Mixing TP-Link Switches and Cisco SFP Modules

Sometime ago, I posted reviews of my use of two TP-Link switches to operate my home network. To recap briefly, I use a TP-Link TL-SG3424 as my core switch and a TP-Link TL-SG3210 as my access switch. Both switches are Gigabit Ethernet across every port which I love. The pair of switches cost me under £200 new for the pair.

Recently I’ve deployed some extra devices into my home office leaving the TL-SG3210 a little short a free ports (a la none) so I was interested in moving my two LAG trunk ports onto the SFP Mini-GBIC modules to free up two ports. Taking a look at the TP-Link Media Converters and Modules page at http://uk.tp-link.com/products/?categoryid=225 reveals that they do produce fibre modules but nothing for Ethernet.

Sometime ago, I posted reviews of my use of two TP-Link switches to operate my home network. To recap briefly, I use a TP-Link TL-SG3424 as my core switch and a TP-Link TL-SG3210 as my access switch. Both switches are Gigabit Ethernet across every port which I love. The pair of switches cost me under £200 new for the pair.

Recently I’ve deployed some extra devices into my home office leaving the TL-SG3210 a little short a free ports (a la none) so I was interested in moving my two LAG trunk ports onto the SFP Mini-GBIC modules to free up two ports. Taking a look at the TP-Link Media Converters and Modules page at http://uk.tp-link.com/products/?categoryid=225 reveals that they do produce fibre modules but nothing for Ethernet which had me a little worried about the future of my eight port home office switch.

Determined not to be beaten, and not wanting to fork out to lay fibre through my house or buy a new, larger switch, I decided to take a punt on buying two used but functional Cisco GLC-T= SFP modules. These are 1000BaseT Gigabit Ethernet modules taking copper connectivity as opposed to fibre (or fiber depending on your preference). With Mini-GBIC SFP being an industry standard, I figured it must work right?

The good news folks is that it does work. The Cisco modules work just great and I’ve got four of the modules now. I am using a pair of them at either end of my LAG for consistency to I’m connecting SFP to SFP and I’ve had no issues with them at all.