Popular discussions about programming, compatibility and testing of optical transceivers.
A Linux server with an Intel 82599ES 10-Gigabit SFI/SFP+ controller showed no 10G interface and dmesg contained failed to load because an unsupported SFP+ or QSFP module type was detected after an untested SFP+ module was inserted. The article explains that the ixgbe driver only enables modules it…
A Dell-branded Intel X520-DA2 with Flypro 10GBASE-T SFP+ modules showed no carrier (or no interface at all) on Debian and on FreeBSD-based OPNsense because the card rejects unapproved modules. The post collects the per-OS fixes and the permanent EEPROM approach. Hardware involved: Dell-branded…
On an Intel S2600WFT board the X722 10GbE SFP+ controller (rev 09, NVM 3.31 0x80000d31 1.1767.0) refused ethtool -m with Cannot get module EEPROM information: Invalid argument, and the kernel logged Module EEPROM memory read not supported. Please update the NVM image. The behaviour was identical…
The poster bought a Cisco SFP-10G-SR on eBay (markings suggesting 2007 manufacture) and, warned about counterfeit Cisco optics with longevity and safety risks, asked how to tell whether it was genuine before deploying it. Hardware involved: Cisco SFP-10G-SR. Reported symptoms/messages: authenticity…
Intel X520 (82599) cards enforce a list of approved SFP+ modules; under Linux the ixgbe parameter helps, but on Windows or ESXi there is no such option. The gist provides a Python script that reads the card EEPROM with ethtool -e and sets bit 0 of the byte at offset 0x58 (0 = Intel modules only, 1…
The two SFP ports (F1/F2) of a Brocade ICX6450-C12-PD, licensed for 10G, would not come up with either a Brocade 1000BASE-LR SFP (33211-100) or 10GBASE-SR modules over a 5 m single-mode patch to an ICX6450-24P. show media saw the transceivers but the interface reported GigabitEthernet1/3/1 is down…
All 10G ports on a Netgear M5300-28G3 were used, so the poster asked whether a Cisco 3 m SFP+ DAC (H10GB-CU3M) or Finisar FTLX8571D3BCL 10G SR modules could be used in the switch's 1G SFP ports to add another 10G-capable device at reduced speed. Hardware involved: Netgear M5300-28G3, Cisco…
The thread starter documented that 82599-based X520 cards carry an undocumented EEPROM bit (IXGBEDEVICECAPSALLOWANYSFP, lowest bit of the capability word at byte offset 0x58, typically 0xFC locked / 0xFD unlocked) that decides whether non-Intel active SFP+ modules are accepted on ESXi and Windows…
A QSFPTEK 10GBASE-T SFP+ module installed in port ix1 of a passively cooled Netgate 6100 reported 73 C through DDM although the room was at 20 C; the module is specified for 0-70 C and up to 2.5 W. The poster asked for known-good RJ45 SFP+ modules that stay within spec. Hardware involved: Netgate…
An XCP-ng host with an Intel X520-DA2 and Finisar SFP+ transceivers logged failed to load because an unsupported SFP+ or QSFP module type was detected. insmod with allowunsupportedsfp=1 failed with Unknown symbol in module; options ixgbe allowunsupportedsfp=1 in /etc/modprobe.d/ixgbe-options.conf…
Intel X710/XL710 adapters refuse third-party optics at the firmware level with the message Rx/Tx is disabled on this device because an unsupported SFP module type was detected, and the i40e driver offers no override. The repository documents a procedure to remove the check: update to a known…
After upgrading to Proxmox VE 8 with the 6.x kernel, on-board Intel X553 SFP+ ports that worked on kernel 5.15.108 showed NO-CARRIER even with the cable and module connected. The regression was traced to an upstream ixgbe commit (565736048bd5) that broke auto-negotiation handling for X550/X553…
On a Supermicro SYS-1019D-FRN8TP running VyOS 1.4 rolling the on-board Intel X722 (i40e) did not recognise an ISP-supplied 1310/1270 nm single-fibre SFP nor other spare optics; ethtool -m returned Cannot get module EEPROM information: Invalid argument. The poster asked how to apply the well-known…
A Dell R720 with the integrated i350/X520 daughter card ran Proxmox VE; Cisco-branded 10G multimode LC SFP+ modules that worked elsewhere were rejected as unsupported. Adding options ixgbe allowunsupportedsfp=1 to the module options had no visible effect. Respondents walked through GRUB kernel…
A FreeNAS build on a Supermicro X11SPM-TPF board would not recognise a Ubiquiti UF-RJ45-10G SFP+ copper module in the on-board SFP+ cage, although the switch side showed link. The poster asked for BIOS settings or a compatible 10G RJ45 transceiver. Hardware involved: Supermicro X11SPM-TPF, Intel…