I have a separate HG612 modem (in the UK) but I recently found the SFP module MT-V5311 which claims support for VDSL all the way up to Profile 30a (200/100Mbps). There’s more info at
Very interesting! It would be really awesome if this module functions as a normal VDSL2 modem as described.
I still have some doubts about performance and manageability, but this module could be a game changer when sold at a reasonable price point, not just for turris omnia but for many devices with an sfp-slot.
Well, but why didn’t anyone else invented anything comparable until now? Coincidence seems unlikely.
It is a bit like Finisar’s GPON SFP module for passive fibre. The size difference is about the same factor as VDSL-modems seem smaller than GPON ONUs.
I would not say invented. Only building these was impossible as the components were too big or too expensive. As time goes on analog components get replaced by digital functions. Adding computing power is simply. Shrinking a capacitor not.
I think providers may abuse them to get crap routers build into the SFP module to their “enterprise” customers. Marketing name may be “Cloud NAT” or “Cloud Firewall”. The firewall part would work like the original Turris only slower.
(Sorry for mixing up SPF and SFP in the original title, now fixed)!
And I also have to apologise for another error. In spite of the photos at that original web site, what they are selling is a single VDSL2 chip which they claim is small enough to incorporate into the SFP form factor. It’s not a complete SFP module. As to why such models aren’t available before … I guess the previous two chip solutions are too large. Of course it could also be that the demand just isn’t there. Clearly this chip is also attractive to the one box integrated solution vendors out there that we know and love from the ISP supplied router.
The photos, once you read more carefully, are of their “reference design”. So I guess we wait for someone to go into production with actual modules one can buy based on the listed chips. Unless the nice folks at cz.nic want to add it to their TODO list? They must be getting pretty good at the H/W game now…
Most reference designs are fully working. Sometimes you even get the reference design without any changes or with minimal changes. Graphics cards and Wifi-modules are an example for this. But you have to wait for a manufacturer to take the reference design and produce modules. This may be a bit pricy as this design has 2 stacked boards and may have extra thin PCBs. And small price is far more important than size for the manufacturers. Your home has enough space if the router is bigger. But being 10 bucks more expensive is not an option for the mass market.
Guess: cz.nic tried it already with SMRT and found it not working perfectly.
A problem that even bite AVM in germany with their Ikanos Fusiv based devices. DSL firmware modifications helped but still were unable to get the maximum speed on long lines. In the end they went back to Lantiq with the next generation.
It would be really great, if there was a SFP VDSL2 module (ideally without a blob). This would be a game changer I guess, since a single SFP module doesn’t also eat more electricity. You invest maybe 10 bucks more, but save it on electricity in the long term and should have much less trouble getting it to work as you not the provider wish.
I guess, 30-40$ would be ok to ask. It shouldn’t cost much more than double of that I guess. Since then it really would be cheaper to just buy a Cisco modem instead (even if it wouldn’t be an elegant solution).
Hardware without a blob is imho extinct in the mass market. For me it does not matter if it is a mask at the factory, burned into the ROM or flash ROM, loaded by a driver. Additional stupid option: load the firmware using a MCU into the device. In the end it only depends if the company updates the firmware.
A VDSL2 SFP module would eat about the same electricity as a small router. Call it modem if you like but i have not seen any pure DSL modem.
It will not be 10 bucks more. Maybe 100 more will work. But my guess is it will cost more than 200 bucks as it is not ready for mass market yet.
But i heard some rumors about development in this directions. So it may only take another 2-3 years to get them at acceptable prices if it turns out to be cheaper than a separate devices for fiber and DSL but this will only be the case for smaller providers.
Vladan Laxa
3 days ago
I wote for 19" rackmount and VDSL solution, is it an SFP modem?
Bedrich Kosata
3 days ago
Yes, there is a VDSL modem for SFP, but we are still trying to get our hands on it to test it.
So they are trying to get their hands on the SFP-Modem. Hopefully they will be successful.
Hi @Gramophone, that’s similar to the link we started this discussion with, but I don’t see any content at that link (it has an additional ‘2’). Is there a place where one can buy a complete SFP module using a Metanoia chipset? Better still, do you have OpenWRT drivers available?
@anarcat please note that the domain quoted is the manufacture of the chipset and SFPs.
So it isn’t phishing and may be a geniue offer for help.
Seeing that my first attempt to get in touch with Metanoia resulted in a zero response so far I’m happy to take this as a positive sign and give it a go.
Note that there is a 2nd thread VDSL SFP Bridge Modem as mentioned by benedikt before.
The firewall part would work like the original Turris only slower.