Q28-100GLR4-BCC | Dell Compatible 100GB Single-Mode 10km (100GBASE-LR4)

Q: Will this work in place of the Dell Q28-100G-LR4?
A: Yes. The Q28-100GLR4-BCC is fully compatible with the Dell Q28-100G-LR4 based on matching QSFP28 form factor, 100GBASE-LR4 compliance, and identical electrical and optical specifications. It provides plug-and-play functionality in any Dell networking platform with a QSFP28 port supporting 100GBASE-LR4.

Q: Which Dell platforms support this transceiver?
A: This transceiver is compatible with Dell networking switches and routers that provide QSFP28 ports supporting 100GBASE-LR4. Compatibility depends on the platform supporting the IEEE 802.3ba standard and QSFP28 MSA form factor, not on specific model numbers. Confirm your Dell platform includes QSFP28 ports rated for 100GbE operation.

Q: What fibre type and link budget does the LR4 standard require?
A: 100GBASE-LR4 requires single-mode fibre (typically G.652 standard SMF). The transceiver provides a minimum optical budget of approximately 6.6 dB, sufficient for 10km reach under typical conditions. Actual reach depends on fibre attenuation (typically 0.4 dB/km at 1310nm), splice loss, connector loss, and any inline components such as patch panels or multiplexers.

Q: Does this module require forward error correction (FEC) to achieve full reach?
A: No. The 100GBASE-LR4 standard defines operation without mandatory FEC on the host platform for the full 10km reach specified. The four parallel 25G lanes use robust modulation and adequate optical budget to meet bit error rate requirements without relying on host-side FEC, though enabling FEC may improve margin in marginal links.

Q: Can I monitor the individual lane optical power and performance?
A: Yes. The DOM interface exposes per-lane transmit and receive optical power for all four CWDM channels, along with module-level temperature, supply voltage, and transmitter bias current. This data is accessible via the I2C interface as defined by the QSFP28 MSA, allowing you to identify lane-specific degradation, fibre faults, or imbalanced power distribution across the wavelength grid.