I don't have a gigabit router, so my plan is after building the Unraid server with a gigabit nic to connect the server nic to my nic in my pc directly. Is this possible, do I need a cross cable or anything specific manually configuration?

I don't have a gigabit router, so my plan is after building the Unraid server with a gigabit nic to connect the server nic to my nic in my pc directly. Is this possible,

Yes

do I need a cross cable

No.

or anything specific manually configuration?

Yes.  You'll need to access the server by its IP address, since there is no router. Because of this, you'll need to set a fixed IP address on the unRAID server.  (You'll need to edit the network.cfg file on the flash drive)

Joe, you just surprised me.  

 

No crossover cable on a direct Host to Host Ethernet connection?  Are the NIC's smart enough to figure that out.  Won't a standard cable (1:1) in that configuration connect transmit side A to transmit side B; receive Side A to receive side B?  In old parlance isn't that a DTE to DTE connection which requires a crossover?

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe the new Gigabit cards are smart? Let's see what Joe L says.

I was thinking that both the PC and unRAID server had Gigabit capable LAN ports.  If they did, no crossover cable is needed.

If the PC or the unRAID server does not have an Gigabit capable port, then YES you do need a crossover cable for a direct connection.

Most new Ethernet PHY components (even if they are 10/100) have AUTO MDIX capabilities. They do automatic crossover inside the chip if needed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-MDIX

 

 

Isn't technology marvelous?  Now when it doesn't work you need to check the date of mfg.  Just as a final question with a new gigabyte port it shouldn't matter what type of cable (1:1) or X-over, so to be safe a crossover will always work?

Isn't technology marvelous?  Now when it doesn't work you need to check the date of mfg.  Just as a final question with a new gigabyte port it shouldn't matter what type of cable (1:1) or X-over, so it be safe a crossover will always work?

I honestly do not know the answer to that question.  It probably will depend on how well the LAN firmware on the network interfaces was written.

 

Joe L.