HP Ethernet 10G 2-port 546FLR-SFP+ Adapter link status is down

[Basemsh]

Hi

HP Ethernet 10G 2-port 546FLR-SFP+ Adapter link status is down on ESXi7, the adpater is connected to a cisco 1G switches , does this adapter support 1G Ethernet speed ?

What the issue could be ?

Any help would be higly appreciated

Thank You

Basem

[parnassus]

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@Basemsh wrote: does this adapter support 1G Ethernet speed ?

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It supports 1 Gbps in as much as it is equipped with a SFP compatible Transceivers (where SFP = 1 Gbps, and SFP+/DAC = 10 Gbps).

Looking at the HPE Ethernet 10Gb 2-port 546FLR-SFP+ Adapter QuickSpecs (edition 5, published 5th February 2018) only one SFP+ (10 Gbps) Transceiver and some DACs are listed as supported options: given that, the only one SFP+ Transceiver listed, among a long list of DACs, is the HP BladeSystem c-Class 10Gb SFP+ SR Transceiver (SKU: 455883-B21) one used for short reach and it operates at 10 Gbps.

If we suppose you are connecting your NIC Adapter to a Cisco Switch where a SFP (1 Gbps) is used...then you must try a SFP Transceiver on the NIC Adapter too...otherwise you have a side trying to operate at 10 Gbps and the other capable to operate at best at 1 Gbps.

Not knowing exactly how your NIC Adapter is equipped in terms of SFP/SFP+ Tranceivers (or DACs <- in this case 10Gbps is mandatory also on Switch side) and what there is on the other side (Cisco)...it's difficult to troubleshoot where the issue really is.

[SanjeevGoyal]

Hello,

This card is 10Gbps only. It will only work with J9281D, J9283D, J9285D modules, It's also a fibre only SFP+ port, so no supported Ethernet SFP+ modules.

You need a different NIC that's 1Gbps compatible, or a 10Gbps fibre port on the other side on an FC switch  One of those solutions is considerably cheaper than the other.

The card supports 1Gb. Are you using a DAC cable? If yes, replace it with transceivers and a fibre

If you feel this was helpful please click the KUDOS! thumb below!   

Regards,

[parnassus]

This topic needs some clarifications: "The NIC supports" means that HP/HPE supports the NIC deployed with listed SFP+/DAC options (reference: product QuickSpecs)...this doesn't necessarily mean that it can't be equipped with a SFP Transceiver (totally absent on the list of supported options)...it could work (SFP+ and SFP Transceivers share the same form factor)...the Mellanox ConnectX-3 Pro processor this NIC is built with (see here: https://www.mellanox.com/products/ethernet-adapters/connectx-3-pro) supports 1/10G protocols thus not only 10G one (see here: https://www.mellanox.com/sites/default/files/doc-2020/connectx-3-pro-ethernet-single-and-dual-sfp+-port-adapter-card-user-manual.pdf).

On the other hand is totally possible that a SFP Transceiver is not going to be recognized once installed due to potential firmware restrictions more than electrical/protocol restrictions.