Specifications
400G QSFP-DD Transceivers for High-Performance Networks
Reliable, compatible, and deployment-ready 400G optical transceivers designed for high-performance data centers, cloud networks, telecom environments, service-provider networks, and AI-driven infrastructure. E.C.I. NETWORKS offers a broad 400G optics portfolio, including short-reach multimode, single-mode DR4/XDR4/FR/LR/ER, and coherent ZR/ZR+ QSFP-DD solutions engineered for everything from intra-data-center connectivity to DCI, metro, and extended-reach deployments. With standards-based QSFP-DD / QSFP56-DD form factors, PAM4 signaling, MSA compatibility, digital diagnostics, and options for direct 400G-to-400G links or 400G breakout to 4×100G, ECIN 400G optics help simplify high-density network upgrades across open and OEM environments.
Key Features
- 4x106.25Gbps PAM4 parallel lanes
- 8 x 53.125 Gbps PAM4 electrical interface (400GAUI-8)
- 4 channels transmitters and PIN receivers
- Maximum power consumption 8 W
- MPO-12 connector
- Up to 10km transmission on single mode fiber
- Operating case temperature: 0°C to 70°C
- Single 3.3 V power supply
- QSFP-DD MSA compliant
- Compliant to IEEE 802.3cu
400G QSFP-DD PLR4 Optical Transceiver
The 400G QSFP-DD PLR4 is a 400Gb/s Quad Small Form Factor Pluggable Double Density optical module designed for 10km optical communication over single-mode fiber. The module converts 8 channels of 53.125Gb/s PAM4 electrical input data into 4 channels of 106.25Gb/s PAM4 parallel optical signals for aggregate 400Gb/s transmission. On the receive side, the module converts 4 channels of parallel optical input signals back into 8 channels of 53.125Gb/s PAM4 electrical output data. Unlike FR4/LR4 optics, PLR4 does not multiplex CWDM wavelengths over a duplex fiber pair; it uses four parallel optical lanes over an MPO-12 interface, supporting 400G Ethernet links up to 10km and 4:1 breakout with 100GBASE-LR applications.
| Parameter | Specification | Parameter | Specification |
|---|
| Form Factor | QSFP-DD | Data Rate | 400Gbps aggregate; 8 × 53.125Gb/s PAM4 electrical interface, 400GAUI-8, to 4 × 106.25Gb/s PAM4 parallel optical lanes |
| Standard Compliance | QSFP-DD MSA Rev 4.0; IEEE 802.3cu; 100G Lambda MSA / 4×100GBASE-LR1 optical alignment; 400GAUI-8 / OIF-CEI-56G-VSR-PAM4; CMIS 4.0; RoHS | Modulation | PAM4 |
| Wavelength | 1310nm nominal; 1304.5–1317.5nm line wavelength range | Connector | MPO-12 |
| Fiber Type | Parallel single-mode fiber, SMF / OS2 / G.652; 4 fiber pairs | Max Reach | Up to 10km over G.652 single-mode fiber |
| Transmit Power | Average launch power: -1.9 to +4.8 dBm per lane; OMAouter: +1.1 to +5.0 dBm per lane | Receiver Sensitivity | OMAouter sensitivity: ≤ -6.1 dBm per lane; average Rx power: -8.2 to +4.8 dBm per lane |
| Optical Budget | Approx. 6.3 dB average-power budget, based on Tx average launch power min and Rx average receive power min; approx. 7.2 dB OMAouter margin | Lane Configuration | 4 Tx / 4 Rx parallel optical lanes over 8 fibers; 8 host electrical lanes; supports 4:1 breakout with 100GBASE-LR / 100G-LR1 |
| Host Interface | QSFP-DD 76-pin host interface; 8-lane 400GAUI-8 electrical interface | FEC Requirement | Host KP4-FEC required for 10km 4×100G-LR1 / PLR4 operation; receiver sensitivity specified at pre-FEC BER 2.4 × 10⁻⁴ |
| Power Supply | 3.3 V nominal; 3.135–3.465 V operating range | Power Consumption | ≤8 W max; supply current ≤2.55 A |
| Digital Diagnostics | DOM/DDM/DDMI supported; I²C / 2-wire management interface compliant with CMIS 4.0; monitors module temperature, voltage, bias current, Tx optical power, and Rx optical power | Operating Temperature | 0°C to 70°C (Commercial) |
| Storage Temperature | -40°C to 85°C | Cable Type | Parallel SMF MPO-12 / MTP-12 cable for direct 400G links; MPO/MTP-to-4×duplex LC breakout cable for 4×100GBASE-LR / LR1 applications |
Connectivity examples
Switch-to-switch (leaf-spine)
This figure shows a direct connectivity between two switches using 100GBASE-SR4 QSFP28 transceivers connected by 1x multi-mode MTP to MTP patch cable.
Switch-to-server (via breakout)
Selection Guide
Which 100G Transceiver Should I Choose? Selecting the right 100G transceiver depends on distance, fiber type, and infrastructure. Use the guide below to quickly identify the best option for your deployment.
| Selection Criteria | Option | Recommended Transceivers | Fiber / Connector | Typical Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Form Factor | QSFP-DD / QSFP56-DD | DR4, FR4, LR4, SR8, SR4.2, ZR/ZR+ where supported | 76-pin QSFP-DD host interface | 400G switches, routers, AI fabrics, cloud data centers |
| Distance (Reach) | ≤ 100m | SR8, SR4.2, BD / BiDi | MMF OM3/OM4/OM5; MPO-16, MPO-12, or LC depending module | Intra-rack, row-to-row, leaf-spine data center links |
| ≤ 500m | DR4 | Parallel SMF / OS2; MTP/MPO-12 APC | 400G-to-400G links, leaf-spine, ToR aggregation, high-density breakout | |
| ≤ 2km | FR4, 4×100G FR1 breakout | SMF; duplex LC for FR4 or MPO-12 for parallel breakout | DCI, aggregation, distribution networks | |
| ≤ 10km | LR4, 4×100G LR1 breakout | SMF; duplex LC for LR4 or MPO-12 for parallel breakout | Campus, metro access, inter-building links | |
Up to 40km | ER8 / ER-class 400G optics, where supported | SMF; duplex LC | Metro, long-reach enterprise, service provider transport | |
| ≥ 80km / up to ~120km with coherent line system | ZR, ZR+ coherent optics | Duplex SMF LC; DWDM coherent | Data center interconnect, metro, long-haul transport | |
| Fiber Type | Multimode OM3/OM4/OM5 | SR8, SR4.2, BD / BiDi | MPO-16, MPO-12, or LC | Short-range data center deployments |
Single-mode OS2, duplex | FR4, LR4, ER8, ZR, ZR+ | Duplex LC / CS depending vendor and platform | Standard 2-fiber SMF deployments | |
Parallel single-mode OS2 | DR4, XDR4, PLR4, 4×100G FR/LR breakout | MTP/MPO-12 APC; DR4 uses 8 fibers, 4 Tx + 4 Rx | Hyperscale, AI, leaf-spine, breakout-heavy deployments | |
| Connector Type | MTP / MPO-12 APC | DR4, XDR4, PLR4, 4×100G breakout optics | Multi-fiber parallel SMF | 500m DR4 links and 400G → 4×100G breakout |
MTP / MPO-16 | SR8 | Multi-fiber MMF | High-density 100m multimode links | |
Duplex LC / CS | FR4, LR4, ER8, BD, ZR, ZR+ | 2-fiber links | Standard duplex cabling, WDM, longer-reach deployments | |
| Optical Technology | 4×100G PAM4 optical lanes | DR4, FR4, LR4 | SMF; MPO-12 or duplex LC depending optic | Modern 400G Ethernet with efficient 100G-per-lane optics |
8×50G PAM4 optical lanes | SR8, LR8, ER8 | MMF or SMF depending optic | Short-reach or extended-reach 400G where 8-lane optics are used | |
Coherent DWDM | ZR, ZR+ | Duplex SMF LC | 80km+ DCI, metro, and transport networks | |
| Breakout Capability | 400G → 4×100G | DR4 to 4×100G DR1, plus selected 4×100G FR/LR options | MPO-12 to 4× duplex LC breakout cable | Leaf-to-ToR, migration to legacy 100G switches, port-density expansion |
400G → 2×200G / 8×50G | Selected SR8, DAC, AOC, and platform-dependent options | MPO or cable assemblies | Short-reach fan-out and high-density server/switch connectivity | |
| Power & Thermal | ≤ 12W class | DR4, FR4, LR4, SR8 / SR4.2 | — | High-density 400G data center deployments |
13W+ / higher thermal budget | LR8, ER8, ZR, ZR+, coherent or extended-reach optics | — | Longer reach, coherent optics, metro and DCI applications |
Applications
Deployment scenarios for this module
Data Center & Enterprise Networks
High-speed connectivity for leaf-spine architectures, server aggregation, and backbone upgrades supporting growing east-west traffic.
Telecom & Service Provider Transport
Robust optical connectivity for aggregation, metro, and long-haul transport across carrier and service provider networks.
Cloud, AI & Hyperscale Infrastructure
Reliable, low-latency links designed for high-performance computing, AI workloads, and scalable cloud environments.
Quality Certification
At E.C.I. NETWORKS, all our optical transceivers are CE, FCC, RoHS, and FDA laser compliant, meeting global standards for safety, environmental responsibility, and electromagnetic performance.
Key Certifications
Emissions and immunity compliance for IT and multimedia equipment.
Verified as unintentional radiators with SDoC available.
Safety-certified and laser-classified (Class 1).
U.S. laser safety regulations.
Free from hazardous substances and environmentally responsible.
Available on selected models per regional or customer needs.
Compliance Standards
These certifications ensure our transceivers are safe, interoperable, and built to meet the highest global compliance standards across data center, telecom, and enterprise environments.
Conflict-Free Sourcing
We comply with the SEC Conflict Minerals Rule, supporting ethical sourcing practices for minerals like tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold.
Quality Certification
At E.C.I. NETWORKS, all our optical transceivers are CE, FCC, RoHS, and FDA laser compliant, meeting global standards for safety, environmental responsibility, and electromagnetic performance.
Key Certifications
Emissions and immunity compliance for IT and multimedia equipment.
Verified as unintentional radiators with SDoC available.
Safety-certified and laser-classified (Class 1).
U.S. laser safety regulations.
Free from hazardous substances and environmentally responsible.
Available on selected models per regional or customer needs.
Compliance Standards
These certifications ensure our transceivers are safe, interoperable, and built to meet the highest global compliance standards across data center, telecom, and enterprise environments.
Conflict-Free Sourcing
We comply with the SEC Conflict Minerals Rule, supporting ethical sourcing practices for minerals like tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold.
Performance & Reliability
We ensure our optical transceivers deliver exceptional performance and long-term reliability through rigorous testing on industry-leading equipment.
Power & Wavelength Testing
We verify signal strength and wavelength stability to ensure seamless decoding and consistent transmission across the optical path.
Traffic Testing
All transceivers undergo bit error rate (BER) and packet loss testing to guarantee zero data loss and full compliance with Ethernet and Fiber Channel standards.
Optical Performance Validation
Our modules are evaluated for signal integrity, eye diagram clarity, and BER, ensuring stable, high-quality optical transmission in all operating conditions.
End Face Inspection
Each module's fiber interface is inspected and cleaned to eliminate contamination and physical defects - a critical step for optimal signal performance and long service life.
Warranty & Compatibility
Optical Transceivers (1G–400G): Lifetime (5 Years)
Zero Risk
Using our transceivers does not void the warranty of your network equipment. Global OEM policies and consumer protection laws (Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act) prevent manufacturers from denying support based solely on the use of third-party components.
Guaranteed Compatibility
Our modules are coded and tested for seamless operation across major platforms including Cisco, Arista, Juniper, HPE, Nvidia, Huawei, and more. This rigorous validation ensures plug-and-play reliability and full compliance with OEM specifications.
Technical Support & RMA
Have an issue? We provide full technical support and hassle-free RMA on all eligible transceivers. Our team is ready to help with any technical questions about compatibility or deployment. contact our technical support support@ecin.ca
Q&A
Commonly asked questions
No. Under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and similar global consumer protection laws, OEMs cannot void your equipment warranty simply because you use a third-party transceiver. Your equipment warranty remains intact.
Yes. Our QSFP28 modules can be coded for major OEM platforms (Cisco, Juniper, Arista, Nvidia, etc.) and support open networking environments including SONiC.
A compatible generic version can be provided and coded before delivery.
Common 400G QSFP-DD optic types include DR4 for parallel single-mode fiber up to 500m, FR4 for duplex single-mode fiber up to ~2km, LR4 for duplex single-mode fiber up to ~10km, short-reach multimode options such as SR8 / SR4.2, and extended/coherent options such as ZR / ZR+ for longer DCI and metro applications. The attached datasheet specifically covers the EN-QDD-DR4, a 400GBASE-DR4 QSFP-DD module using 4 parallel optical lanes, 1310nm wavelength, MTP/MPO-12 APC connector, and up to 500m transmission over single-mode fiber with FEC.
Choose DR4 when you need high-density 400G links up to 500m over parallel single-mode fiber or when you need 400G breakout to 4×100G DR. The EN-QDD-DR4 is designed for both 400G-to-400G connectivity and 400G-to-4×100G breakout, making it ideal for leaf-to-ToR, AI fabric, and data center spine-leaf deployments. Choose FR4 when you need up to ~2km over duplex SMF, and choose LR4 when you need longer 400G links up to ~10km over duplex SMF.
Yes. Our modules are coded for the specific platform you select at purchase. They are recognized natively by the switch OS without any additional configuration or commands.
No, E.C.I. NETWORKS 400G transceivers are designed to meet applicable IEEE and MSA specifications, deliver the required 400G data rate and optical reach for their optic class, and support standards-based monitoring such as DDM/DOM. Actual link performance depends on choosing the right 400G type, such as DR4, FR4, LR4, SR8, or ZR/ZR+, and matching it to the correct cabling, optical budget, switch compatibility, and thermal environment.
Yes. We offer full support, RMA service, and warranty coverage on all modules.
Resources
Downloads and documentation