side, so we were hoping to switch back to copper...

[cmr]

We use genuine Cisco GLC-T modules in the WAN 1 port of MX250s and they work fine.

[Slate]

Nice to hear!  Thanks for the conformation!

[KathleenJ]

I used to work for Ixia/Keysight which is a test equipment manufacture and the link bouncing up and down is probably due to an unsupported transceiver which can be proprietary. The cause of this is that the layer 1 negotiations aren't able to take place correctly. I do see in this thread where a Cisco SFP model was listed as working.

[Ahoste]

Hi Slate,

This is a little older post but I was having this exact same issue when connecting a WAN 2.

after talking with Meraki support they had me upgrade to the latest beta software but that still didn't help.

It turned out that it was the module. 

In our WAN 1 we were using an RJ45 to sfp MA-SFP-1GB-TX that was working but in out WAN 2 we were using an GLC-T module which had same behaviour as you are describing.

Cisco should definitely have some documentation on which ones you can and cannot use. huge waste of time.

[CptnCrnch]

@Ahoste: Are you referring to this documentation? https://meraki.cisco.com/lib/pdf/meraki_datasheet_sfp.pdf

[Ahoste]

Hi,

I was indeed, I did not see this. I do stand corrected, thanks for the info.

little bit weird that Cisco support has me update to beta software first instead of checking this.