Transceivers

Transceivers questions

Which Transceivers brands does Memory Clearance carry?

The most listed brands in Transceivers are Accortec, HP, HPE, Dell, Finisar and Juniper. Every listing names its manufacturer and part number, so you can search by either.

Are these Transceivers products new or refurbished?

Both. Of the 11,944 listings, 4,382 state a condition: 2,918 are refurbished and 1,464 are new. The other 7,562 do not record one, so ask for it when you request a quote. The condition shown on a listing is the condition you receive.

How do I get a price on a Transceivers part?

2,726 Transceivers listings show a price you can order at. Items marked "Call for Price" have a Request for Quote button; send the part number and quantity and the sales team replies weekdays between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm PST.

How to choose a transceiver

The first check on a transceiver is form factor: the physical shape has to match the port on the switch, router, or NIC it plugs into. This category lists 11,944 transceivers and switch modules across 140 brands, in form factors including SFP, SFP+, XFP, SFP (mini-GBIC), QSFP+, GBIC, and higher-rate SFP28 and QSFP28 parts. SFP is the largest group here, then SFP+, then XFP. An SFP+ port will not take a QSFP+ module, and a GBIC port will not take an SFP: confirm the port type before anything else.

Reach and media are the second check. Short-reach multimode optics, marked 850nm, SR, or MMF, cover distances up to about 100 meters, like the SFP28 SR parts in this catalog rated to 100m over MMF. Long-reach single mode optics, marked 1310nm or 1550nm, cover longer distances over single mode fiber, including 40km and 80km SFP+ transceivers and a 10km QSFP+ transceiver carried here. Copper is the third option: RJ-45 SFP transceivers, like the 1.25GbE part in this catalog, run over twisted-pair cabling instead of fiber, at shorter distances than the fiber versions.

Connector type follows from the media choice. Duplex LC shows up across the SFP+, SFP28, and QSFP+ listings here, on both multimode and single mode optics; it carries transmit and receive on two separate fibers. Parallel-fiber optics, common at 40G and 100G generally, use MPO connectors instead, carrying multiple fibers in one connector. RJ-45 replaces the fiber connector entirely on the copper parts.

Vendor coding is the check that catches people who skip it. Most switches read a vendor ID out of the transceiver's EEPROM at boot and will warn on or refuse a module whose code they do not recognize, separately from whether the optics themselves are within spec. This catalog carries OEM-branded optics behind HP, HPE, Dell, Finisar, Juniper, and other switch-vendor part numbers, and third-party equivalents such as Accortec, the largest brand here at 1,807 listings. A third-party module built to the same MSA specification is optically interchangeable with the OEM part; whether your specific switch accepts its vendor code is a separate question, and worth checking first. More on that: vendor-coded vs MSA optics.

Transceiver buying questions

What's the difference between SFP, SFP+ and QSFP+?

SFP is the older, slower form factor, typically 1GbE and below. SFP+ is physically the same cage size but wired for higher rates, up to 10GbE in most switches. QSFP+ is a larger, separate form factor built around four lanes for 40GbE; it does not fit an SFP or SFP+ port. This catalog carries 3,012 SFP, 1,799 SFP+, and 296 QSFP+ listings.

Why won't my switch accept a third-party transceiver?

Most switches check the vendor ID coded into the transceiver's EEPROM against an approved list before they will bring the port up, independent of whether the optics meet spec. Some vendors will warn but still link up; others block the port. Third-party optics built to the MSA standard, including the Accortec parts in this catalog, are optically equivalent to the OEM version; confirm your switch's behavior with unrecognized vendor codes before ordering. See vendor-coded vs MSA optics.

What's the difference between SR and ZR transceivers?

SR (short reach) transceivers use 850nm light over multimode fiber, for distances up to about 100 meters, like the SFP28 SR parts here. ZR transceivers use long-wavelength light, 1550nm, over single mode fiber for much longer runs; the ZR-coded parts in this catalog reach 80km. Match the transceiver to the fiber type installed, not just the switch port.

Is a refurbished transceiver as reliable as a new one?

A transceiver is a sealed optical and electronic module with no moving parts; its specification is fixed by the part number, not its age or condition grade. The part number is stated on every listing here. Condition is stated on 4,202 of them, 2,808 refurbished and 1,394 new, and the catalogue records none on the rest. See what each condition grade means.