Tag Archives: 1000BASE-LX SFP

Understanding 1000BASE-LX SFP and 1000BASE-LH SFP

As the industry of optical communication develops rapidly, the design of optical fiber transceiver is more and more diversified, so as to meet the needs of Gigabit Ethernet. Therefore, various types of mini GBIC (SFP, Small Form-factor Pluggable) and SFP+ emerged. Gradually, we always see 1000BASE-LX SFP and 1000BASE-LH SFP on many websites. However, many people are puzzled about them. Are they similar or different? If they are different, about 1000BASE SFP LX vs LH: what is the difference between them?

SFP LX vs LH: 1000BASE-LX SFP

1000BASE-LX SFP

SFP LX vs LH: What Are They?

If you want to understand 1000BASE-LX SFP and 1000BASE-LH SFP, you first need to understand what Ethernet is. Ethernet was the result of research done at Xerox PARC in the early 1970s, and it later developed into a widely implemented physical and link layer protocol. Fast Ethernet increased from 10 to 100 megabits per second. Gigabit Ethernet was the next iteration, whose speed was increased to 1000 megabits per second. The initial standard for Gigabit Ethernet was produced by the IEEE in June 1998 as IEEE 802.3z, which is often referred to as “1000BASE-X”. 1000 BASE-X is used in industry and refers to Gigabit Ethernet transmission through fiber optics, including 1000BASE-SX, 1000BASE-LX10, 1000BASE-BX10 and our today’s topic 1000BASE-LX.

1000BASE-LX SFP

The rate of 1000BASE-LX SFP is as high as 1.25Gbp/s, and the wavelength of long wavelength laser is 1270nm to 1355nm. LX SFP can be used in single mode and multimode systems, which makes them have some advantages in multimode applications. Although LX SFP is designated to transmit up to 5 kilometers of data over a single mode fiber, it also supports multimode fiber systems with a maximum distance of 550 meters. It is noteworthy that for a distance of more than 330 meters in a multimode fiber, a special transmit-modulated patch cord is needed to reduce the differential mode delay effect.

1000BASE-LH SFP

LH means longer distance. 1000BASE-LH also refers to Gigabit Ethernet transmission. The wavelength of 1000BASE-LH SFP is 1310 microns, and the transmission distance is between 25 km and 70 km. However, 1000BASE-LH is only a term widely used by many suppliers.

SFP LX vs LH: What’s the Difference?

Both 1000BASE-LX and 1000BASE-LH refer to Gigabit Ethernet transmission. Between them, just like mentioned above, 1000BASE-LX is the standard stipulated of IEEE 802.3. It uses long wavelength lasers. While 1000BASE-LH is only a term widely used by many suppliers. Besides, LH means longer distance, while LX (long wavelength) means shorter energy, which is obviously shorter distance. The 1000BASE-LX SFP module compatible with the IEEE 802.3z 1000BASE-LX standard, it can achieve a distance of 10 km over a single-mode fiber. Unlike the 1000BASE-LX SFP module, 1000BASE-LH SFP module can operate at a distance up to 70km over single mode fiber.

Does 1000BASE-LX SFP Work with 1000BASE-LH SFP?

1000BASE-LX SFP and 1000BASE-LH SFP are the most commonly used components in Gigabit Ethernet applications. Here comes a little question: Does 1000BASE-LX SFP work with 1000BASE-LH SFP? The answer is: Yes, 1000 BASE-LX SFP can work with 1000 BASE-LH SFP. For example, Cisco 1000 BASE LX/LH SFP is either made for single mode (long distance) or multimode (short distance). But this module can also be used for both single mode and multimode. In additional, as there are so many types on the market, careful attention should be paid to the distance and price differences between multimode and single mode fibers.

Conclusion

To sum up, about the topic “1000BASE SFP LX vs LH”, we can conclude that: 1000BASE-LX and 1000BASE-LH both refer to Gigabit Ethernet transmission; between them, 1000BASE-LX is a standard, 1000BASE-LH is the term widely used by suppliers. FS.COM offers a wide range of 1000BASE-LX/LH SFP transceiver modules which are compatible with major brands, like Cisco, Juniper, Dell, Brocade, etc. Our optical transceivers are able to fulfill enterprises, service providers, telecom operators and SAN providers to build and fulfill their existing and future network expansions. If you have any need, please contact us.

Why Choose Third Party SFP Modules?

One concern you may frequently hear about is the issue of using third-party SFP optical transceivers. You know that many brand companies tend to be very strict about their warranty requirements, and they make no effort to hide their preference that you buy all components directly from them. You will ask: can I choose a 3rd party SFP module? Is it reliable? The answer to the question is that it’s possible. This post will provide you with an explanation on why you can choose 3rd party SFP modules.

Opinions on 3rd Party SFP Modules

People have different opinions on “Whether I should use 3rd party SFP modules”. It seems a difficult question for them as the attractive price but unknown performance of the 3rd party SFPs. Some people are worried about whether the 3rd party SFP module can be compatible with their devices. And there is a reason for that. Other people may think that a 3rd party SFP module can perform well and do exactly what an OEM SFP module can do, so why not choose it? And using 3rd party SFP modules seems to more and more popular now, for many 3rd party SFP module vendors are providing high quality and reliable 3rd party SFP modules with low prices. The image below shows a NETGEAR AGM732F compatible 1000BASE-LX SFP module.

NETGEAR AGM732F Compatible 1000BASE-LX SFP

Are Third-Party Compatible SFP Modules Safe?

Most “third party” transceivers are made and assembled in exactly the same plants assembling officially-branded transceivers. There’s a very small number of devices in this world with the specialty equipment needed to produce fiber optic hardware. As such, they supply pretty much everyone. There is almost no big difference between an official Cisco transceiver and a third-party plug, aside from the branding and about two hundred to a few thousand bucks. We have barely seen an actual case of a Cisco switch being damaged by a third-party transceiver. In fact, the failure rates on a good quality third-party SFP transceiver is very low. It is a very basic technology. If you want to make sure that a 3rd party SFP module can work safely with your devices, it is very necessary to use quality assurance SFP modules. Then you would not worry about compatibility of the usage. All the products are tested and 100% compatible with the major brands.

Benefits of 3rd Party SFP Modules

In general, the cost of an original brand SFP module is more expensive than a 3rd party one. Take Cisco 1000BASE-SX SFP (GLC-SX-MM) for example, you can easily find a 3rd party SFP module that can take a discount at up to 80% off than an OEM one. As the cost of SFP modules keep adding up over time, many labs and companies are seeking for SFP alternatives to help cut down the costs on these expensive modules. Besides, third-party SFPs can be as reliable as official OEM products. If you buy a Cisco-compatible SFP transceiver from a reputable vendor who’s backing it by warranty, you have nothing to fear. You’re getting a transceiver that’s every bit as good as the official version, for a vastly reduced cost.

Conclusion

Various vendor-coded SFP, SFP+, GBIC, or XFP transceiver modules that are compatible to widespread networking equipment from well-known manufacturers. Fiberstore provides a variety of transceiver modules that are compatible to devices of important vendors in the market. For example, HP JD089B Compatible 1000BASE-T SFP, NETGEAR AGM732F compatible 1000BASE-LX SFP and Allied Telesis AT-SPSX compatible 1000BASE-SX SFP, from production to shipmet, all these products are tested and guaranteed 100% compatible and with high qulity.