Cisco 2801 router upgrade from RJ45 to Cisco HWIC-1GE-SFP Gigabit Ethe

[NTrejos]

Hello

I have a Cisco 2801 router and I want to upgrade the RJ45 to a  HWIC-1GE-SFP Gigabit Ethernet High-Speed WAN Interface Card. I had mixed answers with respect to compatibility. Does anyone know if this HWIC card is compatible with the router?

[Joseph W. Doherty]

Depends on the installed IOS.

According Cisco Gigabit Ethernet High-Speed WAN Interface Card  you need 12.4(15)T9 (or better) and IPBase (or better).

BTW, a 2801 isn't really a gig capable router (it can struggle even with its FE ports), and possible the module card interface might only support 400 Mbps.

Based on the provided search results, here is a summary of the bandwidth capabilities for HWIC (High-Speed WAN Interface Card) slots:

• HWIC: The original HWIC has a bandwidth limit of 400 Mbps bidirectional.
• Enhanced HWIC (EHWIC): Introduced with the ISR G2 x900 series, the EHWIC operates at 800 Mbit/s, doubling the bandwidth of the original HWIC.
• Gigabit Ethernet HWIC: This type of HWIC supports Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, with a single SFP slot allowing for copper or optical connections. The bandwidth is not explicitly mentioned, but it is implied to be Gigabit Ethernet speeds (1000 Mbps).

I would take the "implied" with a very large grain of salt, as even the later EWIC modules are designed for 800 Mbps.