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Find technical guides, troubleshooting tips, and expert solutions for optical transceivers and network equipment.

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Showing 1-12 of 124 articles

GLC-GE-100FX: Cisco's 100BASE-FX SFP for Gigabit Ethernet Ports

4/29/2026

GLC-GE-100FX is a Cisco SFP that lets a Gigabit Ethernet port carry a 100BASE-FX optical link. The module uses SGMII on the host side and reaches 2 km over multimode fiber.

Will EEPROM-Coded Compatible Transceivers Survive a Switch OS Upgrade?

4/29/2026

When a Cisco, Juniper, or Arista switch is upgraded, will EEPROM-coded compatible transceivers keep working? What SFF-8472 covers, what each vendor verifies, what changes between releases.

When should FEC be enabled or disabled on 100G optics?

3/6/2026

FEC mismatches cause most 100G link issues. Learn which transceivers need host FEC enabled or disabled, how to diagnose common symptoms, and CLI commands for every major platform.

EML vs. VCSEL vs. CW laser: which optical transceiver laser is right for you?

3/2/2026

Laser tech is ~50% of a transceiver's cost. This guide compares EML, VCSEL, and CW lasers — what each does best, where they fall short, and how the 2025 EML shortage is reshaping buying decisions.

HPE Broadcom NIC cards: do you need Broadcom or HPE transceivers?

2/24/2026

HPE servers use Broadcom, Mellanox, or Intel NIC chipsets. Your transceiver coding must match the NIC vendor, not the HPE server brand. Here's how to check.

Intel X520/X550/X710 NIC Guide

11/21/2025

Complete guide to Intel X520, X550, and X710 NICs covering supported speeds, firmware differences, PCIe requirements, breakout cables, and driver compatibility for optimal performance.

Finned-Top and Flat-Top OSFP explained

11/19/2025

Learn the key differences between finned-top and flat-top OSFP optical transceivers. Finned-top modules handle high-power 800G applications with integrated cooling, while flat-top designs

Connector polishing – What makes the distinction between UPC or APC.

10/6/2025

Learn the critical differences between UPC and APC fiber connector polishing. UPC offers 0° endface with 50-55 dB return loss, while APC's 8° angle achieves 60-65 dB for reflection-sensitive appli...

Industrial-Temperature Optical Transceivers: What Matters and Why

9/26/2025

Industrial-temperature optical transceivers survive extreme environments from -40°C to 85°C. Learn which temperature ranges, form factors, and applications need industrial-grade optics.

Technical differences between FC and Ethernet

8/22/2025

Comprehensive comparison of FC and Ethernet transport mechanisms covering encoding schemes, latency, error detection, and real-world applications for storage vs general networking.

Troubleshooting Guide: When Your 100G Transceivers Won’t Link

7/28/2025

Comprehensive troubleshooting guide for 100G transceiver link failures. Covers fiber connectivity, power budget, FEC mismatch, auto-negotiation, and wavelength issues with step-by-step solutions.

QSFP Breakout Cable Guide