Looking for guidance on configuring a 10GB network at home?
Looking for guidance on configuring a 10GB network at home?
Hey there, I’ve got a few questions I think the group might find useful. Before diving into the tips, a bit of context: I work in video production for a media company and often bring home some gear. My PC runs smoothly, and about six months ago I built a storage NAS from old parts—it’s also performing well. The main issue I face is slow networking speeds due to the limited Cat 5a cables and my router/switch. I’ve also added a unique art piece made from paint to illustrate my setup.
Currently, I’m using just a basic Rj-45 1Gb modem and router, which caps my internet speed at around 1Gb. While this usually isn’t a big deal, it becomes problematic when I’m handling bandwidth-heavy tasks like downloading or transferring files. For example, I often get stuck at half the speed on both downloads and uploads. My goal is to keep my existing setup intact, since other devices like my Xbox or TV work fine without a faster connection.
I’m considering upgrading to a switch—something like the one listed here—and connecting it to a standard Ethernet port on my router for internet access. I also want SPF+ network cards for both the server and my PC, and to connect the NAS to the 10Gb switch. I’m not sure if this will solve everything, but I’d appreciate any advice or insights from the community before investing time or money. Thanks in advance for your help!
If you don’t need additional 10G devices, connect the NAS directly to the desktop using a 10G link rather than going through a switch. In Windows, modify the hosts file so traffic only goes to the NAS via the 10G interface IP. Keep the existing Ethernet connection for broader network access. (This method is what I use between my NAS and desktop and it functions well)
Your idea seems to be sound. For the cable connection between the Mikrotik switch and the PC/NAS, consider using SFP+ DAC cables if the devices are close together. Remember this switch is passive cooled, which means it handles heat on its own. If you add more ports later, temperature could become a problem, so active cooling might be necessary for stability. All the best!
If you wish to save money and only link your workstation to your NAS, you can bypass some steps and directly connect the PC and NAS. This works if your NAS supports two network cards. I opted for this approach at home because 10G copper switches are costly, and I just needed a quick connection to my desktop. I installed an Aquantia 10G NIC on both the desktop and server, connected them with a CAT6A cable, and set both to the same subnet—192.168.10.X for the 10G network and 192.168.1.X for the 1G network. Keeping their previous configurations unchanged helped me manage the setup easily. Both devices retained their existing 1G connections to the rest of the network. This means that when 10G copper switches drop below CAD$700, I can simply swap in the 10G units and connect both the server and NAS together with the rest of the system.
I also suggest using the direct attach configuration. It offers clear advantages with no downsides. Significantly more affordable while maintaining the same performance, and you don’t need to add another device to your network. I don’t support the “future-proofing” claim either—switching later is always an option if you expand connections. You’re not forced to purchase hardware now just in case; you can upgrade a switch when required. It’s not about wasting resources, since direct attach doesn’t require unnecessary equipment.
Yup, in my situation even the long cable I bought would be part of a 10gig switched setup. My desktop is on the desk where I also have pfsense and my main 1gig switch. So any 10gig switch would be dropped in as a replacement there. Every part I've bought already will continue on. But the Netgear 10gig switch I've eyeballed is over CAD$700 and I can't justify it whe, only two devices have NICs faster than 1gig. But one day those will be affordable and easier to justify. Def hard to argue a 10 gigabit PCIE x4 3.0 NIC is not 'future proof'.