What’s the Difference: 10GBASE-LR vs 1000BASE-LX

With the rapid development of optical communication industry, fiber optic transceivers have been designed smaller and smaller with high diversification to cater for the need of Gigabit Ethernet. As a result, various types of standard for Mini GBIC (SFP, small form-factor pluggable) and SFP+ come out, such as 1000BASE-SX, 1000BASE-LX, 10GBASE-SR and 10GBASE-LR, etc. For these different Gigabit Ethernet standards, do you know the differences among them? 10GBASE-SR vs 1000BASE-SX: the differences have been illustrated before. In this post, the differences of 10GBASE-LR vs 1000BASE-LX will be explained.

What Is 10GBASE-LR?

As its name implies, 10GBASE-LR is a 10 Gigabit Ethernet standard specified to transmit data over long distance (the letters “LR” refers to “long reach”) through single mode fiber, which is defined in IEEE 802.3 Clause 49. For instance, HPE J9151A 10GBASE-LR SFP+ can reach up to 10 km at a rate of 10.3125 Gbp/s with 1310 nm wavelength, which is widely used in 10GbE, SDH and SONET.

HPE j9151a 10GBASE-LR SFP+Figure 1: This photo shows the HPE j9151a 10GBASE-LR SFP+.

What Is 1000BASE-LX?

1000BASE-LX is a Gigabit Ethernet standard in IEEE 802.3 Clause 38. 1000BASE-LX SFP rates up to 1.25Gbp/s with a long wavelength laser of 1,270 to 1,355 nm. Different from LR transceiver, LX SFP is available both in single mode and multimode systems, which gives it some advantages in multiple mode application. Although LX SFP is specified to transfer data over a long distance of up to 5 km through single-mode fiber, it also supports multimode fiber system with a maximum reach distance of 550 m. It is noted that for distance over 330 m in multimode fiber, a special launch adjustment patch cable is required to reduce the differential mode delay effect. 1000BASE-LX is frequently used in 1GbE and fiber channel. For Cisco SFP 1000BASE-LX, there are different types and Cisco GLC-LH-SM 1000Base-LX SFP is commonly accepted by end users.

Cisco SFP 1000BASE-LX

Figure 2: This photo shows the Cisco SFP 1000BASE-LX.

10GBASE-LR vs 1000BASE-LX: What’s the Difference?

As mentioned above, 10GBASE-LR and 1000BASE-LX both are types of Gigabit Ethernet standards for fiber transceivers. But what are the distinctions? The following table lists the differences of 10GBASE-LR vs 1000BASE-LX.

10GBASE-LR SFP 1000BASE-LX SFP
Data Rate 10.3125Gbps 1.25Gbps
Form Type SFP+ SFP
Interface LC duplex LC duplex
Fiber Type Single mode Single mode and multimode
Wavelength 1310 nm 1270-1355 nm
Transmission Distance 10 km 5-10 km over single mode fiber;
550 m over multimode fiber

Although 10GBASE-LR and 1000BASE-LX both support long distance transmission, they are distinct from data rate. The former is applied to 10GbE while the latter is used in 1GbE. Both of them play their own essential roles in different fields and can not be confused with each other.

Summary

Comparing and contrasting 10GBASE-LR vs 1000BASE-LX, we find they share some similarities in maximum wavelength and transfer distance, however, they are different Ethernet standards distinct from each other for their data transmission rate, transmission distance and fiber type. Generally speaking, both have their own leading place in the current market, people can say one standard gives an edge over others only under specific circumstance. One decide on which to choose by combining his own need and the characteristics of different standards and types.

Digging Deeper into Pluggable SFP Module

A compact hot plug fiber optic transceiver, the Small Form-Factor pluggable SFP module is used in fiber optic communications for telecommunication and data communications applications. SFP is the interface between a network device mother board and a fiber optic or copper cable network cable.

sfp module

The SFP module is able to support Gigabit Ethernet, fiber channel, SONET, and a number of other communications standards. For your information that in the near future, SFP will expand to the SFP+. At the time, the data rate in 10 Gbit/s is a chievable, including 8 billion fiber channel. Compared to Xenpack or XFP type of modules, all of their circuitry inside, an SFP+ module leaves some of its circuitry to be implemented on the host board.

There is a huge change in the optical transciever is a vailable, each with different transmitter or receiver. This allows the user configure and customize the transceiver to get the proper optical reach with either a multimode fiber or single mode fiber type. In addition, the optical SFP module comes in four categories -SX, which is 850nm, LX, which is 1310nm, ZX, which is 1550nm and DWDM. All of them have an interface of a copper cable which permits a mother board to communicate via USTP (unshielded twisted-pair) cable network. There are also a coarse wavelength division multiplexing and two-way optical fiber cable, single mode 1310/1490 nm upsteam and downstream.

Actually available, the SFP module has the capability transfer rates of up to 4.25 Gbit/s. XFP, a form factor which is virtually identical to the SFP type, increases this amount by nearly three times, at 10Gbit/s. The SFP transceiver is specified and made compatible via a multi-source agreement (MSA) between manufacturers, so that different users who may use equipment from different manufacturers and provides can work effectively and smoothly without worrying about errors and inconveniences.

The GBIC interface is the precursor to the SFP, hence it’s nicknamed as mini gbic. However, the SFP module allows greater port density (number of transceivers per inch along the edge of a mother board) than the GBIC. Also exist the identical Small Form-Factor (SFF) transceiver which is about similar size as the SFP. Rather than plugged into an edge-card socket, it is directly attached to the mother board as a pin through-hole device.

Digital optical monitoring (DOM) or digital diagnostics monitoring (DOM) funcations are supported by the modern optical SFP transceiver according to the industry specifications of the SFP-8472 MSA. The user has the ability to constantly monitor real-time parameters of the SFP, such as optical input/outp power, supply voltage and laser bias current because of this feature.

That have been said, I’m very glad to know that optical transceiver is a very popular format, it is recommended to use a considerable amount of fiber optic component suppliers. These companies carry SFP transceivers for all Cisco devices together with transceiver modules for many other manufacturers. So, if you need technology solutions for your networking applications, you now know what to look for.

How To Save Your Money On SFP Transceivers

Outfitting servers, all new SFP transceiver can be wind up costing a company a few thousand dollars, but investment is necessary, becaused these products provided by the reliability and effective means of communication. Most companies in the market for new modules tend to search online or call a businessman help equip their computer products. Rather than call a dealer or visit a random middlemen, you should check your buying process, where you can save the replacement equipment outside of the OEM or custom objects in order to save cost.

Choose SFP Transceiver Compatible Alternative

Purchasing SFP transceiver from an OEM can cost 50-100 dollars more than you would like, but manufacturers that sell similar items tend to cost much less and manage to come with the same type of facets. Instead of SFP transceivers to help save a ton of money, because they can do everything, why wouldn’t you want to buy these items? For a company looking to lessen its bottom line, why not think about these alternatives to help minimize the costs and go around dealing with the OEM for the product you need.

Buy Used SFP Transceiver

Some individuals cringe when they hear the products is “used” and believe that an old module tends to not have as much value and life as a new module, but ignore this common myth. For instance, you might buy a Cisco GLC-T module at a used price, but the Cisco brand is regarded for its reliability and features that will not break down after a few months of use. With suppliers provide extended warranties on these items and left the orginal cost discount interest rate 50%, than looks diffcult, anyone want to refuse to bargain, are provided here.

Buy a Warranty

Well, so the theme of the article is to help people find ways to save money on modules, but the warranty is to invest later road will also clearly the dividend to investors. Okay, so say you end up with the newest Cisco compatible sfp transceiver for your systems, but some of them break down after a year because of a ruined lens.

You’ve gone past your manufacturer warranty and now you have to spend an extra 300-500 dollars for a replacement. Now, if you would have spent the extra money on a warranty, you could have been spared the hassle of throwing away those three hundred dollars. A warranty is only insrance, but it is always an extra motivation, help you save a large sum of cash if one day, you need it.

FiberStore focus on providing high quality fiber optic cable, Cisco GLC-T, Cisco compatible SFP modules, mini gbic, and related products for local and wide area networking products. We stock optical transceivers from top suppliers. FiberStore is convinced the path to success is through excellence and customer service. Our customers are our number one priority. We know you have many choice of where to buy so we do our best to provide the best sfp and gbic products, at the best prices with the best possible support.

Source: fiberstore.com