Seeking input on your home network setup. Please share your thoughts and suggestions.
Seeking input on your home network setup. Please share your thoughts and suggestions.
Hello! I'm seeking some guidance on setting up a home network. I need recommendations that fit a budget-friendly approach, especially with the equipment I already have. - I've bought a dedicated router/firewall and an industrial x86 PC with plenty of RAM. Access points will be added later. I'm okay with well-reviewed brands since not everyone can afford Ubiquiti. As a beginner in network design, there might be many adjustments to make for better organization. Questions I have: - How crucial is a managed switch for network segmentation compared to VLANs for IoT? - Do you think a 10Gbps connection between switches helps avoid bottlenecks? - The NAS will use 10Gbps flash storage, and other devices will run on it. Should I need PoE++ for the next-gen Wi-Fi 7? - The renovation may include unshielded Cat6a cables; maybe fiber could be considered in some areas. - Should I treat the SFP ports mainly as interconnects and use Cat6a with 10Gbps as a future-proof measure? - Any suggestions for suitable SFP modules? You can modify the diagram at https://mermaid.live/flowchart.
Well, let's look at this. For POE++ we expect improvements later via injectors or upgrades if required. Here are the options:
1. SODOLA 12 Port 10G SFP+ Smart Switch – L2/L3+ Smart Managed, protects against DoS, supports IPv6, L2/L3QoS, IGMP & LAG, with lifetime protection.
2. 8 Port 2.5G Unmanaged Desktop Ethernet Switch – 10G SFP, 8 x 2.5G ports, 60Gbps capacity, works with 100/1000/2500Mbps.
3. SODOLA 9 Port 2.5G Smart Web Ethernet Switch – 1 x 10G SFP slot, 8 x 2.5G ports, static aggregation, QoS/VLAN/IGMP support.
I’d definitely prefer using fibre to link the switches together—it cuts power use and makes it simpler to run through conduits compared to copper. It might be wise to add a spare fibre just in case one fails. If the NAS is near the switch, a direct cable could work too. For transceivers, I recently purchased a set of 10GTek 10Gb SFP+ SR Multimode Fibre Modules from Amazon to back my switches. Their OM3 LC to LC multimode fibre didn’t require any special setup. From a technical standpoint, transceivers are standard; just ensure you buy certified ones for major brands to avoid being locked into specific suppliers.