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I'm fairly new so this might be a simple question, but haven't had any luck when trying to Google them. I'm trying to get a Dell N2224PX-ON switch to communicate with a Juniper EX2200 switch via single mode fiber. I can see the Dell switch online, but not the Juniper. I know it has to be a configuration issue with at least the Dell, because the Juniper is not showing up as a neighbor when I run show lldp info remote-devices on it. I've had different people tell me different things on which GBICs to use on each. I've tried a Dell GBIC for Single Mode fiber and a Juniper GBIC for Single Mode fiber on the Dell, and have just tried a Juniper GBIC for Single Mode on the Juniper switch. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Tw1/0/1 Full 10000 Off 1518 Up Tw1/0/2 N/A Unknown Auto 1518 Up Tw1/0/3 N/A Unknown Auto 1518 Up Tw1/0/4 N/A Unknown Auto 1518 Up Fo1/0/1 Full 40000 Off 1518 Up Fo1/0/2 Full 40000 Off 1518 Up

This is what my comport connection is showing me for the fiber ports when I run show interfaces detail

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  • Please add the necessary details to your question: the exact SFP transceiver types and any console or log events related to inserting and trying to link the SFP modules. Also, what does the interface status show on each side? Commented Nov 10 at 18:21
  • Which fiber standard? The same standard on both ends? Commented Nov 10 at 18:22
  • I've tried a 10Gbase-LR SFP+ 1310 nm 10KM that is supposed to be specifically for Dell, and a Juniper Networks 740-011614 Reb 01 LX in the Dell switch, because I had a vendor tell me "You have to use the exact same GBIC as the other end, even if they are different switches." Which made do sense to me, but It wasn't working yet, so I was willing to try. Commented Nov 10 at 21:04
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    EX2200 and EX2300 are two different switches, but whether that matters, it's hard to say. GBICs are also a rather old transceiver form factor, it's unlikely either of those switches takes one. Commented Nov 11 at 8:08

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The Dell N2224PX-ON switch provides 24 2.5G copper ports and 4 SFP28 ports. A Juniper EX2200 has 24 or 48 1G copper ports and 4 SFP ports.

Both sides need to match in fiber type, wavelength, link rate and (more or less) reach. The best, mutually supported type for both switches over single-mode fiber is 1000BASE-LX using 1310 nm wavelength.

For the EX2200 use a EX-SFP-1GE-LX, for the N224PX a Dell 1000BASE-LX module.

For longer reach than ~20 km, modules using 1550 nm wavelength aka -LH or -ZX can alternatively be used. Using modules with a reach greater than 20 km or so over short cables often requires additional attenuators to avoid blinding the far side.

[edit] Trying to match a 10GBASE-LR with a 1000BASE-LX SFP as in your comment will not work because of the different link rates. You don't have to use the exact same module types at both ends (which is often impossible due to vendor lock-in), but you do need to match the Ethernet type.

You also need to make sure that the switch accepts any module not approved by the vendor (like the Dell SFP in the Juniper switch). Quite a lot of switches reject those or require explicit configuration, usually waiving support options.

NB: An SFP module may be referred to as mini GBIC or just GBIC but the latter is really a rather obsolete and larger form factor that should not be mixed up.

a GBIC modulea GBIC module

various SFP modulesa collection of 1G SFP modules - left to right: copper (100m), single-mode fiber (20 km), multi-mode fiber (550m), MMF (300m), SMF (10 km)

(Photos courtesy Wikimedia)

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  • The EX-SFP-1GE-LX is only for a 1G fiber line correct, and same for the Dell 1000BASE-LX?I know the Dell can handle up to 25G fiber, but I don't have any GBICs for that. Commented Nov 10 at 21:11
  • @PatrickPerry For that you would need a SFP28 module (not GBIC), which would be 25GBASE-LR, which you're not going to find for the Juniper no matter how hard you look. The link will never be more than 1 gigabit since that's all the Juniper switch can do. Commented Nov 11 at 13:23
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    @PatrickPerry Long story short: Fiber is very much not copper where you can plug one end of a cable into a gigabit switch and the other end into a 100M card and stuff will work. With fiber, both ends have to be the exact same standard, which means both the numbers before the BASE part as well as the letters after the dash have to match for stuff to work. That's probably what your vendor meant to say (while actual brand of the modules don't matter, just the standard does). Commented Nov 11 at 13:27
  • @TooTea I know the Juniper can't run 25G, so I'm trying to get 10G to run from the Dell to the Juniper. It looks to me like I've got the fiber port set to run at 10G on the Dell. Commented Nov 11 at 18:21
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    The Juniper is 1G only, so you need to use a 1G SFP on each side. For SMF, that's a 1000BASE-LX part, see the answer. You can't link a 10G SFP+ to a 1G SFP. Commented Nov 11 at 21:52

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