Brocade ICX Series (cheap & powerful 10gbE/40gbE switching)
- Thread starter fohdeesha
- Start date
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Well, I'd deleted my post because you'd followed up while I was writing it, and got it to work which, um, OK, makes it all the stranger. They could have just moved the USB connector to the back, which is completely blank on these, used a stacked pair of rj45s in the front and any typical network guy could just walk in and do what he needed to do with what he had with him. I assume that USB is for save/restores and firmware flashes. Which in most cases can usually be done another way. The 6610s don't have a USB of any sort so I assume this is somehow something to do with the 7250s being Linux based and the 6610s not. But anyway, seems like a lot of shenanigans to solve a problem, in an obscure way, that I'm not convinced was really a problem.
Anyway, watched that Youtube video, and on the USB-C type switches, they seem to work as you'd expect it to work. The USB port is actually USB and the RJ45 is for a typical Cisco type console cable, either way, it is a perfectly reasonable solution. In the mini USB switches, apparently, not so much, no RJ45 at all, and the mini USB isn't really a mini USB, it's an RS232 port wired onto mini USB connector. Making that mini USB actually a USB port would have been a better cheaper solution, no custom cable required and more options for OTS solutions, or move the USB-A port to the back on the 48 port version of the switch and over on the 24 port version, and put stacked RJ45s there and it's a typical Cisco cable config, also cheaper to produce. The included cable doesn't make it make any sense, it just makes what they did happen to work.
Anyway, glad to see you got it to work, and will likely be referring to your posts soon as I have a pair of ebay 7250s enroute, and pretty much the same stuff lying around. Knowing what I have learned from your posts, I think that hypothetical argument with the Brocade team would start with; What on earth are you thinking? Because their side of the argument only makes any sense after the fact. You'd have to have already committed to having those cables made to be included. If you are arguing with them before they have done so, it's nonsense.
Over the last several days I have looked at many tech docs about the 7250, and many many ebay listings for those switches, I don't recall any tech docs mentioning that obscure console cable or saw it included in any ebay listing. I've gone through fohdeesha's guides to make sure it'll do what I need it to do, but didn't see where he even explained that. Anyway good to know.
It is explained in the "Technical Specification" and in the "Installation Guide" of the ICX 7250. It is not one single cable but a set of two.
Years ago, when I I bought my 7250, it was hard to get and verry expansive. So I decided to build my own.
As far as console cables; also consider that people sometimes confuse the console port with an ethernet port, e.g. on a 6450 or 6610. Could have been a reason to have a console port that can't be confused with an other port. mini usb was pretty big at the time but was quickly replaced with micro usb.
Brocade L3 functionality is determined by the type of firmware version you are using, not by a license you install. There is a "switch" firmware and a "router" firmware. In order to get L3 functionality, you need to install the router firmware. You can still use the switch as a "layer 2" device if you install the router firmware, but it has the L3 functionality that isn't available on the plain "switch" firmware.
If the CLI prompt shows something like "ICX7250-24 Router" , then you are already using the "router" firmware. If it only shows as "ICX7250-24" or ICX7250-24 Switch", then you know you are using the switch firmware and will need to upload the router firmware to get access to the L3 functionality.
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Here is a way to clearly identify the firmware:
The R in the firmware stand for Router and the S in the Firmware stands for Switch.
You can download the router version on the Ruckus homepage and flash it.
This Example is the router firmware: SPR09010k.bin
Code:
SSH@switch01>show version
Copyright (c) Ruckus Networks, Inc. All rights reserved.
UNIT 1: compiled on Jun 27 2025 at 08:27:18 labeled as SPR09010k
(33554432 bytes) from Primary SPR09010k.bin (UFI)
SW: Version 09.0.10kT213
Compressed Primary Boot Code size = 786944, Version:10.1.27T225 (mnz10127)
Compiled on Fri Feb 7 06:30:52 2025
HW: Stackable ICX7150-C12-POE
==========================================================================
UNIT 1: SL 1: ICX7150-C12-2X1G POE 12-port Management Module
Serial #:FEK3848P063
Software Package: ICX7150_L3_SOFT_PACKAGE
Current License: 2X10GR
P-ASIC 0: type B160, rev 11 Chip BCM56160_B0
==========================================================================
UNIT 1: SL 2: ICX7150-2X1GC 2-port 2G Module
==========================================================================
UNIT 1: SL 3: ICX7150-2X10GF 2-port 20G Module
==========================================================================
1000 MHz ARM processor ARMv7 88 MHz bus
8 MB boot flash memory
2 GB code flash memory
1 GB DRAM
STACKID 1 system uptime is 59 day(s) 9 hour(s) 20 minute(s) 4 second(s)
The system started at 09:07:08 GMT+01 Fri Nov 14 2025
The system : started=cold startThank you both. The FCX switch I've got is using a router firmware as far as I can tell. It has "Router" in its default hostname and is using the firmware from these instructions which does have the R in its filename ICX6610-FCX/FCXR08030u.bin. But it's still complaining about the missing L3 license and L3 related commands are missing
what commands are complaining about a missing license? There's an "ADV" license which unlocks some advanced l3 stuff, but it's only VRFs and tunnels basically. everything else is included in the base system. IUf you need the VRFs and tunnels, follow the i2c licensing instruction at the end of the FCX guide as @klui said
Hello everyone,
I just got a 6430-24p and followed Fohdeeshas guide for new firmware and initial setup. The reason I chose the 6430-24p over the others is because of it's lower power consumption while still providing POE+, however I'm seeing more than double the idle power consumption listed in the data sheet.
The data sheet says 9w idle, but I'm seeing 20.8w idle with no ports connected, and 21.4w idle with one port connected. I read through a lot of wattage related posts in this thread and many people claim they get similar or identical figures compared to the data sheet for other 64xx models, so I came to ask if I am missing something.
My meter is a kill-a-watt style wall meter, but a different brand. I tested it several times against other meters, and with a known load, and it's accurate enough, within 1 watt or less. I let the switch run for over half an hour after following Fohdeeshas instructions including the factory reset, unplugged it and plugged it back in, let it sit some more, and it still didn't change.
Any ideas on how to get lower power consumption, or why I'm seeing double the spec'd idle figures?
I just got a 6430-24p and followed Fohdeeshas guide for new firmware and initial setup. The reason I chose the 6430-24p over the others is because of it's lower power consumption while still providing POE+, however I'm seeing more than double the idle power consumption listed in the data sheet.
The data sheet says 9w idle, but I'm seeing 20.8w idle with no ports connected, and 21.4w idle with one port connected. I read through a lot of wattage related posts in this thread and many people claim they get similar or identical figures compared to the data sheet for other 64xx models, so I came to ask if I am missing something.
My meter is a kill-a-watt style wall meter, but a different brand. I tested it several times against other meters, and with a known load, and it's accurate enough, within 1 watt or less. I let the switch run for over half an hour after following Fohdeeshas instructions including the factory reset, unplugged it and plugged it back in, let it sit some more, and it still didn't change.
Any ideas on how to get lower power consumption, or why I'm seeing double the spec'd idle figures?
I just thought I'd post this in case anyone is interested about the airflow direction in the ICX-6610/6650 power supplies and fan modules:
Both the fan modules and the power supplies of the 250W/non-PoE switches use the same fan model numbers for each respective module, just installed with the airflow in opposite directions. The fan modules use a pair of Delta FFB0412UHN (.81A) and the Power Supplies use a Sanyo-Denki SanAce40 9GV0412P3J03 (6.0A).
So I don't see any reason why you can't just flip the fans to reverse the airflow directions in these switches. I don't have both versions of the 1000W/PoE Supplies to verify that this is also true there but I assume it is. But I think converting a back to front airflow switch to front to back is the more likely desirable scenario for home lab. Generally speaking most surplus non-PoE are back to front airflow, as they were typically installed as top of rack in the rear of server racks, whereas PoE switches were more typically installed as office distro switches and are almost all front to back airflow. Meaning almost all 1000W supplies are "-I" type supplies and fans and almost all 250W supplies are "-E" supplies and fans.
Anyway, I am sure I am not the only one who may want to have a full power PoE switch in the same rack as a more economical to run non-PoE version.
Both the fan modules and the power supplies of the 250W/non-PoE switches use the same fan model numbers for each respective module, just installed with the airflow in opposite directions. The fan modules use a pair of Delta FFB0412UHN (.81A) and the Power Supplies use a Sanyo-Denki SanAce40 9GV0412P3J03 (6.0A).
So I don't see any reason why you can't just flip the fans to reverse the airflow directions in these switches. I don't have both versions of the 1000W/PoE Supplies to verify that this is also true there but I assume it is. But I think converting a back to front airflow switch to front to back is the more likely desirable scenario for home lab. Generally speaking most surplus non-PoE are back to front airflow, as they were typically installed as top of rack in the rear of server racks, whereas PoE switches were more typically installed as office distro switches and are almost all front to back airflow. Meaning almost all 1000W supplies are "-I" type supplies and fans and almost all 250W supplies are "-E" supplies and fans.
Anyway, I am sure I am not the only one who may want to have a full power PoE switch in the same rack as a more economical to run non-PoE version.