Preparing for your Cyber Cafe setup, require guidance on networking and switches.
Preparing for your Cyber Cafe setup, require guidance on networking and switches.
Hello, welcome! I’m here to help with your networking and switch selection. With a budget of $1.5k to $2k for the switch, aiming for at least 2.5gbe is a solid target. You’re planning around 24 devices total—16 PCs, 4 consoles, 2 TVs, and 2 streaming rooms. That’s a good setup for your needs. For the ports, you’ll likely need 16 to accommodate all devices comfortably, which should fit within your budget if you choose the right model. Good luck with your setup!
You'd save money by purchasing 10gbps cards for each computer plus a 10gbps switch. A refurbished 52-port device (48 ports 10gbps RJ45 + 4SFP+) costs under $600: https://www.ebay.com/itm/355038664215 Intel x540 cards (single or dual 10g rj45) are $40-60 each: https://www.ebay.com/itm/325043778043 or https://www.ebay.com/itm/143592050461 (random examples) x540 remains compatible with Windows 11, while x520 works only on Windows 10 as I recall. Servethehome features several 2.5g switches reviewed on their channel. A 10g switch provides the same performance. You might equip each gaming PC with 10g cards and use them for local downloads from Steam Cache or the built-in 1g/2.5g in separate VLANs for gaming sessions.