Can I use Non Meraki 10 GbE SFP+ SR Fiber Transceiver ?

[Jack]

Hello Meraki Gurus,

I'm planning to refresh our 5 departmental switches  to Meraki MS225-48LP .The switch cost seems very reasonable but the 10 GbE SFP+ SR Fiber Transceiver cost $999 MSRP Each and i will need 10 of this which will cost me $10K MSRP before discount.A quick search on Amazon shows a compatible model from 10GTEK selling for only $22 each. Anyone using this 3rd party transceivers with their Meraki network? Any other ideas to safe the save on the ridicules transceiver cost ?

https://www.amazon.com/10Gtek-SFP-10G-SR-Transceiver-10GBASE-SR-300-meter/dp/B00U8Q7946/ref=sr_1_4?d...

[ww]

https://community.meraki.com/t5/Switching/Catalyst-Transceivers/m-p/42169

[KRobert · Accepted solution]

I have used the 1GB SFP modules without issue with both the MX and MS Meraki lines.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013WFH4VC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have also used Cable Matters SFP+ 10GBASE-CU Passive Direct Attached Twinax cables for connecting MS250 and MX250s without issues either.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071KWNFP3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For $22, it can't hurt to buy a few and test it out to verify, but I don't see any issue using GTek, Cable Matters, or Humming Bird Network modules.

[KarstenI]

I have a broad range of 10GTEK modules running in MS-switches and they are working fine for a couple of years. A colleague had one SFP+ that did not work, but well, that's how it is sometimes. 

[SoCalRacer]

Yes that transceiver should work. Do keep in mind there is a very small chance it doesn't because it is not an officially supported model.

List of actual Meraki supported devices

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

[Jack]

Thanks everyone for the response. I'm now leaning heavily towards getting the 10GTEK version and save 40X. ($23 each compare to $999 each )

Anyone can justify why Meraki sells transceivers that cost 40X compare to a 3rd party compatible units?

[KarstenI]

> Anyone can justify why Meraki sells transceivers that cost 40X compare to a 3rd party compatible units?

I would say "easy money" ... We had an "only Cisco" customer that refused to save some bucks on third party optics because he wanted the "official" ones. And what I heard, that was not the only one. 

[cmr]

They are also often sold with the switches and you get an excellent overall discount as the modules and cables can be very heavily discounted.

[KirkM]

This website is your friend:

www.fs.com

I've been purchasing Transceivers from them for YEARS...religiously.  Also, if I need a cheap Work Group switch etc....

The cables and transceivers though.....lights out.

[KRobert]

Thanks @KirkM ! This site is awesome!

[KirkM]

Much like Robert said, I stopped using "cisco branded" transceivers years ago.  My go to landing spot has been www.fs.com

Recently, as we've migrated to Ubiquiti's Unifi line for our access, TOR and aggregate switches I've been using the Ubiquiti branded transceivers and, knock on wood, they are running bulletproof.  Have YET to have one fail on me or generate errors.  The Ubiquiti stuff...I've been VERY impressed!  Their support stinks but there's really not a whole lot of troubleshooting you'll ever need on a transceiver.

[EJN]

I have a handful third party SFP connectors and no issues. I also have third party Ethernet to SFP and also no issues. Further, I have mixed brands in various switches and no issues.

[cmr]

We currently use a mix of Meraki, Cisco, Dell and FS transceivers and DAC cables.  All seem to work well in Meraki MSs and MXs.  The only issues we have ever had is DAC cables in HP switches. 

We did try some Ubiquiti hardware, but found the wireless management to be over fussy.  The first switch we bought failed within six months, had to be sent back to the US (at our cost) for repair and then as the replacement was sent from Europe to us we had to pay import duty on that, meaning that the "free" replacement cost us the price of a new switch!  We then found that the wireless firmware was sending rather a lot of data back to China without any notice or declaration, even when that 'feature' was supposed to be turned off, so needless to say that was the end of the experiment.

[KRobert]

https://www.10gtek.com/ on Amazon has started to become my favorite vendor of SFP module choice.

[KarstenI]

I also used 10gtek for quite some time. But they converted one of my MS120-8FP into a fixed 10Port copper switch … Now I don’t buy them any more.