Juniper MX301-HW-BASE: The Fixed-Configuration MX Built to Follow the MX204
The Juniper MX301-HW-BASE is the ordering bundle for the MX301 universal routing platform: the MX301-CHAS-BB chassis with 128 GB of DDR4 memory and 400 GB of NVMe storage, plus two power supplies and six fan modules. The MX301 is a 1U fixed-configuration router built on Juniper’s Trio 6 silicon with 1.6 Tbps of throughput across 26 WAN ports: four 400GbE QSFP56-DD, six 100GbE QSFP28, and sixteen SFP ports that run at 1, 10, 25, or 50GbE. Every WAN port is MACsec-capable at line rate. Juniper’s hardware guide (published July 2026) describes the MX301 and MX301-M as enhancing the capabilities of the MX204, and positions them as compact, high-performance edge routers for service providers, cloud operators, and enterprises.
The platform runs Junos OS, the same operating system as the MX204 and MX304 rather than Junos OS Evolved, supports Synchronous Ethernet and PTP for frequency and phase synchronization including the G.8275.1 profile, and draws under 500 W typical per Juniper’s data sheet. Power supplies are 850 W units in AC, DC, or HVAC/HVDC versions in 1+1 redundancy, and the six fan modules provide 5+1 redundancy.
Key Features at a Glance
- 1.6 Tbps of forwarding on Juniper Trio 6 silicon in a 1U fixed chassis
- 26 WAN ports: 4x 400GbE QSFP56-DD, 6x 100GbE QSFP28, 16x 1/10/25/50GbE SFP
- Line-rate MACsec on every WAN port
- 128 GB memory and 400 GB NVMe storage
- Junos OS, consistent with the rest of the MX Series
- SyncE and PTP (G.8275.1) for timing-sensitive transport
- Redundant power and cooling: 2x 850 W PSUs (1+1) and 6 fans (5+1)
MX301 vs MX301-M
The two models are identical in ports, silicon, and forwarding performance. The MX301 (this bundle) has 128 GB of memory; the
MX301-M-HW-BASE has 64 GB. Choose the MX301 for larger control-plane scale and headroom; the MX301-M where the routing scale is modest and cost matters more.
Deployment Scenarios
- MX204 replacement and expansion: four times the capacity of the MX204 in the same 1U, with 400GbE uplinks and 25/50GbE hand-offs the MX204 does not have.
- Metro and business edge: dense 10/25GbE customer-facing ports with 100GbE and 400GbE toward the core.
- Encrypted service delivery: line-rate MACsec on all 26 WAN ports.
- Timing-sensitive networks: SyncE and PTP (G.8275.1) for mobile backhaul and similar roles.
MX204 vs MX301 vs MX304
The
MX204 remains the value choice for 100G-and-below edge roles through its June 30, 2032 end-of-support date, with a last order date of June 15, 2027. The MX301 is the answer when the same site needs 400GbE uplinks, 25/50GbE hand-offs, MACsec, or four times the capacity in the same rack unit. The modular
MX304 steps up to 4.8 Tbps across three LMIC slots for high-density aggregation. Our
MX204 guide compares all three side by side, and our
MX204 end-of-life replacement guide walks through the stay-or-migrate decision.
Request a Quote for the Juniper MX301-HW-BASE
The MX301 is a current Juniper platform and refurbished availability is limited.
Tell us the quantity, memory configuration (MX301 or MX301-M), and power type (AC, DC, or HVAC/HVDC) you need and we will respond within one business day. Every unit we supply is tested on our 9-point process and covered by our 1-year in-house warranty for end users.
