Fiber to Ethernet converter setup.

[Jrisunza82]

I am testing a fiber connection over media converter.

The cenario is as follows.

Setup sfp interface IP on cisco router. Connect Fiber to Media Converter fiber interface and connect Ethernet interface to Firewall Ethernet Int and setup ip.

Cisco router gig0/0 SFP ==========  Fiber to Ethernet Converter --------------- Firewall

Is this possible? if so how would i get this to work?

Thanks for the help.

[Leo Laohoo]

Why don't you just get a GLC-T and plug straight to your Cisco router?

Besides, the router ports with dual-personality ports ... You can only use EITHER Ethernet or Fibre.  You can't use both.

[Jrisunza82]

Thanks for your reply.

To asnwer your question. I do have a GLC-T SFP module on the Cisco router.

From that i want to hook the cisco fiber port side to the fiber port side of the converter and from the Ethernet port side of the converter to the firewall. Configuring the Firewall as the end point.

Thanks.

[Leo Laohoo]

From that i want to hook the cisco fiber port side to the fiber port side of the converter and from the Ethernet port side of the converter to the firewall. Configuring the Firewall as the end point.

What is the distance between the router and the firewall?  Any reason why you must use fibre?  Does the firewall have any spare SFP?

[Jrisunza82]

This is test environment where in the future we would like to support this kind of setup.

[Leo Laohoo]

I presume, in the future setup, the FW will not have a spare SFP port?

Still don't understand why fibre?  Why not use copper? 

I don't like media converters because you need at least a pair and this brings another factor to single-point-of-failure.

Otherwise, you could get, for example, a 2960CG-8/3560CG-8 and use that as a media converter with the added bonus of able to remote in and managing the switch. 

[Tom Randstrom]

Check to make sure the media converter you are using can be used in a stand-alone application.  Some media converters will only operate properly if they are used in pairs; the same product on each end of the link. 

[Jrisunza82]

Thanks for the reply.

I think that you might be right. I guess i need a converter as a stand-alone application.

All a really want to do is configure Cisco Router with an GLC-T SFP and  connected over fiber to a location and from that location use a converter to convert fiber to ethernet and configure their firewall. I beleive the converter...like you said it will have to be a stand-alone device. Also it would have to have auto-negotiation capabilities.

Any suggestions on a type of fiber to ethernet stand-alone converter?

Thanks

[chris-hart]

If you really want to do this I would use a switch as mentioned in a previous post, it will allow you to remotely manage the link, line drivers don't usually allow remote mangement and some don't forward link loss condition so a failure on one side may not be propogated to the other side which can also cause problems.

[mmacdonald70]

This is very possible.  I have tried many of these converters, but I have had the best luck with:

http://luxcom.ca/fiber-optic-ethernet-media-converters.asp

The OM-1000E does 10/100/1000 on the copper side and SX or LH (Depending on the model) on the fibre side.

The OM-1001E does 1000M on the copper side and SX or LH (Depending on the model) on the fibre side and supports jumbo.