Use of fiber optic to Ethernet converter with Bridge II

Audio Components DACs
61

Hi Guys,

I’ve nearly given up on these bloody things!!

I changed over the original MC110’s & bought another single mode set of optical cables & I still can’t get these things to work…aaahhhhh!

Even when I plug in the ethernet cable from my 8 way 100Mb switch (which also runs my Netflix acct no problems at all so signal are passing), the bottom LHS lights don’t even light up to suggest a connection / link? I’ve never actually seen any lights on the RHS light up at all?

What am I doing wrong as the chances of receiving x2 damaged pairs is remote.

Any tips?

Cheers

Matt

62
mattjtaylor2809 said I've nearly given up on these bloody things!!
Hi Matt,

I just got a pair of these last week and they worked flawlessly from the get go. Something is strange at your end for sure.

I know it would be a pain but can you move your DS to where you router is (for test purposes only) and try not going through your switch. Try this ‘direct connection’ of Router > FMC’s > DS

Does it then work ? If so, then it’s the switch that’s playing naughty. That’s how I would trouble shoot this.

Be sure to power the FMC’s first, wait a minute, then power up the DS last.

What router do you have btw?

63
mattjtaylor2809 said

I then swithed over to the bridge &…noise, noise noise…lots of interference!

Also Matt, I just scrolled to an earlier post of yours in this thread. There is something seriously wrong if you're getting this kind of interference on the DS's Bridge input.

Ethernet’s little transformers are a pretty good isolator (not 100% but still pretty good), so to actually hear something this bad through the DS and your amp and speakers, something is wrong

Try some different ethernet cables, in case the ones you are using are faulty/damaged.

What router and switch are you using? I saw you mentioned powered ethernet?

My previous place had 4 powerline adapters connecting various things around the house including the DS - there is a LOT of noise through a homes electrical wiring (one circuit only) and the DS worked flawlessly and sounded fantastic, suggesting that ethernet did a pretty good job of isolating most of the bad stuff on the electrical wiring.

So for you to hear lots of interference that bad, something is wrong.

Have you ever had the DS’s Bridge input working properly? Maybe it’s actually the Bridge that’s faulty?

First try connecting the DS Bridge II directly to your router, i.e. no FMC’s yet (if you can move your DS and amp and small speakers, just to test). Or bring the router to the DS if that’s easier, by-passing the switch.

If that’s fine, then try it with the FMC’s in that same place, directly to the router (no switch in the path).

From your earlier post about heaps of noise coming through the DS, it might not be the FMC’s. If the Bridge is faulty or an ethernet cable is damaged or there’s another network issue, then the FMC’s won’t do anything to help.

It could be a faulty Bridge, faulty ethernet cable, faulty switch etc. But the above tests should help narrow it.

And can you clarify - are you using any PoE (power over ethernet) devices? I’ve heard stories of these putting a lot of noise into ethernet networks.

Not to be confused with EoP (ethernet over power - we call powerline adapters in Oz)

Report back

64

Hi All,

Many thanks for your suggestions, I think moving the DSJ to where my router is maybe a wise move but before I go to the trouble, I’ve plugged in the MC110Cs today, direct to my router (possibly a Gigabyte switch?) & nothing again??

I checked this as I plugged the output end into my PC & turned off wireless…“No internet Connection” so no signal is passing? I’m also not seeing any of the lights flashing, the only x2 lights that are green are the power & LFP lights…I’ve not seen any of the other lights on with the exception of when I 1st turn on the MC’s?

It’s possibly my optical fibre cable but I’ve double checked & it’s a single mode cable (yellow)? I’ve also double checked that they’re crossed over & still nothing (see pictures - Ethernet in on the RHS, Ethernet out on the LHS)

MC100cs-1.jpegMC100cs-2.jpeg

Please ignore my earlier threads about white noise, I did have an issue with a faulty bridge which resulted in white noise replicated (thank god) at Magenta Audio (PS Audio distributors) who live around the corner so I don’t have this issue anymore.

I’ve also hardwired the house & the connection is working via the 100Mb switch which I bought as the MC’s are 10/100M & this was suggested to me a while back…I know this as it’s running Netflix in the same room so it can’t be a cable issue?

I’m happy enough with my sound direct into the DSJnr but after reading countless posts about reducing the interference via these media converters & improvements in SQ…I thought for just over $100 bucks it’s worth a try…I just for the life of me can’t work out why they’re not working!!

Cheers

Matt

65

Hi mate, if I turn off my DS, those are the same two lights I get.

When I switch the DS on, they all light up.

Not sure what you mean by the output end of your PC though?

Try the FMC’s in between the PC and switch, and in between the DS and switch.

66

Apologies Mi2016,

What I meant to say was that I connected the 2nd MC110CS box’s output (i.e. what would be the connection to my DSJ) to my laptop via a Cat6 cable (blue in picture above) to see whether I could access the internet on my laptop via the x2 FMC box’s with my wireless system switched off…I could not suggesting nothing was passing through the MC110CS’s!

It’s doing my head in & I’m sure (well, I’m hoping!!) there is an easy fix but I’m yet to find it!

Cheers

Matt

67
mattjtaylor2809 said

What I meant to say was that I connected the 2nd MC110CS box’s output (i.e. what would be the connection to my DSJ)

All good Matt. I was actually expecting to go through all this drama last week but stoked that it just worked right away. I got lucky though.

Btw, the test won’t work with your PC and those FMC’s, if your PC’s ethernet port is gigabit and doesn’t support 10/100. Should be ok because usually those are 10/100/1000 but just double check.

So you may need to test it with the DS (just the DS, FMC’s and the main router/modem - no switch)

68

Hi Guys,

Maybe some progress.

I switched the LFP on/off switch at the back (switch 4) to off & I now seem to have an active link on both the 1st MC110 & the 2nd MC110 but I still can’t seem to access the internet when the 2nd MC110cs ethernet cable is plugged into the back of my iMac or work PC (maybe a firewall issue).

I’m certainly heartened by the fact that the lights are now flickering (small steps)!!

Any other tips in regards the position of the switches?

MC110cs-3.jpegfile1.jpeg

69

Sorry, if I missed it…but, would you mind describing the signal flow and equipment from computer (and/or other content source) to DAC, including network equipment details. I have a potential idea that might be helpful, but I don’ want to run down the wrong rabbit hole. Regards.

70
mattjtaylor2809 said

Hi Guys,

Any other tips in regards the position of the switches?

I have a similar setup to you. I am using a pair of MC100CM instead of the 110CM.

Mine worked from the get go but I have no switch between router and the downstream FMC.

My “4th switch position” is the default which is down and that worked. I think you had it up too in an earlier post.

But only the 2 lights to the left of the pair of FMC’s are on like the picture in your earlier post.

Can anyone explain what the switch positions do and what the lights indicate?

71

yacheah said

Can anyone explain what the switch positions do and what the lights indicate?

Basically the dip switches are for link management of speed and duplex setting of the FMC ports. In simple terms

10M = Link speed set to 10Mbps (megabits/sec)

100M = Link speed set to 100Mbps

Auto = Link speed set to negotiated value between the link partners. For example, if one end is 100M and the other end is 10M, the link speed will be set to 10M.

FDX = Duplex set to full. This means the port can send and receive packets at the same time.

HDX = Duplex set to half. This means the port can either send or receive at a given point in time.

LFP_On/Off = Enable/disable Link fault pass-through. Since this is a FMC, it has physically two link partners on the either end. There are complication that can happen if one of the link partner fails. The pass-through function enables the fault on one side of the link to be propagated to the other side of the link.

72

Hi Guys,

My set up is as follows:

ROON Core iMac > Sagecom Modem/Router (can’t find whether it’s a GB or 100Mb) > 10 - 15 Mtr Cat 5 (via x2 wall plates) > TP-Link 8 Way 100Mb switch (working with Netflix) > Cat 5 > MC110cs > 1mtr SC-SC Duplex Single mode fibre > MC110cs > Cat 6 > DSJ.

With this set up I’ve never got them to work.

If I return the forth switch (LFP) to the down (on) position I go back to only the power button working. Switching between the TP auto or disable (switch 1) doesn’t appear to make any diff.

I’ll reinstall & see what happens.

Cheers

Matt

73

OP: I don’t remember the technical specifications, but certain data specs on these converters won’t work directly into the PSA DACs. I would wager that if you return all your switch settings to the proper defaults and simply move the converters upstream of the switch (i.e., router>Ethernet cable>converter>optical cable>converter>Ethernet cable>DAC), you will be back in business. I hope this helps.

74

Have you tried a replacement optical lead? Could be duff.

75

Hi All,

I think I’ve solved the issue (with a new optical patch, different brand & OS2) as I now have all lights on/flashing (on both the FX & TP side) & the ethernet cable from the 2nd MC plugged into my work PC connected to the internet no issues.

Now to move it into my listening room…fingers crossed it actually adds something to the SQ!

Thanks for everyone suggestions / help.

Cheers

Matt

76

Phew I’m glad as it was getting very worrisome for a while.

77

Me too! It’s funny how we get worried about other people’s issues on this forum and are relieved when they are resolved. Yet another example of what a nice community this is!

78

Ha ha…Thanks Frank & Amgradmd,

I’m pleased we’re all now sleeping at night!

I don’t know why they didn’t work in the 1st place but as soon as I tried another brand fibre optic patch lead, off she went! I’m not convinced it’s actually adding to SQ as I’m still getting used to Huron in my system but I’m sure once I’ve done some more critical listening I’ll be able to work out if it’s been worth all the hassle…& worrying people all over the globe!!

What I think I do need to add it a better ethernet cable & possible LPS from the DAC side MC but for now, I’m just happy it’s working!

Cheers

Matt

79

Glad it worked out for you! Yes, we can all sleep now! :wink:

I know I’m a broken record on this, but I highly recommend you bridge your ethernet connection so that the DS DAC is connected directly to your PC/Mac and not the router. I didn’t like optical fiber in between that leg or, more accurately, didn’t notice a difference, so I scrapped it there. I love optical fiber between my router and my Mac, though. A definite improvement for Roon/Tidal streaming.

80

Hi Amgradmd,

I’m not sure what you mean?

My set up is as follows:

ROON Core iMac (late 2012 2.9 Ghz i5 with 8GB) > Crappy Sagecom Modem/Router (can’t find whether it’s a GB or 100Mb) > 15+ Mtrs Cat 5 (via x2 wall plates) > TP-Link 8 Way 100Mb switch > Cat 5 > MC110cs > 1mtr SC-SC Duplex OS2 fibre > MC110cs > Cat5/6 > DSJ.

Are you saying bypass the router/modem? How would I do this & still have a wired network?

I may look at installing a NAS with a ROON core at some stage but for now, the CORE is on my iMAC.

Cheers

Matt