aggregation of ethernet networks
aggregation of ethernet networks
Hi! Your recent upgrade from FTTH gigabit to 5Gbps has changed things. 1) You can combine those ports into a single switch for better performance. 2) Yes, you could connect the cable to your PC's first Ethernet card and then use a second card when the PC is off.
You could build a software router using a couple of network cards to capture 2.5gbps and 1gbps, giving you a combined 4.5gbps output with one Ethernet port (like a 10gbps card). But individual connections would be limited—each link would only reach its own speed, so downloads would be restricted to the maximum of their respective cards.
It seems you'd be better off using a multi-client app instead. Aggregating network ports from your router for your home PC isn't worth the effort—it's complicated, needs specific gear, and probably won't meet your expectations.
If everyone moved at the same pace and the modem supported LACP, it would be manageable. I’m uncertain about compatibility with varying port speeds; it might not aggregate across different speeds. With multiple Gigabit ports, performance improves for downloads but drops for uploads—this aligns with how multi-threaded downloads balance links while uploads don’t. This makes sense since uploads aren’t typically gigabit yet. NOTE: My setup has less than a gigabit WAN bandwidth, but this is for future readiness with upcoming FTTP. I’m tracking the behavior and it seems to function. In short, these ultra-fast services are built to handle many clients directly from the ONT, which should be a router rather than just a modem. It doesn’t make sense for a modem limited to 2.5Gbit if the incoming broadband is faster, especially if it’s meant to serve all ports.
LACP primarily expands with multiple clients or independent processes. The OP is aiming for a single machine to handle 4.5Gbit, which seems more about performance than scaling. It might align better with SMB Multi-Channel or iSCSI Multi-Path rather than just network expansion. I'm not sure about the idea of repurposing a PC as a temporary switch, and that approach isn't advisable.
You're looking for a router with at least 5 gigabits per second. It makes sense to get a new internet router that supports the service and has a 5Gbps port. Also, consider a switch in your room to provide Ethernet connectivity for all devices, ensuring each gadget gets fast speeds while the PC runs at its maximum possible rate.
It doesn't appear to work well with a Steam download unless you use a specific link. From pfSense, limiting the hash to layers 2 and 3 seems to help a bit. However, Steam downloads often use compression, which might slow things down on fast connections. It's unlikely you'll find a server that can handle it quickly. You should also think about the bandwidth at the other end and how CDNs manage many clients. Servers running at 10Gbps or more will need significant processing power. The goal of such a connection is to support multiple users simultaneously, not to deliver maximum speed to one device. That's why the modem (possibly acting as a router) has those ports configured.
I’d check if it’s a router first, then you can utilize the other ports for additional clients to get some benefit. Honestly, it’s hard to know exactly how much performance you’ll achieve. But since consistent speed isn’t guaranteed, it’s more about avoiding bottlenecks and keeping latency low. You might also want to ask your ISP why they gave you a modem that can’t fully utilize the service you paid for.