HP SFP to HP CX4 ports

Notice: Page may contain affiliate links for which we may earn a small commission through services like Amazon Affiliates or Skimlinks.

TeleFragger

Active Member
Oct 26, 2016
248
52
28
51
Ok so I have a 10gb network with all Connectx-1 and Connectx-2 cards that have the CX4 plug. They work great. I am getting 10gb in Windows 10, Server 2019 and even ESXI. FreeNAS does too if I run 11.1u7 - anything newer and it doesn't see the card.

anywho…
I also run an HPE OfficeConnect 1820 24G Switch that has an SFP port. I run 2 separate networks.. 1 @ 1gb and 1 @ 10gb...

I would love to just have all machines on the 10gb be seen onto the 1gb network. How could I achieve this?

Can I get a cable, SFP to CX4 and connect one of the six ports of the CX4 to the other switch's SFP with this cable?
1M CX4 (Latch) to SFP Cable

I want to find a cheaper cable as I don't want to drop $50... but if I had too I would but want to make sure it will work.

HPE OfficeConnect 1820 24G Switch J9980A
• 24 RJ-45 autosensing 10/100/1000 ports
• 2 SFP 100/1000 Mbps ports (min=0 \ max=2 SFP Transceivers)

HP 6400-6XG cl Switch (J8433A)
  • 6 CX4 10 GbE ports (IEEE 802.3ak Type 10 Gbase-CX4)

  • Duplex: full Only

  • 1RS-232C DB-9 console port

  • Supports a maximum of 8 10 GbE ports
I also have a Dell PowerConnect 2724 and it states..
The PowerConnect 2724 switch supports 24 GbE copper ports and has two SFP combo ports
(1000BASE-SX or 1000BASE-LX).


any help greatly appreciated on this...
 

fohdeesha

Kaini Industries
Nov 20, 2016
2,728
3,078
113
33
fohdeesha.com
that adapter cable will not work, as it states right on the page, it only supports 2.5gbps and 1gbps link speeds (and your cards and switches don't). CX4 is REALLY old, I would upgrade everything if possible as 10gbE SFP+ NICs are down to ~15 dollars. If you really need to "convert" CX4 to 10gbE, I think your cheapest option would be a brocade FCX (which comes with 2x cx4 ports on the back) plus the 10gbe card for it (30 dollars for the switch and 39 for the card). not sure of anything else cheap that will do that
 
  • Like
Reactions: TeleFragger

fohdeesha

Kaini Industries
Nov 20, 2016
2,728
3,078
113
33
fohdeesha.com
correct, or just replace your current 1gbe switch with the FCX altogether so you don't have so many switches / power draw. there's a command you have to run to drop the cx4 ports down to 10gbps on the FCX, but it indeed works
 

TeleFragger

Active Member
Oct 26, 2016
248
52
28
51
correct, or just replace your current 1gbe switch with the FCX altogether so you don't have so many switches / power draw. there's a command you have to run to drop the cx4 ports down to 10gbps on the FCX, but it indeed works
yes my network now goes...
from cable modem to wireless router to a dell powerconnect 24 port gigabit switch. then hp procurve is a separate network..

so I can put this FCX in place of my powerconnect, hp procurve port 1 to back of FCX and drop all the 1gb nic cables from the other machines that went to the dell...

that sounds great!!!!

you say.. command to run to drop the cx4 p0rts down to 10gbps... what is it other than 10gb?
 

fohdeesha

Kaini Industries
Nov 20, 2016
2,728
3,078
113
33
fohdeesha.com
exactly, that will work fine. Just be sure to follow the update/config guide as these usually come with very old firmware: FCX / ICX6610 - Fohdeesha Docs

to get the CX4 ports into "normal" 10gbe mode:

enable
conf t
int e 1/2/1
speed-duplex 10g-full
long-preamble
int e 1/2/2
speed-duplex 10g-full
long-preamble
write mem

it won't let you specify both ports at once and run long-preamble so gotta do them one at a time like that
 
  • Like
Reactions: TeleFragger

TeleFragger

Active Member
Oct 26, 2016
248
52
28
51
ok bought one.. $35... to remove 1 switch will need to move all machines to other area. hope wife dont mind me takin that area over...
 
  • Like
Reactions: fohdeesha

TeleFragger

Active Member
Oct 26, 2016
248
52
28
51
exactly, that will work fine. Just be sure to follow the update/config guide as these usually come with very old firmware: FCX / ICX6610 - Fohdeesha Docs

to get the CX4 ports into "normal" 10gbe mode:

enable
conf t
int e 1/2/1
speed-duplex 10g-full
long-preamble
int e 1/2/2
speed-duplex 10g-full
long-preamble
write mem

it won't let you specify both ports at once and run long-preamble so gotta do them one at a time like that
ok it came in... now for the next n00b question... how do I connect to it. do I have to use the console port in the back? if so what cable?

word of warning, the PoE versions are LOUD
this thing is very quiet. im surprised.. it just came in...
 

TeleFragger

Active Member
Oct 26, 2016
248
52
28
51
yeah I had a female to female cable I bought from amazon a while back to configure the hp procurve. no clue where it is.. amazon prime, will be here tomorrow.. hah.. love it!!!!! thx
 
  • Like
Reactions: fohdeesha

TeleFragger

Active Member
Oct 26, 2016
248
52
28
51
there should be a DB9 rs232 port on it, just plug a serial USB cable right into it, you'll probably need a female to female adapter: https://www.amazon.com/WOVTE-Changer-Coupler-Adapter-Connector/dp/B00W7BZ31G

and yeah the non-PoE variants are totally sensible sound wise, really low power draw too
woot im in! I did do the settings as you stated to enable the ports. I would love to be able to upgrade the fw. Following the link you gave me, it states to plug into the console port and not a regular port. I did that and I do not get a link light. I cant even ping from within the switch going out...
am I missing something there?
I am behind by 9y on the firmware... hah..

that link has
SW version: 08030t
ZIP Updated: 03-21-2019

I have
Monitor>show version
Boot 07.01.00T7f5 Mar 15 2010 12:12:56 PDT grz07100
Monitor 07.01.00T7f5 Mar 15 2010 12:12:56 PDT grz07100 (boot)
800 MHz Power PC processor MPC8544E (version 8021/0023) 400.0000 MHz bus
Monitor>
 

fohdeesha

Kaini Industries
Nov 20, 2016
2,728
3,078
113
33
fohdeesha.com
that's the bootloader, does it not boot into the OS? as per the guide, in the bootloader you have to manually assign an IP address, then the management port should come up, that's what the guide means by console port. should have both the serial console port and management ethernet port plugged in
 
  • Like
Reactions: TeleFragger

TeleFragger

Active Member
Oct 26, 2016
248
52
28
51
yup..
serial connected so i can see/type..
my pc running tftp is 10.66.10.10/16
i do ip address 10.66.10.99/16

i cant ping from switch to pc or pc to switch and console link light no activity
 

fohdeesha

Kaini Industries
Nov 20, 2016
2,728
3,078
113
33
fohdeesha.com
are you sure the ethernet cable you're using is good and also the port its plugged into on the other end? Can you post a picture of where it's plugged into the fcx?
 

TeleFragger

Active Member
Oct 26, 2016
248
52
28
51
are you sure the ethernet cable you're using is good and also the port its plugged into on the other end? Can you post a picture of where it's plugged into the fcx?
ill try and take pics later.. got mma...

so n00b question...
I am to plug an rj45 into the console port of the switch on the back so I get that part. The other side just goes into my network right? I do that and get no link light on the console port.
 

fohdeesha

Kaini Industries
Nov 20, 2016
2,728
3,078
113
33
fohdeesha.com
yes, the rear management port is ethernet, it should plug right into your network. no link lights sounds like that port or the other end of the cable's port is bad, or the cable itself is. I would change all those and see if it still doesn't link. also keep in mind I don't believe that management port is "brought up" with lights etc in the bootloader until you assign an IP addr and tell it to do something (like ping)
 

TeleFragger

Active Member
Oct 26, 2016
248
52
28
51
ok so I was having problems with the tftp program they had listed as one that could be used.
I forgot I had SolarWinds TFTP installed due to the HP Procurve I updated. So I used that and the 8030 fw was giving me issues.
had to google and go back to an older firmware. still went from 2010 to 2018.

we have it working!!!!!!!!!!
I can get my 10gb machines through now so that is all good...

only issue im having now is that I cannot get into the web management piece. I do have machine connected straight into the switch and I can get the page to come up but I cant login. no user/pwd works. If I set the web console to not require pwd, all I get is a read only view.
we created 2 users... and gave them priv 0 for admin...

any thoughts?

upload_2020-2-15_9-24-1.png
 

fohdeesha

Kaini Industries
Nov 20, 2016
2,728
3,078
113
33
fohdeesha.com
ok so I was having problems with the tftp program they had listed as one that could be used.
I forgot I had SolarWinds TFTP installed due to the HP Procurve I updated. So I used that and the 8030 fw was giving me issues.
had to google and go back to an older firmware. still went from 2010 to 2018.

we have it working!!!!!!!!!!
I can get my 10gb machines through now so that is all good...

only issue im having now is that I cannot get into the web management piece. I do have machine connected straight into the switch and I can get the page to come up but I cant login. no user/pwd works. If I set the web console to not require pwd, all I get is a read only view.
we created 2 users... and gave them priv 0 for admin...

any thoughts?

View attachment 13023
follow this guide exactly: FCX / ICX6610 - Fohdeesha Docs

It has the required steps for enabling web access, just adding an admin user is not enough. You should also definitely be able to flash the latest firmware from the zip in that guide, both the bootloader and OS
 
  • Like
Reactions: TeleFragger