Behavior of Ports in Routers versus Switches
Behavior of Ports in Routers versus Switches
The "Don't use a router as switch" guideline still seems relevant for your setup. The UCG-Fiber link is routed through the Unifi Pro Max, and you're considering adding a PCIe NIC for better performance. While the gateway handles routing and security, its ports are not optimized for switching traffic efficiently. This could lead to slower speeds or instability, especially with high-bandwidth devices. Testing it safely would involve monitoring bandwidth usage and checking if your NIC actually improves throughput without causing issues.
This is a home network. Do whatever you want. As long as your devices are on the same subnet, your router is going to handle it just fine. There are some break downs if you transfer across VLANs in Unifi. That's where your router will be a very weak link because it will default to firewall rules, which use your router's CPU, instead of the ASIC processor in most switches. Now as far as "dont use a router as a switch." I thought that means not to daisy chain routers in your network (or place a router downstream of another router). As far as your use case, just connect your devices and use them.
For a home setup with a maximum of 2.5gbe, performance isn't usually a concern. If your tasks involve heavy CPU usage, you'll likely need more advanced networking gear to meet latency and speed requirements. The specifications don't clearly indicate this, but checking the configuration through SSH can reveal details. Simply connect to the 2.5gbe port and observe if any problems occur. It should handle file transfers smoothly at that speed.
I believe your response is partially correct. The ASIC processor manages layer 2 switching for the 2.5 Gbps RJ45 ports, while SPF+ ports connect directly to the CPU mainly for IPS/IDS functions. The 10 Gbps port likely also uses the ASIC processor. You should be okay as long as your devices share the same subnet. Over-engineering isn't a problem if you stay within the layer 2 area. Once VLANs and layer 3 switching are involved, performance may drop.
Are there any additional tasks experiencing slow performance? You don’t need to worry about line speed here—even with CPU limitations. It could affect real-time applications like live audio or video calls, but standard home network protocols are built for slower connections.
The goal is to identify how to bypass the network speed limit. Both my PC and NAS support transfers over 2.5 Gbps.
Thank you! I'm ready to proceed. I need to place an order for a 10Gbps NIC right away.
Unifi provides an external NIC up to 10gbps via USB C, though it comes at a steep price. The 5gbps version is more affordable and reliable. If you require external connectivity, think about it, but internal options might offer better value. Enjoy the transfer!