# Accept gbic:s from other vendors



## pos (Feb 21, 2019)

Hi

Chose to post at "Networking" before "hardware". Hope it was the right decision 

Does anybody know if the ability to accept other vendors gbic:s in a PCI-e card with SFP+ ports is done in the network driver or at the card itself?

I have a “"AOC-STGN-i2S - Supermicro Intel 82599ES 2-port 10Gbit SFP+ PCIe x8”  where I use a Supermicro DAC cable to the switch. I have to add a 10GBase-T copper to the other port and wonder what programming I should chose on the gbic when ordering it. I would prefer an as generic one as possible for future flexibility. 

I use FreeBSD 12p3. If it is in the driver, I assume it depends on Intel. FreeBSD use NDA written drivers, right? The card identifies as…

```
ix2@pci0:4:0:0:    class=0x020000 card=0x061115d9 chip=0x10fb8086 rev=0x01 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = '82599ES 10-Gigabit SFI/SFP+ Network Connection'
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet

ix3@pci0:4:0:1:    class=0x020000 card=0x061115d9 chip=0x10fb8086 rev=0x01 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = '82599ES 10-Gigabit SFI/SFP+ Network Connection'
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet
```

Anyone know if it will accept Cisco encoded Gbic:s?


Thanks in advance
Peo


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## pos (Feb 28, 2019)

I will close this thread myself... Perhaps it could help others.

I have had the opportunity to try 3 different SFP+ 10GBase-T gbic:s from two different places. After some more research I found it is not easy to say it is just hardware releated. The PCI card must accept it, yes... But one tested gbic did link up ok, but died when the network driver loaded. It seems to be a lottery when it comes to gbic:s in PCI cards. It depends on the NIC chip, the PCI card vendor and the driver.  A Supermicro card with an intel 82599ES chip could accept Supermicro gbic:s (not necessarily all from Supermicro) whereas there is no guarantee an Intel card with the same intel chip will accept the supermicro gbic:s at all. I guess the firmware on the PCI card could be  different depending on the card vendor, even if the same chip is used. But it also seems to be driver related. One gbic worked only if plugged in hot after OS boot. A reboot with the very same gbic plugged in and it refused to work. It only worked if hot plugged _after_ OS boot. And this was an intel made driver on an Supermicro card with an intel chip (the hot plug gbic was  intel).  Another gbic did not work at all, wheras one worked all the time, no matter what you did. All three gbic:s worked in my lab test switch (Netgear ProSAFE S3300-28X-PoE+) though...

After some more research and talking to people only working with this type of hardware, I can conclude PCI cards are trickier than switches.... So the lesson is to do you research before buying gbic:s to NIC:s.

My problem is solved. I posted this back as I don't like to leave threads open when a case is solved. But if anyone has something to add to this, please do...


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## Phishfry (Feb 28, 2019)

Sorry I missed your original post. I am currently switching over my home network to 10G as well.
I want to point out to you the ability of `ifconfig -v` to show the info from the GBIC transceiver.
Using JDSU on my Chelsio's (see last 4 lines)

```
# ifconfig -v cxgbe0                                        
cxgbe0: flags=8843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 1500
options=ec07bb<RXCSUM,TXCSUM,VLAN_MTU,VLAN_HWTAGGING,JUMBO_MTU,VLAN_HWCSUM,TSO4,TSO6,LRO,VLAN_HWTSO,LINKSTATE,RXCSUM_IPV6,TXCSUM_IPV6>
    ether 00:07:43:14:f9:00
    hwaddr 00:07:43:14:f9:00
    inet 192.168.2.5 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.2.255
    nd6 options=29<PERFORMNUD,IFDISABLED,AUTO_LINKLOCAL>
    media: Ethernet 10Gbase-SR <full-duplex,rxpause,txpause>
    status: active
    plugged: SFP/SFP+/SFP28 10G Base-SR (LC)
    vendor: JDSU PN: PLRXPLSCS4342B SN: CB03FN0K7 DATE: 2011-01-13
    module temperature: 45.21 C Voltage: 3.26 Volts
    RX: 0.54 mW (-2.65 dBm) TX: 0.66 mW (-1.76 dBm)
```

I also have great luck with Finisar.


```
cxgbe0: flags=8843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 1500
options=ec07bb<RXCSUM,TXCSUM,VLAN_MTU,VLAN_HWTAGGING,JUMBO_MTU,VLAN_HWCSUM,TSO4,TSO6,LRO,VLAN_HWTSO,LINKSTATE,RXCSUM_IPV6,TXCSUM_IPV6>
    ether 00:07:43:14:f3:00
    hwaddr 00:07:43:14:f3:00
    inet 192.168.2.7 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.2.255
    nd6 options=29<PERFORMNUD,IFDISABLED,AUTO_LINKLOCAL>
    media: Ethernet 10Gbase-SR <full-duplex,rxpause,txpause>
    status: active
    plugged: SFP/SFP+/SFP28 10G Base-SR (LC)
    vendor: FINISAR CORP. PN: FTLX8571D3BCL SN: APP1KBR DATE: 2013-06-07
    module temperature: 39.88 C Voltage: 3.24 Volts
    RX: 0.61 mW (-2.12 dBm) TX: 0.63 mW (-1.94 dBm)
```


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## Phishfry (Feb 28, 2019)

The DAC cables are really 'Vendor Specific' from what I have found. I have 3 and none work.
On a network with different brands on both ends DAC cables are not good.

Once I figured out fiber and figured out a good cheap fiber cable vendor I really am happy.
I started out using 10G-BaseT with the CAT6/RJ45 jacks but I found 10G switches much more expensive with RJ45.
So I bought a used NetApp 16 SFP 10G switch for the top of the rack. Feed 2 uplinks into an Aruba 48 port switch for RJ45.
I use OPNSense on a fresh built 10GbE firewall with a Chelsio T420-CR with dual SFP to the NetApp.

Currently working on my 10G network but I am almost there. Most of the pieces are in hand.

NetApp NAE-1101 -16 port Cluster Switch
These were also sold by IBM.

For the price they are nice. Slightly loud but seriously industrial gear.
It runs louder with only one power supply. With two the fans run nice.


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## spork (Feb 6, 2021)

pos said:


> Peo - curious if you ever tried any other DAC cables. I have two servers with that exact Supermicro/Intel card. I don't have a 10Gb/s switch, but would like to direct connect the two hosts. FS dot com has some decent pricing, but I have no idea if this cable, made for an actual Intel card would work: https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/accept-gbic-s-from-other-vendors.69707/


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