Qotom Denverton fanless system with 4 SFP+

[sko]

Bought the rack mount as well. Noticed that if I have a RJ45 SFP+ Module in one of the sfp cages, it will not cold boot. Power supply lights come on, but power light on the panel does not and it appears dead.

I suspect the unit won't boot because of too much load on the SFP+ ports.
The SFP+ specification allows for either <1W (type 1) or <1.5W (type 2) power consumption - *all* copper modules are WAY over those limits, so they may or may not work and may or may not damage the port either due to high currents or temperatures...

 

[blunden]

I suspect the unit won't boot because of too much load on the SFP+ ports.
The SFP+ specification allows for either <1W (type 1) or <1.5W (type 2) power consumption - *all* copper modules are WAY over those limits, so they may or may not work and may or may not damage the port either due to high currents or temperatures...

While most 10GBASE-T modules are indeed in the 3W range, there are some more modern (and expensive) ones with lower power consumption (1.8W or less) and longer range (100 meter vs. 30 meter).

https://www.fs.com/de-en/products/154916.html?attribute=70728&id=3351321

Ubiquiti also sell one that's a bit cheaper.

It's certainly a possible reason though.

 

[Easynet]

Hi all,

I want to share my experience with QOTOM QDNV01 / Q20331G9 C3758R. This device can handle 10GbE traffic, but I have no clue what happen with my device that all I226-V NICs are triggering errors on PCIe root ports similar to these:
Hardware error from APEI Generic Hardware Error Source: 0
It has been corrected by h/w and requires no further action

Also the driver is crashing randomly. I tried to change the RAM memory, power supply, booting old Linux Kernels. Even in Windows 11 if you set as router and you push traffic between two 2.5GbE you will get WHEA error in System Logs exactly for the same PCIe root ports.

I've opened a thread to Intel community forum for this issue: Intel(R) Atom(TM) CPU C3758R with 5x I226V - Hardware error from APEI Generic Hardware Error Source
This issue is happening when you do bidirectional traffic, like iperf3 -c IP --bidir. In only one direction per port doesn't trigger these errors.
Also I have few videos capturing the kernel errors and driver crash regarding to this issue. I can share them from my Youtube channel.

Does anybody faced this issue with this device?

The seller told me to send it back. He doesn't want to change it for another one because is afraid to not face the same issue. He will refund the amount.

 

[farmerj]

I suspect the unit won't boot because of too much load on the SFP+ ports.
The SFP+ specification allows for either <1W (type 1) or <1.5W (type 2) power consumption - *all* copper modules are WAY over those limits, so they may or may not work and may or may not damage the port either due to high currents or temperatures...

Further testing shows it only has this problem when using the 4th port.

 

[Pheckphul]

Alright, yeah i didn't think the aspeed would support video over usb-c.
That's odd tho, no output from the console port? Whats it there for than i wonder...

Can't wait to hear how others have done it! (looking like ill use my old 17" with vga in the attic)

As I recall, all I had to do was enable console redirection in the BIOS and connect with a standard rollover/Cisco terminal cable. Since this is aimed at being a firewall, down to using a standard Cisco-type RJ45 serial port, not sure why Qotom didn't enable this by default. The decision was probably made by the same person who designed the 1U rack enclosure.

 

[sko]

not sure why Qotom didn't enable this by default. The decision was probably made by the same person who designed the 1U rack enclosure.

I also can't understand this on *all* those network appliances. But as you said: this decision is probably made by the same clown that puts (multiple!) HDMI connectors on such an appliance - but no VGA so you could hook it up to a (networked) KVM swtich... I suppose they think everyone will drag around a spare monitor and keyboard to the rack/comms cabinet for setup or troubleshooting...

 

[Jakorosin]

So... been reading, and watching and deciding and what not, and finally cut the knot. bought the 1u rack version C3758.
Planning to proxmox it with pfsense to use it primarily as router, using disk passthrough for the pfsense that incase proxmox dies, i can boot from the passthrough device directly.

The only thing i'm really wondering about that i cannot find...
How do you guys do the initial installation? Do you actually use the VGA port, is the USB-C display ready, maybe even install proxmox using the console port?

Would love to hear from you guys

Wanted to warn you really quick: you absolutely need to use Proxmox 7.x and not upgrade, or upgrade through to 8.x but pin the kernel at 5.x - Linux 6.x has broken compatibility for the x553 SFP+ drivers and there is no sign of anyone in development really caring about the issue, because it affects so few users. See here.

That aside, I'm really happy with mine. It's running Arista NGFW, a small HomeAssistant instance, Koha, and my Unifi controller, and doing great at it.

 

[blunden]

Further testing shows it only has this problem when using the 4th port.

That's good to know.

Later this year I'll possibly have to use mine with an RJ45 transceiver. That's unless the existing run is too long and I need to use my cheap HiSource switch as a signal repeater, but at that point I'll probably just run fiber from the HiSource to the Qotom.

 

[jsc0]

Has anyone tried adding a fan to the 1u version? What size fan fits and how did you power it?

 

[blunden]

Has anyone tried adding a fan to the 1u version? What size fan fits and how did you power it?

It already has a fan that pulls in air from the bottom as far as I know. Are you talking about adding a second one?

 

[Caennanu]

As I recall, all I had to do was enable console redirection in the BIOS and connect with a standard rollover/Cisco terminal cable. Since this is aimed at being a firewall, down to using a standard Cisco-type RJ45 serial port, not sure why Qotom didn't enable this by default. The decision was probably made by the same person who designed the 1U rack enclosure.

Thank you for this. This should most definately help! But ill have to hook it up to a screen first to do that... kinda defeats the purpose

Wanted to warn you really quick: you absolutely need to use Proxmox 7.x and not upgrade, or upgrade through to 8.x but pin the kernel at 5.x - Linux 6.x has broken compatibility for the x553 SFP+ drivers and there is no sign of anyone in development really caring about the issue, because it affects so few users. See here.

That aside, I'm really happy with mine. It's running Arista NGFW, a small HomeAssistant instance, Koha, and my Unifi controller, and doing great at it.

Alright, that is very good to know, don't want bugs now!

---
update: received the 1u rack version this afternoon (7 day delivery including weekend). Now to wait for the miss's to stop using her screen so i can 'borrow' the VGA to hdmi cable... :d

 

[jsc0]

It already has a fan that pulls in air from the bottom as far as I know. Are you talking about adding a second one?

Yes. Seems like these boards get really hot, and I'm planning on putting mine in a hot closest. I was hoping to order a few fans before my Qotom is delivered.

 

[Caennanu]

Wanted to warn you really quick: you absolutely need to use Proxmox 7.x and not upgrade, or upgrade through to 8.x but pin the kernel at 5.x - Linux 6.x has broken compatibility for the x553 SFP+ drivers and there is no sign of anyone in development really caring about the issue, because it affects so few users. See here.

That aside, I'm really happy with mine. It's running Arista NGFW, a small HomeAssistant instance, Koha, and my Unifi controller, and doing great at it.

i'm installing, or rather trying to, right now.
But for some reason its not seeing my Sata m.2 drives.
Been trying to figure out what im missing in the bios, so far no succes.

Any suggestions?

Or does it only support pci-e? .....

 

[sko]

That's not a SATA port, it's PCIe x2

 

[Caennanu]

That's not a SATA port, it's PCIe x2

yeah... i was afraid off that :S
Ah well, time to return the Sata ones!

Was just hoping maybe it would have a Sata mode, but i geuss it doesnt.