Compact switch supporting 10Gbps connectivity
Compact switch supporting 10Gbps connectivity
Searching for a compact 10Gb switch suitable for your home office setup. You're planning to enhance your PCs and NAS with 10Gb connectivity for video editing, needing a device that fits in a small space.
Small means fewer than four ports, medium is four to eight, and large ranges from ten to twelve.
Five connections would be perfect, though I'm flexible about the options.
The most affordable option appears to be the MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN, though it only offers four SFP+ ports and may struggle with cooling when using copper adapters. I'm expecting the Netgear MS510TXM or MS510TXUP, but they seem hard to come by and a bit over budget. You might locate the MS510TX within your price range or slightly higher if you're flexible on specs. Limiting your NICs is unavoidable since only the latest models support multi-gig speeds. Either way, having a fiber or SFP+ DAC nearby provides advantages, especially if it's close enough to the switch. Switching to copper is the trickiest and priciest unless you're okay with higher power use and don't mind larger devices.
SFP+ RJ45 adapters require cooling to prevent overheating; the basic Mikrotik model lacks a fan, so you must find an alternative method to function. Using all PCs equipped with SFP+ adapters and 10GBASE-SR adapters eliminates this issue. For devices close to the switch—within 5 meters—DAC cables can be employed, which are short coaxial cables. This is the easiest solution when feasible, as they simply connect via an SFP+ port on both ends, like my NAS setup.
Everything is located in the same space, making distance irrelevant. The main goal was to ensure each PC uses just one cable for the NAS and internet connection. I also needed support for connecting more than two PCs simultaneously, as Synology only provides 10Gb cards with a maximum of two ports, which is why the switch was necessary.
I connect my NAS to the Netgear switch via the DAC using its single SFP+ port, a setup similar to what Mikrotik offers for each PC within 5 meters. The limitation is Mikrotik provides only four SFP+ slots and one Gigabit RJ45, which fits your setup. The challenge lies in the fact that your Netgear uses an SFP+ to link directly to the NAS, while your switch has multiple RJ45 ports. On the switch side, you have a 10G port feeding another switch that supports two additional 10G ports. Your gaming PC connects through the other 10G port, and your upscaling PC uses a USB 5G adapter (though it caps at 3.6Gb due to overhead). Your laptop connects via a USB 2.5G adapter, and the remaining ports are available for other devices.