Help me fix my ethernet.. Switch vs filter? Deadline Monday

[b345t]

Could you let me know which Finisar modules are considered the best and which fiber cables to look at? Thanks

 

[Alrainbow]

Typical home routers commonly use 192.168.x.x, which is a standard private network. 182.x.x.x isn’t private, so I suggest staying away from that unless your ISP assigned you a public IP address in that range.

IPv4 Private Address Space and Filtering

A list of IPv4 address ranges that have been reserved by the IANA for private internets, and are not publicly routable on the global Internet.

www.arin.net

The real point is a new router in the 192.168.0.x range might conflict with an existing network.

Typo was supposed to be 192.168 sorry

 

[audiobomber]

Could you let me know which Finisar modules are considered the best and which fiber cables to look at? Thanks

My research led me to the 1G Finisar FTLF1318P3BTL. A couple of my audiophile friends followed and are very happy with the sound and the reliable performance. Another popular choice is the 10G Finisar FTLX1475D3BTL. I read comparisons that favored either, no clear consensus. I chose to stay with 1GB because that is what my system uses. Mixing 10G and 1G gear can cause conflicts.

Corning single-mode fiber is almost universally recommended.

 

[b345t]

My research led me to the 1G Finisar FTLF1318P3BTL. A couple of my audiophile friends followed and are very happy with the sound and the reliable performance. Another popular choice is the 10G Finisar FTLX1475D3BTL. I read comparisons that favored either, no clear consensus. I chose to stay with 1GB because that is what my system uses. Mixing 10G and 1G gear can cause conflicts.

Corning single-mode fiber is almost universally recommended.

Thanks. My router does not output fiber, I currently have VDSL 200mb line, they will be adding fiber to the home soon on my street. I am reading some threads and many users are using the Ubiquiti ER-X-SFP EdgeRouter. Is there a benefit using this vs a Sonore FMC like the opticalmodule deluxe?

 

[Alrainbow]

My personal opinion is stay away from fiber it can add issues not shown before. one should consider using if using fiber the needed conversion on either side to start with. digital gets messed with enough as is
even if just cat data cable each side is duplex and error correction no matter who makes products
Turn it off and listen then. Now imagine the complexity of data being converted from voltage to fiber and back again. I’m sure there are cases where it’s needed and can be better. But to me only at a last resort. I’m also sure it does change the sound as most say.

 

[b345t]

My personal opinion is stay away from fiber it can add issues not shown before. one should consider using if using fiber the needed conversion on either side to start with. digital gets messed with enough as is
even if just cat data cable each side is duplex and error correction no matter who makes products
Turn it off and listen then. Now imagine the complexity of data being converted from voltage to fiber and back again. I’m sure there are cases where it’s needed and can be better. But to me only at a last resort. I’m also sure it does change the sound as most say.

So you say stick to copper, even with a 10 meter run, and get a good switch to clean up?

 

[audiobomber]

My personal opinion is stay away from fiber it can add issues not shown before. one should consider using if using fiber the needed conversion on either side to start with. digital gets messed with enough as is
even if just cat data cable each side is duplex and error correction no matter who makes products
Turn it off and listen then. Now imagine the complexity of data being converted from voltage to fiber and back again. I’m sure there are cases where it’s needed and can be better. But to me only at a last resort. I’m also sure it does change the sound as most say.

Are you basing this opinion on personal listening experience, or theory? Fiber was a big improvement in my system, even using a $20 FMC with iPower X supply, Finisar SFP and Corning single mode glass into an EtherRegen. Adding the oMD and Pardo supply put it well beyond what I was getting with copper. I have two friends with very nice systems who initially implemented fiber using a cheap FMC and found the same, fiber easily bested the copper.

 

[audiobomber]

Thanks. My router does not output fiber, I currently have VDSL 200mb line, they will be adding fiber to the home soon on my street. I am reading some threads and many users are using the Ubiquiti ER-X-SFP EdgeRouter. Is there a benefit using this vs a Sonore FMC like the opticalmodule deluxe?

I believe the oMD is easily a better FMC than an EdgeRouter. However I don't recommend to use your router as a switch. You don't list your gear in your profile. If you have more than one LAN connection to the router, you should be using a switch.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

I believe the oMD is easily a better FMC than an EdgeRouter. However I don't recommend to use your router as a switch. You don't list your gear in your profile. If you have more than one LAN connection to the router, you should be using a switch.

Best upgrade I have made going to SFP + and 10G cages. Zero jitter, noise in conversion, no RFI or EMI and I have the darkest backgrounds and dynamic sound and presence. I am sure the opinion was based on hearsay. Most that make the conversion never go back. I have gone as far as running our entire house in SFP + and we are fiber from station to station (Fios)

 

[audiobomber]

Best upgrade I have made going to SFP + and 10G cages. Zero jitter, noise in conversion, no RFI or EMI and I have the darkest backgrounds and dynamic sound and presence. I am sure the opinion was based on hearsay. Most that make the conversion never go back. I have gone as far as running our entire house in SFP + and we are fiber from station to station (Fios)

I follow a thread on Audiophile Style called "Optical Network Configurations", which contains 12 pages of experimentation and suggestions on using fiber for audio networks. Nowhere in that thread is there anyone who claims to have tested a 10G SFP+ switch vs. an audiophile solution. Nor have I ever seen such a comparison elsewhere, even though I've looked. The author of the thread, who is a major proponent of 10G for its low jitter, says he doesn't know how it would compare to an audiophile solution. But audiophile switches also have low jitter, as well as upgraded clocks.

What the AS thread does contain is report after report of reliability issues caused by mixing 10G and 1G technology. It can be done, but it appears to be a minefield. Audio doesn't come even close to needing 1G speed, let alone 10G. In fact some manufacturers advocate for 100Mbps, because it requires less computer power therefore generates lower noise.

I am very pleased with the sound and reliability of my audio network, which is 1G up to the EtherRegen and 100Mbps to my music player. I am not considering an enterprise-grade 10G switch and I am highly skeptical that it would bring an improvement. I trust John Swenson, not Cisco or Ubiquity.

Have you done a viable comparison of 10G vs. audiophile switch that you can report on?

 

[Republicoftexas69]

I follow a thread on Audiophile Style called "Optical Network Configurations", which contains 12 pages of experimentation and suggestions on using fiber for audio networks. Nowhere in that thread is there anyone who claims to have tested a 10G SFP+ switch vs. an audiophile solution. Nor have I ever seen such a comparison elsewhere, even though I've looked. The author of the thread, who is a major proponent of 10G for its low jitter, says he doesn't know how it would compare to an audiophile solution. But audiophile switches also have low jitter, as well as upgraded clocks.

What the AS thread does contain is report after report of reliability issues caused by mixing 10G and 1G technology. It can be done, but it appears to be a minefield. Audio doesn't come even close to needing 1G speed, let alone 10G. In fact some manufacturers advocate for 100Mbps, because it requires less computer power therefore generates lower noise.

I am very pleased with the sound and reliability of my audio network, which is 1G up to the EtherRegen and 100Mbps to my music player. I am not considering an enterprise-grade 10G switch and I am highly skeptical that it would bring an improvement. I trust John Swenson, not Cisco or Ubiquity.

Have you done a viable comparison of 10G vs. audiophile switch that you can report on?

Audiophile switch that is precious. I can speak to the difference of 10g vs 1g and it is dynamic of course YMMV, as I sated we are 100% fiber with No copper inside or out. Giving you my firsthand experience and that it was a huge improvement. Good luck on your research. Oh I also posted a link to the AS thread in another thread on FO here. ……

 

[Republicoftexas69]

I follow a thread on Audiophile Style called "Optical Network Configurations", which contains 12 pages of experimentation and suggestions on using fiber for audio networks. Nowhere in that thread is there anyone who claims to have tested a 10G SFP+ switch vs. an audiophile solution. Nor have I ever seen such a comparison elsewhere, even though I've looked. The author of the thread, who is a major proponent of 10G for its low jitter, says he doesn't know how it would compare to an audiophile solution. But audiophile switches also have low jitter, as well as upgraded clocks.

What the AS thread does contain is report after report of reliability issues caused by mixing 10G and 1G technology. It can be done, but it appears to be a minefield. Audio doesn't come even close to needing 1G speed, let alone 10G. In fact some manufacturers advocate for 100Mbps, because it requires less computer power therefore generates lower noise.

I am very pleased with the sound and reliability of my audio network, which is 1G up to the EtherRegen and 100Mbps to my music player. I am not considering an enterprise-grade 10G switch and I am highly skeptical that it would bring an improvement. I trust John Swenson, not Cisco or Ubiquity.

Have you done a viable comparison of 10G vs. audiophile switch that you can report on?

Little more information on 10G here is the datasheet on the Finisar FTLX1457D3BCL. So really other than having really cheap cages 10G to 1G should not be an issue. I have never had an issue and I hot swap different transvers frequently. Also do not use cheap FO cable always use Owens Corning.

The interface is identical to, and is thus fully backward compatible with both the GBIC Specification and the SFP Multi Source Agreement

https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/610/finisar_ftlx1475d3bcl_10g_10km_1310nm_single_mode_-1272424.pdf

 

[audiobomber]

Little more information on 10G here is the datasheet on the Finisar FTLX1457D3BCL. So really other than having really cheap cages 10G to 1G should not be an issue. I have never had an issue and I hot swap different transvers frequently. Also do not use cheap FO cable always use Owens Corning.

The interface is identical to, and is thus fully backward compatible with both the GBIC Specification and the SFP Multi Source Agreement

https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/610/finisar_ftlx1475d3bcl_10g_10km_1310nm_single_mode_-1272424.pdf

An SFP+ can work in a 1Gb port, or maybe not. If you follow the AS thread, you should know this. Some SFP+ modules can work at 1G, some cannot. The FTLX1457D3BCL will, but If you use an SFP+ in a 10G port, it will send a 10G stream, which no 1G device can read. Some 10G switches allow you to throttle back the speed to 1G, but that is not universal and the programming can be intimidating.

I've read comparisons of people who tried both the the Finisar FTLF1318P3BTL and FTLX1457D3BCL, and there was no consensus as to which sounds better.

Audiophile switch that is precious. ……

And yet almost everyone here has one, two, or even three audiophile switches. As far as I know, no audiophile company makes a 10G compatible network player. Maybe measurements aren't the best determinant of sound quality?

 

[Republicoftexas69]

An SFP+ can work in a 1Gb port, or maybe not. If you follow the AS thread, you should know this. Some SFP+ modules can work at 1G, some cannot. The FTLX1457D3BCL will, but If you use an SFP+ in a 10G port, it will send a 10G stream, which no 1G device can read. Some 10G switches allow you to throttle back the speed to 1G, but that is not universal and the programming can be intimidating.

I've read comparisons of people who tried both the the Finisar FTLF1318P3BTL and FTLX1457D3BCL, and there was no consensus as to which sounds better.


And yet almost everyone here has one, two, or even three audiophile switches. As far as I know, no audiophile company makes a 10G compatible network player. Maybe measurements aren't the best determinant of sound quality?

Not most but thats okay. PT Barnum said... Hey been a while since I been up to your neck of the woods, Lived in Sault. Ste. Marie when I was working on a project at Algoma Steel. Also not following the AS thread as I know what works for me. As I said YMMV.

 

[NigelB]

I'm currently looking at addressing my run of 15m ethernet cable from router to streamer.
Unfortunately I am unable to replace this cable.

In my research I have found many instances suggesting the best thing to do is replace ethernet with fibre.
Supposed to clean up much of the noise introduced into the line.

You don't need to rip up your floorboards (or whatever) to get the benefits of fibre. A fiber "bridge" at the end of your 15m cable run will have exactly the same effect as fiber all the way, as RFI/EMI noise can't travel over an optical connection. The one thing some but not all have struggled with regardless of length of connection (I suspect it's system-dependent as well as Fiber Media Converter dependent) is noise generated by the optical-elctrical conversion process itself. It's unlikely this will outweigh the benefit of fiber but I thought I should mention it; I know a lot of people who've gone down the fiber route and are perfectly happy with the results. You might get some ground plane noise (again, system dependent) but you will get zero noise over the optical cable itself.

 

[NigelB]

First add a router in your audio room. Use it just for audio. give it it’s own network address an example
Typical is 192.168.1.xxx.
make your new router 192.168.0. Xxx
Next if you do need data in this room place a switch before the router
on the router in your home make this port used in your audio room a priority

I doubt you will hear any noise on data ports
Emo sys lakes true isolated net work couplings
They are good but don’t use them at first

This is unnecessarily complicated. He can simply add a network switch in at the router end and use it only for audio kit; same effect.

 

[NigelB]

If I were making a 2 meter run I would switch to fiber. Mulch cleaner sound and just more efficient not sure why fiber is not the standard for streaming and severs for audio.

I know a number of folk who have settled on fiber and are happy with it - it's theoretically superior to ethernet copper of course. But I also know as many people who have found that what works in theory doesn't always work in practice. This may be because there are more parameters to get right in fiber which can catch out the uninitiated - single vs multimode, speeds, etc - but it may also be because of noise reintroduced by the Fiber Media Converters (or SFP modules installed into them) generating some noise of their own. Lots of arguments elsewhere on this, probably not much to be gained by regurgitating them here. As ever, probably system-dependent too, which is why it's hard to find universal truths...

 

[Republicoftexas69]

I know a number of folk who have settled on fiber and are happy with it - it's theoretically superior to ethernet copper of course. But I also know as many people who have found that what works in theory doesn't always work in practice. This may be because there are more parameters to get right in fiber which can catch out the uninitiated - single vs multimode, speeds, etc - but it may also be because of noise reintroduced by the Fiber Media Converters (or SFP modules installed into them) generating some noise of their own. Lots of arguments elsewhere on this, probably not much to be gained by regurgitating them here. As ever, probably system-dependent too, which is why it's hard to find universal truths...

Buy an LPS and noise is gone, TaraDak switch is 115V. Total rubbish about noise be introduced iFi LPS noise is gone (not that it even existed before with OE PS)

 

[NigelB]

Buy an LPS and noise is gone, TaraDak switch is 115V. Total rubbish about noise be introduced iFi LPS noise is gone (not that it even existed before with OE PS)

I can't make sense of your second sentence, but there are those who, from actual experience, would disagree with your dismissal of noise being introduced by FMC/SFP as "rubbish".

 

[Republicoftexas69]

I can't make sense of your second sentence, but there are those who, from actual experience, would disagree with your dismissal of noise being introduced by FMC/SFP as "rubbish".

Okay whatever. I have been using fiber for years. You do you. Cheers. Total rubbish buy an iFi LPS and any phontom noise is gone. no more noice than any ethernet switch. If any...