SFP vs SFP+ Modules for MikroTik and UniFi: Which Transceiver to Buy (UAE Guide)

Buyer guideSFP & fibre9 min read

SFP modules are the small parts that cause the biggest delays on a network job. A switch arrives, the fibre is already in the riser, and the two modules ordered turn out to be multimode on a single-mode cable — or 1G on one end and 10G on the other. This guide is the checklist we run through on the counter before anyone pays for a transceiver, written so you can run it yourself.

• SFP, SFP+, SFP28
• Single-mode vs multimode
• BiDi modules
• Copper and DAC
• MikroTik vs UniFi modules
• FAQ

SFP, SFP+, SFP28, QSFP: what the names mean

They are all the same idea — a hot-swappable slot that takes a small module — at different speeds. The port on your switch decides the ceiling; the module decides what actually runs.

Most SFP+ ports also accept a 1G SFP module, which is handy when the other end is older. The link simply runs at 1G. The reverse does not work: a 10G module will not run in a 1G SFP port.

Single-mode or multimode: check the cable before the module

This is where most wrong orders come from. The module has to match the glass already in the wall, so look at the cable first.

Also check the connector. Almost every module we sell uses LC, the small square duplex connector. If your patch panel has the bigger round ST or square SC connectors, you need a matching patch cord, not a different module.

BiDi modules: when you only have one fibre strand

A normal module needs two strands, one to send and one to receive. A BiDi module sends and receives on a single strand using two different wavelengths, so it is sold in pairs: one end transmits on one colour of light, the other end on the other. If a contractor left you one spare strand instead of two, BiDi is how you still get the link up. Install them as a pair — two identical BiDi modules facing each other will not work.

Copper modules and DAC cables

An RJ45 module lets you plug a normal Ethernet cable into an SFP or SFP+ port. The 1G version is everyday and dependable. The 10G copper version works across several speeds, which is useful, but it draws more power and gets warm. In a switch packed with them, leave empty ports between modules and make sure the rack breathes — Dubai summers in a small comms cupboard are hard on electronics.

For connections inside the same rack, a DAC (direct attach cable) is the better answer: a short cable with the module ends already fixed on. No optics to clean, almost no heat and less cost than two transceivers.

MikroTik modules or UniFi modules?

Use the switch’s own brand where you can. MikroTik modules in MikroTik switches and UniFi modules in UniFi switches report their temperature and light levels properly in the management software, which makes troubleshooting much faster. When the two ends are different brands, that is fine — the standards are the same — as long as speed, fibre type and wavelength match.

1G copperMikroTik S-RJ01 RJ45 Gigabit SFP Module10/100/1000M Copper TransceiverAED 127.00Available on orderView product →10G copperMikroTik S+RJ106-speed RJ-45 module for up to 10 GbpsAED 230.00Available on orderView product →1G multimodeMikroTik S-85DLC05D1.25G SFP multi-mode 850 nm transceiver, LC, 550 mAED 127.00In stock in DubaiView product →1G single-mode pairMikroTik S-3553LC20DSFP 1.25G Single-Mode Module Pair, 20 km, LCAED 288.00Available on orderView product →10G DACMikroTik XS+DA00033 m Direct Attach Cable, SFP/SFP+/SFP28 up to 25GAED 173.00Available on orderView product →UniFi 1G multimodeUbiquiti 1 Gbps Multi-Mode Optical Module 2-Pack UACC-OM-MM-1G-D-21G SFP multi-mode fibre transceivers, LC connectorAED 109.00In stock in DubaiView product →UniFi 10G single-modeUbiquiti 10G Single-Mode Optical Module 2-Pack UACC-OM-SM-10G-D-2SFP+ 10G, Duplex LC, up to 10 kmAED 437.00In stock in DubaiView product →UniFi 10G BiDiUbiquiti 10G BiDi Single-Mode Optical Module 2-Pack UACC-OM-SM-10G-S-2SFP+ 10G, Simplex LC, up to 10 kmAED 817.00In stock in DubaiView product →

The ten-second checklist before you order

1. Port speed at both ends1G SFP or 10G SFP+? The slower end sets the speed.
2. Fibre typeYellow is usually single-mode, aqua or violet multimode. When in doubt, send a photo of the cable label.
3. Strand countTwo strands for normal modules, one strand for a BiDi pair.
4. DistancePick a module rated past your run, not exactly at it.
5. ConnectorLC on the module; get the right patch cord for your panel.

For the switches these modules plug into, see our PoE switch guide, and for linking two buildings without fibre at all, the point-to-point wireless guide.

HSHighspeed counter team, Bur Dubai. Written from the module questions network engineers and contractors send us every week. MikroTik master distributor and Ubiquiti master reseller in the UAE.