Planing Home Network Upgrade

[Pstark]

I want to improve my home networks speed. I have a 10Gb intel NIC (X520-DA1 with an ioPlex asf-10G-T transceiver) in my server and I want to be able to move large amounts of data quickly. I have questions on planning everything out so I don't waste time and money.

 

This is my current network setup:

Internet (1Gb) comes into my house to my home to my Arris SB8300 modem. --cat6a--> into pfSense WAN (VM inside UNRAID via X520-DA2 ioPlex asf-10g-t) --cat6a--> LAN port of pfSense (DA2 second port fs sfp-1-g-t) ---cat6a-->

• TrendNet s350 (2.5G 5 port switch):
  • 1 cat6a ---> Unraid
  • 2 cat6a ----> 1Gb TP-Link 8 port switch (below)
  • 3 cat6a ---> Game PC
  • 4 cat6a <----- LAN connection from pfSense
  • 5 empty
• TP-Link 8 Port Gbe switch
  • 1  cat6a ---> Amplifi Alien mesh network (pass through mode for wifi access to network) --cat5e--> ethernet backbone to second router/meshpoint
  • 2 cat6a --->Gaming PC
  • 3 cat6a ---> iot device
  • 4 cat6a ---> iot device
  • 5 cat6a <---- LAN connection from TrenNet switch
  • 6 cat6a ----> IPMI port
  • 7 empty
  • 8 empty

 

I'm looking for a 10 port (or more) switch with at least 5 10GbE ports (can be sfp+).

Things to note:

1. have 2 fiber SFP+ transceivers not being used
2. vlan and switch management support is wanted but not needed. I want to learn about this and use if these options can be beneficial and this is a good time to make this kind of decision.
3. I make my own cat6a cables.

 

I have started buying hardware for this upgrade over the past few months (NIC's) but before I get anything further, I would like the communities opinion on what options I have for finishing my network and what I have already as well as any issues with my current setup?

[apandey]

3 hours ago, Pstark said:

I'm looking for a 10 port (or more) switch with at least 5 10GbE ports (can be sfp+)

Qnap makes some well priced managed and unmanaged 10g switches with various combo port (sfp/rj45) configurations. I would recommend something like QSW-M1208-8C, but you can get other configurations with 4 and 2 combo ports too. Look at the QSW series. You can also get 4C or 2C models with some 1G ports if you don't plan to expand further. These are very popular in homelab community

I would go managed rather than unmanaged if you plan on learning further. No point getting hamstrung down the line

Also, be aware that saturating a 10GB link is fairly difficult in a homelab setup unless you eliminate all io and processing overheads. It really only works when you have fast storage, parallel compute and are not dealing with filesystem overheads of small files

Edited April 8, 2023 by apandey

[Pstark]

20 hours ago, apandey said:

Qnap makes some well priced managed and unmanaged 10g switches with various combo port (sfp/rj45) configurations. I would recommend something like QSW-M1208-8C, but you can get other configurations with 4 and 2 combo ports too. Look at the QSW series. You can also get 4C or 2C models with some 1G ports if you don't plan to expand further. These are very popular in homelab community

I would go managed rather than unmanaged if you plan on learning further. No point getting hamstrung down the line

Also, be aware that saturating a 10GB link is fairly difficult in a homelab setup unless you eliminate all io and processing overheads. It really only works when you have fast storage, parallel compute and are not dealing with filesystem overheads of small files

If in the future I need more 10G rj45, would it cause any issues to buy an additional switch to expand the 10G ports?

The QSW-M1208-8C looks pretty nice but will I be able to plug in additional switches into this? ie. plug my 2.5G switch in to a 10G rj45 and still retain 10G speeds on the rest of the ports on the QNAP?

 

Edited April 9, 2023 by Pstark
Added question

[Pstark]

I also want to know if using my router as an access point effects the network? Because it's a 1G device plugged in to a 10G network does that limit all devices connections on the network to 1G?

[apandey]

To both your questions - each port negotiates link speed independently, so connecting a slower device won't slow down other ports. You can daisy chain switches, but read up a bit on network loops and spanning tree protocol to avoid them. Make sure your switches support STP. I myself has 3 edge switches connected to my main one at home. The qnap I mentioned supports 1G, 2.5G, 5G and 10G links on the RJ45 ports, so maybe you don't need to chain the switches unless you need more ports. 

[Pstark]

On 4/8/2023 at 6:14 PM, apandey said:

To both your questions - each port negotiates link speed independently, so connecting a slower device won't slow down other ports. You can daisy chain switches, but read up a bit on network loops and spanning tree protocol to avoid them. Make sure your switches support STP. I myself has 3 edge switches connected to my main one at home. The qnap I mentioned supports 1G, 2.5G, 5G and 10G links on the RJ45 ports, so maybe you don't need to chain the switches unless you need more ports. 

is this router quiet?

[Pstark]

On 4/7/2023 at 6:44 PM, apandey said:

Qnap makes some well priced managed and unmanaged 10g switches with various combo port (sfp/rj45) configurations. I would recommend something like QSW-M1208-8C, but you can get other configurations with 4 and 2 combo ports too. Look at the QSW series. You can also get 4C or 2C models with some 1G ports if you don't plan to expand further. These are very popular in homelab community

I would go managed rather than unmanaged if you plan on learning further. No point getting hamstrung down the line

Also, be aware that saturating a 10GB link is fairly difficult in a homelab setup unless you eliminate all io and processing overheads. It really only works when you have fast storage, parallel compute and are not dealing with filesystem overheads of small files

Do they ever go on sale? All the ones I can find are $700+ 

[apandey]

5 hours ago, Pstark said:

is this router quiet?

Good point about that. It has a 40mm fan, so it's not silent. That's tricky for 10gbe switches as many have fans. How loud is relative given the landscape. Some of their unmanaged switches with less number of 10gbe ports are fanless if I remember, but not sure which ones

 

3 hours ago, Pstark said:

Do they ever go on sale? All the ones I can find are $700+ 

Prices seem to have shot up recently. It used to be around $600 last year. But this is 12 ports. Look at M408-4C if you are ok with 4 10gbe combo ports and 8 1gbe ports. That used to be around $300, but again seems higher now. Check on camelcamelcamel for price trends. There are also 2C versions. It all boils down to how many 10gbe ports you can budget for. Like for like, these are still cheaper than alternatives and the combo ports provide a lot of flexibility if you haven't planned the network from the start

[Pstark]

1 hour ago, apandey said:

Good point about that. It has a 40mm fan, so it's not silent. That's tricky for 10gbe switches as many have fans. How loud is relative given the landscape. Some of their unmanaged switches with less number of 10gbe ports are fanless if I remember, but not sure which ones

 

Prices seem to have shot up recently. It used to be around $600 last year. But this is 12 ports. Look at M408-4C if you are ok with 4 10gbe combo ports and 8 1gbe ports. That used to be around $300, but again seems higher now. Check on camelcamelcamel for price trends. There are also 2C versions. It all boils down to how many 10gbe ports you can budget for. Like for like, these are still cheaper than alternatives and the combo ports provide a lot of flexibility if you haven't planned the network from the start

I think the 4 ports are enough me especially at the price they are currently at. I can always use a port to add a switch if I need to more 10G. I have my Unraid server, pfSense box, computer and 1 open port to expand if needed. All other clients will get 1G. If I can find a deal on the QSW-M1208-8C, I'm definitely willing to pay a bit more. If I'm overlooking something, feel free to let me know. 

 

When I was looking, I found that some are listed as unmanaged and some are managed with the same model number? 

[apandey]

4 hours ago, Pstark said:

When I was looking, I found that some are listed as unmanaged and some are managed with the same model number? 

The ones with M in model name are managed, without are unmanaged. QSW-M1208-8C vs QSW-1208-8C