Order suggestion for 10g NIC, Switch, and Router
Order suggestion for 10g NIC, Switch, and Router
Hello! I’m looking to enhance my home network to 10G speeds. (Later I’ll move to 25G, but that’s another matter.) With so many 10G options available, I’d appreciate some suggestions on what to buy. Since my current plan is to get a 25G line, I’ll order the 25G right away. For now, only 10G devices will connect. My provider suggests the MikroTik CCR2004-1G-12S +2XS as a router. Do you know anything about this model? Is it powerful enough for 25G? What’s the noise level of its fans? How straightforward is the setup process?
As I manage game servers and other services, I need to open specific ports. In my office, the fiber connection or router is about 20-30 meters away (cable runs along ceiling and walls). The three devices that will get upgraded are in that range. The rest connect via 1G or Wi-Fi. Can I still use Ethernet cables like Cat 7 at this distance? Or should I switch to fiber from the router to the switch?
What do you think about a simple 10G switch? Also, I need a 10G network card for each of those three devices. I’m not sure which ones fit well and still deliver solid performance. For my PC, speed and latency matter most; for servers, driver support with Unraid and stability are key.
Device specs:
- Device 1 (PC): Windows 11, Mainboard: AsRock MB AMD AM5 B850M, Steel Legend WiFi, CPU: Ryzen 7 9800x3d or Ryzen 9 9950x3d (uncertain), PCIe 4.0 x4 only.
- Device 2 (Server 1): Windows, Mainboard: Asus STRIX X570-F GAMING, CPU: Ryzen 5 5600, all PCIe available.
- Device 3 (Server 2): Windows, Mainboard: ASUS Sabertooth Z77, CPU: i7 4790k, all PCIe available.
I’m a bit uncertain about which options are best and how they’ll perform at full speed. For the PC, low latency is crucial; for servers, driver compatibility with Unraid and dependability are important. The end devices have similar specs but different use cases.
Please let me know your thoughts on these choices. Thanks in advance!
20-30M represents a significant range, yet cat7 was built from the start to handle 100M. This is because the 100M threshold is a timing constraint of Ethernet, meaning the cable needs high quality to avoid issues well beyond that point. Be aware it's tough to find genuine cat7 products in regular stores or online; you'll often encounter subpar options like flat cables that falsely claim cat7 specs despite missing key features—they're more akin to cat5e.
yeah but if you thought finding real cat7 was hard lol. also, depending on OPs upgrade path, none of these are going to do 25g over that distance. you can push 25g over 6a or 7 for like sub 15M if you have god tier termination, but it's cat 8 time if you want to plan for the future upgrade to 25g
I’m not familiar with any 25Gbase-T products. It seems we shouldn’t expect anything above 10G on twisted copper. Personal note: Ubiquiti Flex XG works, though it’s a bit outdated. If you’re open to options: Amazon’s “10G switch” line has improved significantly recently. For servers, Intel X540 or X550 are common choices; Mellanox ConnectX-3 is ideal with SFP modules. Consider used or refurbished units. Clients should use NICs based on AQC113 or 88X3310P. I haven’t tried Aquantia yet, but the Marvell Alaska (88X3310P) NIC appears more stable than the X540 in my setup—though I’m still dealing with network speed problems. My experience shows 10G over 20+ years of Cat5e still performs decently, though AMD + Proxmox + TrueNAS might have some issues for Windows clients. Regardless, I’ve managed speeds close to that distance with minor luck or conservative specs.
Thanks for the update on Cat. 7. If I switch to 25g, I’m likely to move to fiber. However, if I locate a suitable switch or router now supporting both 25g and 10g, that would be better. At most, I’ll sell the gear again once I upgrade to 25g.
Seize the chance with vintage enterprise equipment, review the supported hardware list, search for 25-100g switches and verify their model numbers on eBay. You might stumble upon some unusual, budget-friendly options and simply flash Sonic onto them. I own a 32-port Accton 100g switch and need to figure out the best approach, though it’s a bit more involved than usual for me.
You noticed the Cat 7 specs, but I wanted to highlight that Cat 6 supports around 10 gigabits per second at roughly 55 megahertz. For shorter distances, you might save some costs. I’m new to 10 gigabit equipment, so I just wanted to note that older 10 gig devices couldn’t handle 2.5 or 5 gigabits as those standards didn’t exist yet. Just in case you encounter such gear later. Not every setup requires 10 gigabit speeds. Many modern boards now include 2.5 gigabit options.