Can use single-mode on catalyst 2950C?

[chalvorsonjr]

I am trying to verify that a Catalyst 2950C can use single-mode fiber as well as multi-mode. I am pretty sure it only accepts single-mode but I want to verify this and all tech specs docs only talk footage (which equals out to MM). Any help as to a document to reference this would be appreciated!

Thanks

[skarundi]

Here's what the Hardware installation guide says. It says that the 2950C supported MMF only. Couldn't find any reference anywhere where Cisco makes an SMF version.

--URL: http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/lan/cat2950/12114az/2950hig/hgovrev.htm#1065078

100BASE-FX and 1000BASE-SX Ports

The 100BASE-FX and 1000BASE-SX ports both use 50/125- or 62.5/125-micron multimode fiber-optic cabling. The 100BASE-FX ports operate only at 100 Mbps in full-duplex mode, and the 1000BASE-SX ports operate only at 1000 Mbps in full-duplex mode.

In full-duplex mode, the cable length from a 100BASE-FX port on a switch to an attached device cannot exceed 6562 feet (2 kilometers).

[konigl]

chalvorsonjr, the Catalyst 2950C-24 comes with two fixed 100BASE-FX fiber uplink ports. The connectors are MT-RJ type.

As skarundi says, these ports are intended for multimode fiber only. Fast Ethernet over MMF is good to 2km in full duplex, 412m in half duplex.

If you need to connect to fiber and single mode is all you have, you can use media converters. With the 2950C switch, you have two choices: either use one of the fiber ports and a converter from MMF to SMF; or use a 10/100 copper port and a converter from 10/100BASE-TX (Cat5 RJ-45) to SMF. The copper-to-fiber ones are usually less expensive.

Transition Networks (www.transition.com) makes a wide variety of these. I've used them to go copper-to-MMF out to 2km, and copper-to-SMF out to 105km. Good stuff.

Hope this helps.