Technical Documentation
MX Series PIC Overview
PICs provide the physical connection to various network media types. The PICs are inserted into a slot in a router. You can install PICs of different media types on the same router as long as the router supports those PICs.
PICs receive incoming packets from the network and transmit outgoing packets to the network. During this process, each PIC performs framing and high-speed signaling for its media type. Before transmitting outgoing data packets, the PICs encapsulate the packets received. Each PIC is equipped with a media-specific ASIC that performs control functions tailored to the PIC's media type.
Blank PICs resemble other PICs but do not provide any physical connection or activity. When a slot is not occupied by a PIC, you must insert a blank PIC to fill the empty slot and ensure proper cooling of the system.
MX240, MX480, and MX960 3D Universal Edge Routers support 2 PICs per Flexible PIC Concentrator (FPC). The maximum number of supported PICs varies per router:
- MX960 router—12 PICs
- MX480 router—6 PICs
- MX240 router—2 PICs
