Documentation

Does ConX-SFP require a VPN?

No. ConX-SFP uses DHCP on-site and connects outbound to the ConX Portal via TLS. No VPN, no inbound firewall rules. For environments that prohibit internet access, deploy the on-premises portal.

What devices does it work with?

Anything with a spare 1G SFP slot and a serial console port — routers, switches, firewalls, PDUs, servers with RS-232, broadband gateways, and industrial equipment. Works with Cisco, Juniper, Arista, MikroTik, Palo Alto, and more.

What are the default login credentials?

Username: weta, Password: wetatronics. SSH on port 22, telnet on port 23. See the Quick Start Guide for full default settings.

How many serial ports per unit?

One RS-232 port with a standard ethernet cable, or two RS-232 ports using the breakout cable. Each ConX-SFP unit is independent.

Can it work in air-gapped or classified environments?

Yes. Deploy the ConX Portal on-premises for a fully self-contained, internet-independent setup. Same features, fully local. ConX-SFP supports FIPS-ready cipher suites.

Do I need to disable auto-negotiation on the switch port?

Currently yes — ConX-SFP emulates a 1000BASE-LX SFP and requires speed negotiation disabled on the host interface. See the Quick Start Guide for Cisco, Juniper, and MikroTik examples.

What IP address does ConX-SFP use?

DHCP by default. If DHCP times out, it falls back to static IP 192.168.0.232/24. Static addressing can be configured via the serial CLI.

How does it compare to traditional console servers?

ConX-SFP eliminates rack space, power feeds, and long cable runs. See the detailed comparison.

Is ConX-SFP a serial over IP device?

Yes. ConX-SFP converts RS-232 serial to Ethernet (serial over IP) inside a standard 1G SFP module. It functions as an RS-232 to Ethernet converter with cloud or on-premises management — no external serial device server required.

How does the remote console connection work?

ConX-SFP establishes an outbound TLS 1.3 WebSocket to the ConX Portal — it looks like regular HTTPS traffic and works through any firewall, NAT, or CGNAT. You then open a browser-based terminal session through the portal. No VPN, no inbound firewall rules, no SSH client required.

Can I search serial logs across all devices?

Yes. ConX Portal provides full-text search across all devices, ports, and time ranges. You can save and share queries, stream live console output with the live tail feature, and export logs as CSV or raw text.

How do I onboard devices to the portal?

Use the 3-step device claiming process: start a claim in the portal, enter the verification code on the device, and confirm. Once claimed, the device auto-registers whenever it powers on and connects to the network.