Multiple NIC card setup in unRAID - Is it possible?


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Hi. I haven't been able to find on the Lime Tech forum that unRAID supported a multiple NIC card setup. Some forums stated that it wasn't possible but other NAS OSs or devices do have this as an option. As these were old posts, has their been any improvement or work on this or is their a limitation in unRAID not to go with this idea? Thanks.

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Hi. I haven't been able to find on the Lime Tech forum that unRAID supported a multiple NIC card setup. Some forums stated that it wasn't possible but other NAS OSs or devices do have this as an option. As these were old posts, has their been any improvement or work on this or is their a limitation in unRAID not to go with this idea? Thanks.

 

unRAID will only use the first NIC is sees.  There is no NIC teaming or NIC aggregation in unRAID.  There are ways to use the second NIC but you have to do the work to set it up and use it.

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It depends on what you want to use the second NIC for.

 

If you are thinking about NIC teaming or NIC aggregation, as  prostuff1 pointed out, it's not posible.

It is also not really needed for unRAID.

 

But if you are thinking of making your unRAID serve another subdomain through that NIC, you just need one line in your 'go' script:

ifconfig eth1 XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX netmask YYY.YYY.YYY.YYY up

 

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Yeah my query was with NIC aggregation, by which I could load balance the two NICs on the same subnet, so that:

 

-If one NIC fails, the other picks up, and

-To combine the two NICs for double the read/write thorough put, like what Windows Server does.

 

So it seems it isn't possible, it doesn't matter. Thanks for clarify that.

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Yeah my query was with NIC aggregation, by which I could load balance the two NICs on the same subnet, so that:

 

-If one NIC fails, the other picks up, and

-To combine the two NICs for double the read/write thorough put, like what Windows Server does.

 

So it seems it isn't possible, it doesn't matter. Thanks for clarify that.

This is not impossible to do but would probably require installing additional things such as iptables tools and recompiling the kernel. Linux can trunk connections and load balance but that of course would require unsupported modifications to unraid. Gotta say, would be nice if that was a feature that unraid supported out of the box.

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-To combine the two NICs for double the read/write thorough put

 

See, guys, you really can't increase read/write speeds with NIC aggregation on unRAID. That's not your bottleneck.

The read/write speeds on unRAID are nowhere near saturating one Gigabit NIC. Read the forums, do some testing!

 

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-To combine the two NICs for double the read/write thorough put

 

unRAID are nowhere near saturating one Gigabit NIC. Read the forums, do some testing!

 

Wow, where have I been? I didn't know everyone had all gigabit networking equipment. I better hurry up and catch up!

 

So, what you mean to say is instead of having unraid support or do a simple thing that is already supported in Linux we should instead spend from $100 up to a [very large amount of money] to do it another way?

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-To combine the two NICs for double the read/write thorough put

 

unRAID are nowhere near saturating one Gigabit NIC. Read the forums, do some testing!

 

Wow, where have I been? I didn't know everyone had all gigabit networking equipment. I better hurry up and catch up!

 

So, what you mean to say is instead of having unraid support or do a simple thing that is already supported in Linux we should instead spend from $100 up to a [very large amount of money] to do it another way?

 

Gigabit switches are inexpensive, it is the gigabit routers that are expensive.  I just recently upgraded to a gigabit router so that I could install DDWRT on it.  Had I not wanted to use DDWRT I would have stuck with my old router and just got a cheap gigabit switch.

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Gigabit switches are inexpensive, it is the gigabit routers that are expensive.  I just recently upgraded to a gigabit router so that I could install DDWRT on it.  Had I not wanted to use DDWRT I would have stuck with my old router and just got a cheap gigabit switch.

 

I am running DD-WRT on a $50 Linksys/Cisco WRT310N Wireless-N Gigabit Router. It incorporates a 4-port Gigabit switch. Life can't get eny better! :)

 

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Gigabit switches are inexpensive, it is the gigabit routers that are expensive.  I just recently upgraded to a gigabit router so that I could install DDWRT on it.  Had I not wanted to use DDWRT I would have stuck with my old router and just got a cheap gigabit switch.

 

I am running DD-WRT on a $50 Linksys/Cisco WRT310N Wireless-N Gigabit Router. It incorporates a 4-port Gigabit switch. Life can't get eny better! :)

 

 

Indeed you are correct.  I think I have the same router as you, but mine cost me $75 or so.  Getting it for $50 is a hell of a deal!

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I don't mean to be too off topic but what is the deal with the wireless N routers? I was looking at a few and would see one model that is $60 and another that was $100 but they both looked almost the same. Do some routers only support N but not b/g? Does N run on two different frequencies because it seems some routers do the normal 2.4ghz and then others do wireless on 5ghz? I imagine the 5ghz wouldn't go through walls that easily anyway. I'll have to research more, I just don't get why the prices on these things are so varying.

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I kind of figured it was due to the bottleneck of unRAIDs architecture which was the reason, given it needs to write to parity for every bit of data it write to it's data drives, the bus speeds of the mobo, additional disk controllers (if applicable), the disks themselves, etc... Thanks.

 

-To combine the two NICs for double the read/write thorough put

 

See, guys, you really can't increase read/write speeds with NIC aggregation on unRAID. That's not your bottleneck.

The read/write speeds on unRAID are nowhere near saturating one Gigabit NIC. Read the forums, do some testing!

 

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I don't mean to be too off topic but what is the deal with the wireless N routers? I was looking at a few and would see one model that is $60 and another that was $100 but they both looked almost the same. Do some routers only support N but not b/g? Does N run on two different frequencies because it seems some routers do the normal 2.4ghz and then others do wireless on 5ghz? I imagine the 5ghz wouldn't go through walls that easily anyway. I'll have to research more, I just don't get why the prices on these things are so varying.

You can learn a lot about these things on the dd-wrt forum.

 

I use my router to get my internet off its wireless port (free high speed hot spot next door ;) ), and route it to my home network of all wired computers.

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It depends on what you want to use the second NIC for.

 

If you are thinking about NIC teaming or NIC aggregation, as  prostuff1 pointed out, it's not posible.

It is also not really needed for unRAID.

 

But if you are thinking of making your unRAID serve another subdomain through that NIC, you just need one line in your 'go' script:

ifconfig eth1 XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX netmask YYY.YYY.YYY.YYY up

 

My Gigabyte motherboard has dual Gigabit NICs.

 

I know very little about networking.  I'll admit that up front.  If this makes no sense, please just say so.  Currently I have my unRAID server and a Mac Mini running Plex in the same room, and was wondering if I could use the second port on my motherboard to "pass through" a Gigabit connection to my Mini?  This would save me the cost of buying a Gigabit switch.  (yes, I know Gigabit switches aren't that expensive, but everything seems expensive when you're in college and have very little money ;))

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Hi 'jdmlight'. Seems that it might be possible, just a damn lot of work to have the two NICs running, one NIC on one subnet, and the other NIC on another (ie: your Mac Mini). The way I see it, the time you spend trying to do this, you could of earned it in pay, which could go to buy a a few Gigabit switches :). I know, cold comfort, but if you get it going, it would be an interesting thread to read.

 

Yeah my query was with NIC aggregation, by which I could load balance the two NICs on the same subnet, so that:

 

-If one NIC fails, the other picks up, and

-To combine the two NICs for double the read/write thorough put, like what Windows Server does.

 

So it seems it isn't possible, it doesn't matter. Thanks for clarify that.

This is not impossible to do but would probably require installing additional things such as iptables tools and recompiling the kernel. Linux can trunk connections and load balance but that of course would require unsupported modifications to unraid. Gotta say, would be nice if that was a feature that unraid supported out of the box.

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Currently I have my unRAID server and a Mac Mini running Plex in the same room, and was wondering if I could use the second port on my motherboard to "pass through" a Gigabit connection to my Mini?  This would save me the cost of buying a Gigabit switch.

 

I am not exactly sure what you are trying to do.

 

Are the Mini and the unRAID the only two computers that will be connected in a network?

If so, then you don't  really need any switch between them.

You could add a switch, but that will bring you no benefit. It may even hurt your current setup.

 

Or are you asking about a different thing?

Did you fail to make it clear that you are talking about more computers than only these two?

 

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Hes saying all devices are 100mbit except the mac mini and unraid which are both 1000mbit. sense the unraid has two ports he wants one going straight to the mac mini to get 1000mbit to it and the other port going to the rest of his network. If you are not using a switch dont you need a crossover cable?

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Hes saying all devices are 100mbit...

Where is he saying any of that?  Let him say what he's saying.

 

If you are not using a switch dont you need a crossover cable?

Not necessarily.  Most Gigabit NICs autodetect the cable type, and switch accordingly.

 

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It depends on what you want to use the second NIC for.

 

If you are thinking about NIC teaming or NIC aggregation, as  prostuff1 pointed out, it's not posible.

It is also not really needed for unRAID.

 

But if you are thinking of making your unRAID serve another subdomain through that NIC, you just need one line in your 'go' script:

ifconfig eth1 XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX netmask YYY.YYY.YYY.YYY up

 

My Gigabyte motherboard has dual Gigabit NICs.

 

I know very little about networking.  I'll admit that up front.  If this makes no sense, please just say so.  Currently I have my unRAID server and a Mac Mini running Plex in the same room, and was wondering if I could use the second port on my motherboard to "pass through" a Gigabit connection to my Mini?  This would save me the cost of buying a Gigabit switch.  (yes, I know Gigabit switches aren't that expensive, but everything seems expensive when you're in college and have very little money ;))

 

You can do that, but your mac mini will need to then be on a separate subnet and without adding things to unraid it will not be able to access the internet (unless you're also using its wireless).

 

There's a GB switch in the deals forum, it's $25 but with a $15 mail in rebate so it only costs $10 total - I would highly recommend that as it's not too expensive and has other uses (and will last you well out of college, think of it as an investment :P).

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Currently I have my unRAID server and a Mac Mini running Plex in the same room, and was wondering if I could use the second port on my motherboard to "pass through" a Gigabit connection to my Mini?  This would save me the cost of buying a Gigabit switch.

 

There's a GB switch in the deals forum, it's $25 but with a $15 mail in rebate so it only costs $10 total - I would highly recommend that as it's not too expensive and has other uses (and will last you well out of college, think of it as an investment :P).

 

Barrettj, if all the guy requires is to connect two computers with a cable, then what good would a switch do him?

You could, i suppose, add a switch, and a router, and a washer, and a dryer, it just won't bring any improvement.

Why would anybody want to complicate their setup without a reason?  All it would currently take is one line in the unRAID 'go' script.

 

 

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Currently I have my unRAID server and a Mac Mini running Plex in the same room, and was wondering if I could use the second port on my motherboard to "pass through" a Gigabit connection to my Mini?  This would save me the cost of buying a Gigabit switch.

 

I am not exactly sure what you are trying to do.

 

Are the Mini and the unRAID the only two computers that will be connected in a network?

If so, then you don't  really need any switch between them.

You could add a switch, but that will bring you no benefit. It may even hurt your current setup.

 

Or are you asking about a different thing?

Did you fail to make it clear that you are talking about more computers than only these two?

 

Alright.  Here's a better explanation.  I have Gigabit ethernet cables run throughout my house.  I have my Mac Mini and my unRAID server in the same room - and there is only one Gigabit port run to that room.  Basically all I was wondering is if it was possible to share this one Gigabit port between my unRAID box and my Mac Mini, seeing as I have dual Gigabit NICs that aren't being used.

 

It depends on what you want to use the second NIC for.

 

If you are thinking about NIC teaming or NIC aggregation, as  prostuff1 pointed out, it's not posible.

It is also not really needed for unRAID.

 

But if you are thinking of making your unRAID serve another subdomain through that NIC, you just need one line in your 'go' script:

ifconfig eth1 XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX netmask YYY.YYY.YYY.YYY up

 

My Gigabyte motherboard has dual Gigabit NICs.

 

I know very little about networking.  I'll admit that up front.  If this makes no sense, please just say so.  Currently I have my unRAID server and a Mac Mini running Plex in the same room, and was wondering if I could use the second port on my motherboard to "pass through" a Gigabit connection to my Mini?  This would save me the cost of buying a Gigabit switch.  (yes, I know Gigabit switches aren't that expensive, but everything seems expensive when you're in college and have very little money ;))

 

You can do that, but your mac mini will need to then be on a separate subnet and without adding things to unraid it will not be able to access the internet (unless you're also using its wireless).

Hmm OK.  I'll look into: 1. what I would need to add to unRAID to accomplish this and 2. I may use both its wireless (for accessing the internet) and wired (for accessing unRAID at high speeds).

 

There's a GB switch in the deals forum, it's $25 but with a $15 mail in rebate so it only costs $10 total - I would highly recommend that as it's not too expensive and has other uses (and will last you well out of college, think of it as an investment :P).

Wow.  That's pretty cheap.  I'll look into that.  However I'm now curious to see if it can be done...

 

I'm thinking I should start a new thread as this is starting to veer off the original topic.

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Alright.  Here's a better explanation.  I have Gigabit ethernet cables run throughout my house.  I have my Mac Mini and my unRAID server in the same room - and there is only one Gigabit port run to that room.  Basically all I was wondering is if it was possible to share this one Gigabit port between my unRAID box and my Mac Mini, seeing as I have dual Gigabit NICs that aren't being used.

 

You have two possible scenarios here:

 

#1: You want to connect both the mini and the unraid to that cable that's coming to your room.

In that case your answer is that $10 switch.

 

#2: You want your mini's job to be only for playing movies which are served by your unraid.

In that case you plug unraid to that cable that's coming to your room,

and you use unraid's second nic to share its files to the mini (on a separate subnet).

 

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  • 2 years later...

 

But if you are thinking of making your unRAID serve another subdomain through that NIC, you just need one line in your 'go' script:

ifconfig eth1 XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX netmask YYY.YYY.YYY.YYY up

 

Currently I have my single NIC taking an IP via DHCP and I assign a static IP on the Router via the NIC's MAC address.  The ifconfig command above looks to assign a static IP in the GO script.  Is it possible to activate a 2nd NIC to also use DHCP?

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