I’m pretty fiber stupid. So here is my problem.
My linux box is about 30-40 ft away from the switch/server room. I just tossed a solarflare 10gbe adaptor in this box, and would like to connect it to my switch that has some sfp+ 10gbe ports. The switch is one of those cheap 4x 2.5gbe + 2x 10gbe sfp+ switches.
I assume the easiest way to do this is with fiber, but I have no experience with buying fiber cables and sfp+ adaptors. Any suggestions? Ideally I’d like something fairly cheap.
fibre optic 101:
https://www.reddit.com/r/networking/comments/3gx5dz/ysk_if_you_dont_about_fiber_optics_and_how_they/
Wavelength on both ends must match, and the fiber needs to support it too
Multi-Mode or Single-Mode is a decision to be made
Mind the run length. You do not want to blast a laser meant to cover 40km into a receiver just 50 cm away.
For runs under 15ft (5m), Direct Attach Cable can work. Mind you some switches are little princesses that want their DAC not some random DAC.
DOM - Digital Optics Monitoring, this means the Transceiver can tell the device it is attached to about itself and the link it is providing. Makes troubleshooting connections way easier!
| Type | Explained | Speed |
|---|---|---|
| SFP | Small Formfactor Pluggable | 100M to 4G |
| SFP+ | The same as above | 10G |
| SFP28 | Mostly the same, NICs and switches take SFP and SFP+ too (check datasheet though!) |
1G to 25G |
| QSFP (+) | Quad SFP, one port - four connections | 4x 10G |
| QSFP28 | Quad SFP28 | 4x 25G |
| QSFP-DD | Four of the fast stuff | 4x 100G |
Thanks everyone for the links. Sorry for being a bit of a noob at this.
I tried to follow the reddit guide and I think these should work together. Any thoughts?
Those work fine. (edit, just noticed the cable end. You need LC on both ends. I would get an OM4 cable though since the price difference is $5, ands OM4 will support up to 100-200gb and last you “basically forever” in a home environment.
If your distance is an estimated 30-40ft, then get a cable 40-50ft long. Always better to have a little loop of extra at an end to be able to move it a little.
https://www.fs.com/products/40251.html?attribute=803&id=18482
That cable does not have LC on both ends.
This is the version you would want:
I assume this is the OM4 15m variant?
https://www.fs.com/products/40254.html
Again, thank you so much for all of your help.
Depends on the connector, the cheaper transceivers will want a cable terminated in MPT/MPO, which isn’t what OP is getting.
I’m not sure if there’s any 100G multimode transceivers that would take a duplex LC connection.
true future proofing would be to run single mode everywhere.
There are, QSP28 ones up to 100G at 100m (300ft). Should be enough for home lab 
800G at home, let’s go!
I think I made this mistake
but to be honest I don’t think it really matters at home.
10/25GbE should be plenty for at least the next 10 or so years, and you can get that with multi-mode.
but cost wise it isn’t much to go from multi-mode to single mode for 10/25GbE anyway; which begs the question: do you really want to go with multi-mode? 
when i was pricing the lasers and pre-made lengths up, om4 was wayyyyy cheaper
heard heaps that they are the same price, but nah not here
Once you bring “laser” price into it, yes single mode does get more expensive than multimode. Typically the cable is cheaper on SM but the transceivers cost more.
Though I do see at fs a short distance SM transceiver option that costs $150 less than multimode at 100gb speeds, so I guess I would always have to recommend going single mode then even at 10 and 25gb as it leaves a clearer upgrade path and big cost savings at 100gb.
Everything works, so thanks everyone. Now I have 10gb from my desktop 
