Bandwidth
Bandwidth
You should evaluate upgrading your network setup. A 4-port gigabit Ethernet card paired with four cables could provide a reliable boost without needing a new router. Check if your current cat 6 connection meets the bandwidth demands for Plex and Minecraft. If not, consider adding a switch or a dedicated router to handle traffic efficiently. Staying under $150 should be feasible with these options.
To let several devices reach full capacity on a 1Gbps link, consider a 10Gbps SFP+ uplink or multiple links using LACP. The cost mainly depends on your existing gear. If you already have a managed switch with LACP, a 4-port NIC makes sense. Otherwise, a 1000BASE-T switch with SFP+ 10Gbps uplinks can handle more devices, though it may cost over $150 and the cables can be pricey.
Generally, most managed switches with LACP support—like those from Netgear or TP-Link—can manage SOHO setups effectively. You might also find used Cisco switches on eBay; they tend to appear occasionally but usually have more ports.
Debatable, Plex and Minecraft use relatively little bandwidth, even with a gigabit connection providing about 65 Mbps per user. It's hard to pinpoint the exact problem without clear performance data. What’s your network setup like? Do you think these users are online or remote?
Game servers actually report KB/s during data exchange between players. When a 1Gbit link is fully utilized, performance issues may occur. Have you connected to the server and verified the present and typical network usage? I’ve tested this before and found no significant bandwidth consumption.
I'm also setting up a personal site and a cloud server on the same machine. I have 1Gbps in my local network. Remote users will connect via Plex and the cloud once it's ready. The site should let people access the cloud and include an option for uploading their own movies to the Plex directory. Movies will be in 1080p and 4K resolution, and my graphics card supports a dual-NIC setup.