Using Cisco Catalyst 3560 instead of 1GE(H) EPON ONU

[Victor Dimov]

Greetings to everyone. I'm a new member. I have somewhat basic knolege of computers and routing(currently using LInux Mint 18 ''Sarah'' Cinamon desktop).

So heres the question. From a week ago my ISP installed an 1GE(H) EPON ONU, because they are changing the entire network on optic only. Thats good, but the Epon heats up just with my PC. I don't think i could use a router after it without setting it on fire. Further more im planing on making my own survalence(for my house) and ill have to add a server, a Wi-fi router and one more PC to the mix. I'm sure the Epon is going to burn out then.

I was wandering if it's possible to use a Cisco Catalyst 3560 24 port Poe with two SFP ports instead of the Epon. And can i rewryte the optic modules factory addres so it maches the Epons.

Before when i was on lan with MAC addres recodnicion i installed my Tp-Link with no problem(firmware is OpenWrt). So is it possible to do something of the sort on optic cable.

Thank you in advance and hope this is enough info. If needed ill provide more.

 

[PP Mguire]

Your TP-Link provides DHCP whereas when connecting just your PC to your ONT your PC got your direct external IP address. The LAN port on that ONT is meant to go to a WAN port of a level 3 device (router) like the TP-Link.

Connecting the fiber directly to an SFP port greatly depends on if your ISP requires any form of authentication or translation from that ONT.

Also take note that the 3560 is only a 10/100 switch. If your internet coming in via fiber is anything faster that Cisco switch will be a bottleneck. If you have the funds and the availability I would look into something that is at least Gigabit. If you have networking knowledge and server knowledge at all (as in higher than basic) you can create a pfsense server or make your own DHCP server (essentially your own level 3 device) and RADIUS and VLAN that from the SFP port to the server which will provide IPs and NAT to the rest of your network.

All in all, if you don't know how to do this already it's best to just use your TP-Link or a better aftermarket router behind that ONT. Also, ONTs don't traditionally get that hot.

 

[Victor Dimov]

Thanks for the reply. Your right about the authentication part. I wont need any anything faster than 50Mbps and besides here the top is 100Mbps(currently i'm on 15 Mbps).

In the future there will be minimum two PC via LAN and a Wi-fi so ill change from 15Mbps to 50, but i dont think that the device used by my ISP is able to handle it(althou it's spec say it should).

I took a better look at the EPON and all the stuff that could replace it, but theres a mismatch in wavelenghs: EPON Tx 1310 Rx 1490 https://www.fiberoptictel.com/1ge-epon-onu-zte-chipset/
I did'nt find a device and/or sfp/sc module matching them.

By the way the Tp-Link is TL-WR841N so it's nothing special. If i loaded it with two PCs that will lower the Wi-fi range and speed. And besides i am going to make a home cammera survelance system(that's why ill be buying the Cisco in the first place).

Overall all i want is to spread out the load. I talked about it with the ISP Administrator of my area(we are friends). I don't have other ideas on how to do it. Any sugestions are greatly appriciated.

Forgot to say this at the start Sorry for the typos

 

[PP Mguire]

I can't really recommend much based on not having knowledge of the parts available in your area, or your budget. So that's really up to you, but all I can do is give you advice based on your use case.

For one, 15Mb is nothing to that ONU (also the device is called an ONU, EPON is the fiber interface to the OLT). It's capable of 1.25Gb input/throughput and 15Mb is nothing for it.
I took a better look at the specifics for it and found out why it's getting warm. Your ONU (unlike my ONT) actually provides DHCP, VLAN support, routing tables, etc. It's a full local Layer 3 device. That's good for you! The reason for this is, you can put any kind of layer 2 switching device behind it and it'll provide IPs granted you still have DHCP enabled on the ONU. So technically yes, you can put that Cisco switch behind it and it'd run fine. That Cisco would take the the load of switching off the ONU and all it will be doing is providing IPs for each device on your network. I would not try to replace the ONU. If I'm right about authentication that means any 3rd party ONU will not work as that auth is not baked into it. If you feel the ONU isn't operating correctly you need to contact the ISP so they can give you a replacement.

I'm guessing you want that Cisco specifically for the POE to power the cameras, right? If so, make sure the POE output is the same voltage that the cameras support otherwise you will need POE injectors for each camera. Otherwise almost any decent layer 2 switch will work for your needs.

 

[Victor Dimov]

I looked around are and where are these Epons used. It seems that my area(central Bulgaria, Pavel Banya) is 4 yeasr behind the capital city(Sofia). The ISPs in Sofia started using OLTs in 2014, my ISP just started using them .
Just to mention i found SFP Modules that are Epon/OLT hot swap devices suposed to be used instead of Epons but they cost as much as the Epon.

Over all the joke that Bulgaria is 100 years behind other countryes and 50 years to the side seems to be true

Thanks for everything nice meeting you

LZ1NFS
73

 

[PP Mguire]

I looked around are and where are these Epons used. It seems that my area(central Bulgaria, Pavel Banya) is 4 yeasr behind the capital city(Sofia). The ISPs in Sofia started using OLTs in 2014, my ISP just started using them .
Just to mention i found SFP Modules that are Epon/OLT hot swap devices suposed to be used instead of Epons but they cost as much as the Epon.

Over all the joke that Bulgaria is 100 years behind other countryes and 50 years to the side seems to be true

Thanks for everything nice meeting you

LZ1NFS
73

The problem being the module won't provide auth to the ISP like your ONU will. It's the exact same reason why I'm stuck using my AT&T gateway in passthrough mode.

At least you have fiber. There are still tons of areas here that don't even have a form of broadband connection.