@malcolmputer
Thanks for the pointer to the Brocade switch thread on servethehome.com
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I’m working on getting a license from Jon.
Now I’ve got to order a 1000BASE-T SFP module or two. I’m thinking used Cisco GLC-T modules should work.
Do we 
know the voltage expected for the console serial port?
I could be 3.3v, 5v, or even +/-12-25volts although I’d be surprised at anything above 5 volts.
Now I need a dsub pin extraction tool…will a dsub tool work on molex connectors too? Or is there a set that doesn’t cost $200 I should consider that will cover me for general hobby work?
Okay, looks like I’ve got two push pin removers in my hobby box…I think they are for molex connectors, but won’t work with the dsub pins.
Try this $2.79 tool, I have used tools that look exactly like this before:
https://www.altex.com/d-sub-contact-insertion-extraction-tool
@malcolmputer @Clayton What kind of SFP module(s) are you using? I’m assuming that Cisco GLC-T modules should work fine.
@Clayton I mentioned that place to get a D-sub pin insertion/extraction tool because I have dealt with them and they are local in Addison. It’s a good place to get that kind of stuff locally.
I’m using DAC Cables for 3 of the ports and a off brand ($6 on ebay) fiber transceiver for one link.
The Brocade isn’t picky at all. It’s not like other switches where you have to worry about some DRM on the SFP or whatever. If it meets spec, it’ll work.
Thank you for that information.
If you’re using 4 SFP ports and none of them are 1000BASE-T – I am humbled. Who is your ISP and is networking your day job? I installed one of the first LANs at TI in the days before 10BASE-T took over the world, but I’ve mostly done EE work and Embedded SW development.
Nope, they’re all 10G. That’s my NAS and hypervisor storage network.
ISP is Frontier, but it’s just the 150M/150M plan, nothing fancy. Most of my data transfers stay local, not really interested in using “the cloud” much.
Sort of, I’m in InfoSec, but I was doing networking before. It’s something fun to play with and I was tired of waiting a half an hour for some of my larger VMs to migrate storage pools.
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@malcolmputer Any ideas about verifying (like a basic acceptance test) the the ICX6450-48P is mostly functional? Honestly for $140 I don’t see how I can even expect every port to work, but it would be nice to know that it mostly works before I leave glowing feedback on eBay. So far I am really happy with the apparent condition of the unit, but I haven’t even powered it on yet.
I’m hoping that it has pretty thorough power on self testing.
I guess my first order of business is to make up a console cable. I think the first thing I will do is look at the voltage of all of the pins to try to determine what levels the console port is expecting and then look at pins 3 and 6 with a scope during booting to verify the TX vs RX.
So these are usually switches that are cycled out for bigger units; for that price I’d expect full functionality out of it.
I don’t have a specific regimen, but when I buy my used 10G switches (I mostly use IBM / Blade switches, 24 SFP+ switches for my backplanes and their 48 port ethernet for edges) I just iterate through the ports with a basic load test. Checksum the data and watch for packet loss with some network monitoring utility (I’m usually testing off an aux port on my pfsense device and get my stats through it)
I did not believe that the default could still be 9600 baud (when the switch was designed), but that seems to be the case. Still I would put a scope on the TX pin and figure out the actual baud rate. Doubtless, the default baud rate can be overridden via an environment string in u-boot. Of course you can also just try some higher baud rates and see if you get any signs of life. Unlike hooking up to the wrong pins (these ports are usually pretty robust), changing the baud rate has no risk of causing damage.
Okay…so my pin remover arrived today. I successfully removed the pins. I get to add a notch to my geekery belt as my wife rolls her eyes 
Especially since the tool was crushed and I had to figured out its intended shape to fix it!
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Keep us posted. I ordered the same USB to RJ-45 cable that you referenced earlier. I figure that if the TX and RX are really switched between Cisco and Brocade, I can cut the RJ-45 off and re-terminate it with the wires switched. I take it that you are moving the opposite direction to a traditional USB to DB-9 cable and a DB-9 to RJ-45 cable to connect to the switch.
I am trying a few things. Unfortunately I cannot test anymore because I moved the switch into the room next to where my wife is sleeping. Her computer is the only one in the house with a proper DB9 serial port…don’t want to wake her up when the airplane engines start up.
I already tried swapping the two pins on the USB cable, but it didn’t work. I’m trying again once more tomorrow with USB to RJ45 cable to document it for posterity. Can seem to trace the USB pin out through the chip.
I’ve also go a DB9 to RJ45 cable that I just finished punching and will try it tomorrow as well. I used my multi meter and determined how the the DB9 pin colors mapped to the RJ45 Female. The documentation from the switch manual show TX on 3 and RX on 6. If that doesn’t work, I will swap them and try again. Not sure if I really need to short pins 4 and 5 to ground, but we’ll wait for feedback later.
If someone else has one of these, please offer your feedback…I’d hate to return the switch just because I punched a cable incorrectly.
dont cut the factory made cable, take a female plug and make a adapter
I take it that Table 23 is from Brocade document on the management port pinout?
If so pins 4 and 5 (or at least one of them) absolutely must go to the DTE’s (PC serial port) ground as a reference for the TX and RX signals. Otherwise there is no return path for those signal currents.
Please explain exactly what the two tables are. Table 23 only shows 4 connections and no handshaking signals. It’s entirely possible for the switch to use no handshaking signals, but I’d like clarification on what the two tables represent. I’m making a breakout cable to look at the signals from my ICX6450.
Which pin on the PC serial port is DTE? The diagram I referenced says GND on PC DB9 is Pin 5. Please let know if that is not correct.
DTE just means the “Terminal” device, as opposed to the DCE or “Communication (i.e., modem)” device. The ground pin on the PC serial port needs to connect to the ground on the switch console port.
Wow! I just got a pop-up asking if I am hogging the conversation.
Yes pin 5 is the correct pin for ground on a PC serial port. Assuming that the second table is for the Brocade switch, pin 5 from the PC’s serial port should connect to pins 4 and 5 on the switch and the TX from the PC should connect to the RX on the switch and the RX from the PC should connect to the TX on the switch.