Tips for maximizing performance with a 10Gb network connection.
Tips for maximizing performance with a 10Gb network connection.
Hello everyone, I began working in a small to medium-sized business with a 10Gbit fiber connection. They asked if I could suggest improvements or changes to our network since all computers and access points are only delivering around 8Mbps, aiming for at least ten times that speed. I also plan to share photos to better grasp the current setup. Of course, the more affordable the solution, the better. Right now, our configuration looks like this: Cisco ME 3400E switches connected via GE ports into two Ar1800 series Huawei routers, both entering a check point firewall at 770/790-WIFI. From there, a DLSK DGS-1210-28 switch connects to a Netgear FS726TP switch, which in turn links to five Cat Ethernet cables throughout the office. We have about 25 PCs, one IBM system server reachable from other offices across the country, three NAS servers, and all employees require PoE for phones, surveillance cameras, around six printers, and three access points to cover the area. I noticed that when my laptop connects directly to the Huawei router, it appears as a Gbit connection, whereas it actually shows as 100Mbit. Thank you!
Confirmed with @Electronics Wizardy that the Netgear Prosafe switch is clearly the limiting factor.
I truly believe the 10Gb connection might be a mistake. The port it connects to seems restricted to 1Gb, while others only support 100Mbps. Because you're constrained by the weakest link, the top speed will be around 100Mbps. Still, you should be approaching closer to 100Mbps than the 8Mbps limit. If you try it, connect your laptop directly to each switch individually, beginning near the end users and working back toward the Cisco device. This will help identify if any switch is capping performance at 10Mbps.
On a related note, regarding the power plugs—both aren’t connected on the Cisco switch possibly to prevent overload or ensure proper power distribution.
He told me we’re getting a 10Gbit connection from our ISP. The 100 netgear switch seems like a potential bottleneck, but since linking to the other Dlink switch still gives us the same speeds, it’s not the issue. Also, the firewall is something that worries me a lot—it could really slow things down.
Cisco connects via an SPF port and then operates from a 1GB port to two Huawei routers. There seems to be no clear explanation for why only one power outlet is present. I followed your advice to plug it into all switches, and once connected to my Huawei router or Cisco laptop, the connection becomes very fast. From there, using the firewall, it reaches 100Mbps.
Initially the issue is limited to 1 gig with SFP, you'll need SFP+ for 10G. Verify this with your ISP for the configuration. If you truly need 10G, you'll have to overhaul everything here. Likely this is what I should do since the 100m segment is quite outdated. It might be better to have someone with more experience design this network, possibly consult your supervisor. Do you have a budget in mind?
This device can handle heavy traffic while delivering speeds above 1G and below 10G, featuring SFP+ ports for 10G connections on both sides. The performance varies based on added features like IPS, which pushes throughput into the 3-5Gb/s range, or up to around 7-8Gb/s for WAN to LAN. It’s the most affordable consumer-grade option that can reach close to 10G throughput on a single interface. You could also set up a Linux server with a dual 10G NIC and run tools like pfSense. With sufficient CPU power, achieving 10G LAN/WAN speeds is feasible. For enterprise needs, these units become prohibitively expensive. High-end models such as Cisco Firepower 2130 or 2140 with IPS can reach full 10G, but they cost tens of thousands. An MPLS connection with separate lines and BGP support would likely make the UDM impractical due to high costs.