[c-nsp] Media converters - experiences?

[Ulrik Ivers]

Hi,

Maybe slightly off topic - but any input appreciated.

We are planning an upgrade of a Metro-network we are in charge of. Today we hand off 100Mb, we are moving to Gig interfaces. In the access network it's mostly fiber cabling all the way to the customer premises, no more than a few 100 meters as most. In most cases we need to hand of with 10/100/1000TX since most customers can't handle raw fiber connection.

Today we use simple stand-alone unmanaged media converters with 10/100TX<->100FX interfaces. Nothing fancy at all, just off-the-shelf products with good enough quality (as usual it's the power supplies that fail now and then). We've been fairly happy with this solution, works OK for the network scale and type of business we do.

Do any of you have any recommendations or experiences (good or bad) of a supplier/brand/model of standalone media converters (or other means of a customer placed equipment converting fiber to 10/100/1000TX), that meets the following criteria:

1.       (10/)100/1000TX on copper side

2.       Choice of fiber interfaces (LX, SX, single strand BiDi)

a.       Fixed or SFP based

3.       "Good enough" quality

4.       Price less then $100-$110 ($80-$90 if SFP based)

Regards,
/Ulrik Ivers