Cisco VWIC-2MFT-E1 Full Official Technical Specification Document

1. Product Overview

Official Full Designation

Core Definition

SKU Naming Breakdown

1. VWIC: Voice/WAN Interface Card, dual-purpose modular expansion card supporting both voice trunking and WAN data connectivity
2. 2: Two independent physical E1 trunk ports integrated on a single expansion card
3. MFT: Multiflex Trunk, flexible arbitrary DS0 timeslot partitioning for mixed voice and data services over one E1 span
4. E1: ITU-T standard channelized E1 digital trunk, 2.048 Mbps total line rate with 32×64 kbps DS0 timeslots
5. =: Optional suffix for standalone spare-only VWIC spare kits (VWIC-2MFT-E1=)

Product Lifecycle Notice

• Official Global Release Year: 2001
• End-of-Sale (EoS) Status: Discontinued; Cisco permanently halted production of brand-new VWIC-2MFT-E1 hardware units
• Direct Upgrade Replacement Models: VWIC2-2MFT-E1 second-generation dual-port multiflex E1 trunk card with native independent per-port clocking, enhanced diagnostic tools and optional Drop-and-Insert hardware supportCisco
• Minimum Supported IOS Software Version: Cisco IOS Release 12.0(5)XK for base fractional E1 data functionality; IOS 12.1(3)T required for full E1 PRI packet voice feature support
• Software Maintenance Status: Only critical security vulnerability patches are released for customers holding active Cisco DNA service contracts; no new feature enhancements will be developed
• Legacy Status: End-of-sale legacy hardware; certified refurbished spare modules, validated legacy IOS firmware images and 24×7 Cisco TAC engineering technical support remain available through authorized Cisco distribution partners

Supported Router Platform Compatibility

1. Cisco 1700 Series (1751, 1760 only; unsupported on 1720/1710 base models)
2. Cisco 2600 Series (2610, 2611, 2620, 2621, 2650, 2651, 2600XM, 2691)
3. Cisco 2800 Series ISR G2
4. Cisco 3600 Series Multiservice Routers (3620, 3640, 3660, 3631)
5. Cisco 3700 Series (3725, 3745)
6. Cisco 3800 Series ISR G2

Deployment Restrictions

1. No certified hot-swap capability: Power cycling the entire router chassis is mandatory for safe installation or replacement; live removal triggers immediate dual E1 trunk outages and persistent IOS system error logging.
2. Shared single clock domain limitation: By default, both E1 ports share one common clock source; separate independent line clocking for each trunk is unsupported unless NMSI mode is enabled, which limits channel-group configuration flexibilityCisco.
3. No Drop-and-Insert TDM cross-connect hardware: This base VWIC-2MFT-E1 lacks onboard TDM timeslot cross-connect logic; DI hardware multiplexing function is only available on VWIC-2MFT-E1-DI hardware variantCisco.
4. Voice DSP hardware dependency: Packet voice trunking functions require companion voice network modules with dedicated DSP farms; the standalone VWIC-2MFT-E1 only supports pure E1/fractional E1 data connectivity without voice processing hardware.
5. Slot installation rules: May be installed either in dedicated WIC sub-slots of mixed-media network modules (NM-1E2W, NM-1FE2W, NM-2FE2W) or standard VIC voice slots on supported router platforms.

Standard Factory Complete Bundle Contents

1. VWIC-2MFT-E1 base dual-port multiflex E1 trunk VWIC card with two independent front-panel RJ-48C E1 trunk ports and dedicated per-port trunk status LED indicators
2. Anti-static ESD handling storage bag
3. Quick-start hardware installation guide covering VWIC slot insertion, removal, dual E1 trunk cable wiring, DS0 timeslot partitioning configuration and basic IOS fractional E1 data / E1 PRI voice setup examples
4. Global regulatory compliance, safety, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) certification documentation packet

Core Integrated Functional Capabilities

• Dual fully independent ITU-T standard E1 2.048 Mbps multiflex trunk ports, each equipped with a fully hardware-managed integrated DSU, eliminating external standalone DSU hardware and reducing branch rack equipment footprintCisco
• Flexible 32-timeslot E1 channel partitioning architecture per port: Administrators may split the 32×64 kbps DS0 timeslots arbitrarily between data channel groups and voice trunk timeslots on each physical E1 circuit independently
• E1 data WAN functionality support per port: Fractional E1 channel groups (N×64 kbps, N=1 to 31) for HDLC, PPP and Frame Relay leased-line inter-site data connectivity; full unchannelized E1 high-speed WAN transport
• E1 packet voice trunk functionality support (with compatible DSP voice modules): E1 PRI ISDN trunking for PBX telephony interconnection, channelized VoIP trunking, FXS/FXO voice gateway services, fax over E1 transmission
• Comprehensive E1 line diagnostic and loopback tools per port: ITU-T standard E1 CRC4 / non-CRC4 framing support, local/remote E1 line loopback initiation and detection, BER bit error rate testing, real-time E1 line alarm monitoring (Loss of Signal, Out of Frame, Alarm Indication Signal)
• Full IOS feature integration for data workloads: Static/dynamic routing (RIP, EIGRP, OSPF), IOS zone-based firewall, NAT/PAT, IPSec VPN tunneling, AAA identity authentication, QoS traffic shaping and policing for fractional E1 bandwidth control
• Full IOS voice feature integration (with DSP hardware): VoIP call routing, voice compression codecs (G.711, G.729a, G.726), echo cancellation, call admission control, voice trunk dial plan configuration, fax relay support

2. Hardware & Performance Specifications

Core E1 Trunk Transmission Performance

• Trunk Standard: ITU-T G.703 physical layer, G.704 channelized E1 digital trunk, total line rate 2.048 Mbps per port
• Timeslot Composition per Port: 32 independent 64 kbps DS0 payload timeslots (timeslot 0 reserved for framing synchronization, timeslots 1–31 for user voice/data payload)
• Supported Framing Types: ITU-T standard E1 double-frame CRC4, non-CRC4 basic E1 framing
• Supported Line Coding: HDB3 (High-Density Bipolar 3-Zero Substitution), standard E1 line coding format
• Physical Port Connectors: Dual independent RJ-48C female front-panel ports (one dedicated connector per E1 trunk)
• Integrated DSU Functions per Port: Line clock recovery, signal loss detection, AIS/RAI alarm generation, remote loopback activation, BER performance counters
• Data Link Encapsulations for Data Channels: HDLC, PPP, Frame Relay

Front Panel LED Indicator Definitions (Per Individual E1 Port)

1. LINK LED: Solid green = Valid synchronized E1 physical layer link established with remote equipment; off = No E1 signal detected
2. ACT LED: Blinking green = Active bidirectional data/voice timeslot traffic transmission/reception over the E1 trunk; steady off = No active payload traffic

Electrical & Thermal Specifications

Power Consumption

• Typical operating power draw under dual-port idle E1 trunk standby mode: ~15 Watts
• Maximum full-load power consumption under dual-port full 32-timeslot concurrent voice + data traffic: ~22 Watts
• Power Delivery: Powered exclusively through the router chassis network module WIC/VIC slot backplane; no external power supply connectors mounted on the VWIC card

Thermal & Environmental Operating Parameters

• Certified Continuous Operating Temperature Range: 0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F) standard data center/branch equipment room environment
• Extended Validated Short-Term Operating Temperature: 0°C to 55°C (32°F to 131°F)
• Storage & Transport Temperature Range: -40°C to 70°C (-40°F to 158°F)
• Operating Relative Humidity: 10% to 90% RH, non-condensing
• Storage Relative Humidity: 5% to 95% RH, non-condensing
• Operating Altitude: Certified operational range -150 m to 2,000 m (-500 ft to 6,500 ft); extended validated range up to 3,000 m (10,000 ft)
• Cooling Design: Fanless passive heat dissipation architecture without onboard cooling fans; cooling airflow supplied by the host router’s internal chassis fan assembly
• Airflow Direction: Horizontal cross airflow passing through the router chassis expansion slot bay

Physical Form Factor & Weight

• Form Factor: Standard low-profile single-wide VWIC modular expansion card form factor compatible with WIC sub-slots of mixed-media network modules and standalone VIC voice slots of supported ISR routers
• Bare VWIC Net Weight (without E1 trunk cables and accessory hardware): Approximately 193 grams

3. Regulatory & Compliance Certifications

1. Safety Standards: UL 60950-1, CSA C22.2 No. 60950-1, EN 60950-1, IEC 60950-1, GB 4943 Chinese national safety standard
2. EMC & EMI Standards: FCC CFR Title 47 Part 15 Class A, VCCI Class A, EN55022 Class A, CISPR 22 Class A, ICES003 Class A
3. E1 Telecommunications Compliance: FCC Part 68, ITU-T G.703/G.704, ETSI TBR21, European E1 trunk loop interface certification standards
4. Environmental Directive: EU RoHS hazardous substance restriction compliance

4. Core Deployment Advantages

1. Dual Independent E1 Multiflex Trunk High-Density Slot Utilization Design: Two fully isolated E1 trunk interfaces integrated within a single WIC/VIC expansion slot, eliminating the need to deploy two separate VWIC-1MFT-E1 single-port cards for dual-circuit E1 deployments. This design drastically reduces router WIC slot occupation and overall hardware capital expenditure for dual-leased-line and multi-PBX trunk branch network deployments.
2. Fully Isolated Per-Port Independent Configuration Flexibility: Each E1 trunk port operates with completely separated hardware controllers, supporting distinct E1 framing/line coding standards, independent timeslot partitioning schemes, separate WAN encapsulation protocols and dedicated voice trunk PRI configurations running simultaneously without cross-port resource contention. Network administrators can connect two distinct carrier E1 circuits, or mix one E1 leased-line data trunk and a second dedicated E1 PRI PBX voice trunk on a single expansion card.
3. Converged Multiflex Voice-and-Data Single E1 Trunk Architecture Per Port: The flagship multiflex architecture enables arbitrary partitioning of 32 E1 DS0 timeslots between data and voice services over one physical trunk circuit on each port. Enterprises avoid purchasing separate dedicated E1 leased lines for data and separate E1 PRI trunks for PBX telephony on each circuit, drastically reducing monthly carrier line subscription costs and branch rack hardware footprint.
4. Integrated Managed DSU Eliminates External Hardware Per Port: Built-in fully functional independent DSU on each trunk port removes the requirement for standalone external digital service unit devices, cutting capital equipment expenditure, simplifying cabling layouts at remote branch sites, and enabling centralized IOS-based E1 line diagnostics and remote loopback troubleshooting without on-site technician visitsCisco.
5. Flexible Dual-Mode Deployment Investment Protection: The same VWIC-2MFT-E1 hardware can be deployed in pure fractional E1 data-only mode for traditional IP leased-line branch interconnections, upgraded to mixed voice-and-data E1 PRI trunk mode simply by adding compatible DSP voice network modules. Customers preserve their dual E1 trunk interface hardware investment as branch networks migrate from data-only to converged VoIP telephony architectures.
6. Comprehensive E1 Line Diagnostics and Remote Troubleshooting Toolset Per Port: Native support for CRC4 E1 framing, remote line loopback activation, BER testing and real-time E1 alarm monitoring allows network administrators to remotely isolate E1 trunk copper line faults between the branch router and service provider central office on each independent trunk circuit, minimizing costly on-site field service dispatches and reducing branch network downtime.
7. Unified IOS Feature Set Compatibility for Both Voice and Data Workloads: The VWIC-2MFT-E1 is fully integrated with all core Cisco IOS routing, security, VPN, QoS, firewall and telephony feature suites. All data WAN and VoIP voice trunk configurations are managed through a single consistent IOS command-line interface, eliminating separate management systems for data and telephony infrastructure at branch locations.
8. Fanless Passive Cooling High-Reliability Low-Maintenance Architecture: The card utilizes a fanless passive heat dissipation design with zero moving mechanical fan components, eliminating mechanical failure risks and enabling stable 24/7 continuous unattended operation in remote unmanned branch equipment closets with minimal long-term maintenance requirements. Low power consumption reduces overall router energy draw and site cooling operational costs.

Supplementary Product Specification Notes

UNSPSC Classification Code

K9 Security Compliance Note

Factory Hardware Warranty Terms