catalyst 5500 switch

[mgray7777]

My business associate has a cisco 5500 switch with gigabit modules (i am assuming the 9 port ones) and a new gigabit netgear 24 port switch (with the SFF modules). He has both copper and optical gigabit connectors on the 5500 if that clears up which modules are used.

We want to link these the two switches together, however I am not entirely clear on the issues involved. He says we need a SFF connector to connect the two switches. From the research that I have done on the 5500, I don't think it supports SFF modules.

Why do we need an SFF module to connect the two switches? Can't we just link them via a cat5 or optical cable between two ports on the two switches?

[Prashanth Krishnappa]

The 9 port gigabit module uses the traditional GBICs. CAT5000 does not have support for SFPs or copper GBICs.

http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/lan/cat5000/hardware/modules/04ether.htm#xtocid996122

You can connect SFP port on your Netgear to a normal GBIC on the CAT5500 using fiber as long as the GBIC type(SX/LX/ZX) is the same on either end.

Hope this helps.

[mgray7777]

If the GBIC type is not the same, i.e. one is an SX and the other is an LX, can I use some kind of optical attenuator to make it work? And can an optical attenuator still be used if the connector types are not the same, i.e. SC on cisco to LC on netgear? if so, where can I get all of the above?