An SFP is a small module that plugs into a dedicated slot on a switch or router and defines the physical connection type for that port. Swap in a copper SFP for a standard Ethernet connection; swap in a fibre SFP for a long-distance fibre connection up to 100 km. No tools required and the switch stays powered.
SFP slots give switches flexibility for different deployment scenarios. Inter-building links almost always use fibre SFPs because fibre eliminates ground loop problems and electromagnetic interference from industrial equipment.
- 1000BASE-T SFP – copper Gigabit Ethernet over standard Cat5e/6 cabling up to 100 m
- 1000BASE-SX SFP – multimode fibre, up to 550 m
- 1000BASE-LX SFP – single-mode fibre, 20 to 100 km depending on variant
- SFP+ (10G) – 10 Gbps versions for backbone links requiring higher throughput
- Hot-swappable – SFPs can be changed while the switch is running without losing other ports
In the catalogue: Industrial Ethernet switches