Migrating copper to fiber sfp on 2901 EHWIC-1GE-SFP-CU

[keithsauer507]

Hello, I have a 2901 router with 4 active copper interfaces (two on board and two in two EHWIC-1GE-SFP-CU cards).  

I would like to migrate the copper link from the EHWIC cards to a fiber optic connection to our core switch, solely due to us having many more available fiber optic ports open, and we are running very low on copper 1/10 gbps ports.

I would start with Gi0/0/0 which is a backup link so it could be done during the day, but Gi0/1/0 would have to be done after hours.

The config for Gi0/0/0 has 3 vlans, ip addresses dot1q encapsulation and an ip ospf message-digest-key 1 md5 command on them.  If I plug in an SFP right now into this EHWIC card, which media or interface will the 2901 router utilize with the config on these Gi port numbers?  Will the copper port go down?  Or will the fiber optic cable not link up until I unplug the copper port?  Though it is a backup link, I want to do this as quickly as possible for practice for the other EHWIC card which is a mission critical interface.

[Georg Pauwen]

Hello,

I am not clear what you are asking. As long as the interface you are connecting is 'shutdown' it will not link up. You can configure the backup link and connect the cables, but leave it in 'shutdown' state.

[umeshpathrwal10 · Accepted solution]

If it's a combo port (1cu :1optical). Optical port will have high priority and will be up automatically, leaving copper port as standby.

If not, then the cu port has to be made shut down to migrate to optical port.

[keithsauer507]

Perfect, thanks!

Wiring up the fiber optic required performing a shut, no shut on that interface.  Then the link was re-established over the fiber SFP.