5Gb gateway/router to 10Gb switches and 2.5Gb clients?

[SamS]

I almost feel silly asking this, but I'm giving up and coming to the experts here

In a couple of weeks, I'm going to get a new gateway/router from AT&T with 5Gb fiber internet service. It's a Arris BGW320 that has a 5Gb LAN port. I plan on connecting that 5Gb port to my Netgear ProSafe M5300-28G3 which has two 10Gb ports. I'll use the 2nd 10Gb port on the M5300 to connect to a Netgear XS708T (several 10Gb ports) in another room. My client devices have 2.5Gb ports.

My question - will my two Netgear switches with 10Gb ports pass the 5Gb internet service, and deliver/transfer the full 2.5Gb bandwidth to/between client devices, even though the Netgears are rated as 100/1000/10Gbs?

I see many switches that specifically designate 1/2.5/5/10Gbs, so I'm unclear if both client and switch need to negotiate the exact same speed in order to pass at the (lowest) rated throughput.

 

[ColinTaylor]

To use 2.5 and 5GbE a device needs to support 802.3bz (NBASE-T). 10GBASE-T is an older standard and doesn't support 2.5 and 5GbE. I can't see anything on the Netgear datasheet that says it supports anything other than 10/100/1000 and 100/1000/10GBASE-T.

 

[SamS]

To use 2.5 and 5GbE a device needs to support 802.3bz (NBASE-T). 10GBASE-T is an older standard and doesn't support 2.5 and 5GbE. I can't see anything on the Netgear datasheet that says it supports anything other than 10/100/1000 and 100/1000/10GBASE-T.

Ah shoot. I was afraid of that. Any workarounds? Replacing both of my 100/1000/10GBase-T switches gonna be $$$.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Do you have a link to the specs of the BGW320? I'm assuming the 5Gb port is NBASE-T and not something "odd".

 

[SamS]

Do you have a link to the specs of the BGW320? I'm assuming the 5Gb port is NBASE-T and not something "odd".

This is the most info I can find on the BGW320 https://help.sonic.com/hc/en-us/articles/1500000066642-ARRIS-BGW320
The literature seems to indicate the single "blue" port on the back supports 100/1Gb/2.5Gb/5Gb

I know you struck the comment about the SFP+ module for the M5300-28G3.. that's an interesting idea, but I assume there is no such module?

I might just pull the trigger on the TRENDnet TEG-S750. That has 5 ports that each do 1/2.5/5/10Gb and I'll essentially use it to run a 1/2.5/5/10Gb LAN in my home office, and feed the rest of the house with the 1Gb ports via the M5300-28G3.

 

[Tech Junky]

Here's what I would do......

The swx you have was released in 2004 according to Amazon so it's not going to directly be compatible.

If you get a SFF PC and throw in a 5G card and a 10G card you can convert / uplink through the device and add more features as a router / firewall setup or just get a media converter + SFP to change the speed.

Or you can go all out and get a new NBASE-T SWX

TRENDnet TEG-S750

 

[ColinTaylor]

I know you struck the comment about the SFP+ module for the M5300-28G3.. that's an interesting idea, but I assume there is no such module?

Yeah, I realised after posting the same restriction applies to the SFP+ port. There was a similar discussion here a few months back. I think the conclusion was that a separate device (i.e. a switch) would be required.

 

[SamS]

Here's what I would do......

The swx you have was released in 2004 according to Amazon so it's not going to directly be compatible.

If you get a SFF PC and throw in a 5G card and a 10G card you can convert / uplink through the device and add more features as a router / firewall setup or just get a media convert + SFP to change the speed.

Or you can go all out and get a new NBASE-T SWX

I like the creative thinking I dunno it my main Netgear is 18 years old, but it's certainly 10 years. I didn't pay a lot for it, but I assumed the 10G ports would at least give me some bit of future-proofing. But now that 802.3bz is catching on, looks like 10GBASE-T is not as useful for SOHO.

But for $300 a TRENDnet TEG-S750 will be the most plug and play.

 

[Tech Junky]

most plug and play

It would be.

If you're into a full revamp to more of a SMB power setup though the PC option opens more doors for future proofing by piece rather than by new HW each time something changes. I put a 4 port 5GE card info mine for $200. If 10GE comes along for wan then it's a simple swap.

 

[SamS]

It would be.

If you're into a full revamp to more of a SMB power setup though the PC option opens more doors for future proofing by piece rather than by new HW each time something changes. I put a 4 port 5GE card info mine for $200. If 10GE comes along for wan then it's a simple swap.

I can appreciate that. However (like many people) my home internet is crucial for me (and my wife's) work. So dinking around with a dedicated PC to handle routing (especially considering I'd surely stumble at first) would make for a very tenuous situation on the home front ha.

 

[Tech Junky]

especially considering I'd surely stumble at first

Staging it for insertion to the network would mitigate most of that. Getting the HW / updates all installed beforehand would make the switchover a painless couple of minutes of downtime.

Some pieces of the setup don't work until it's inline though but, it's not as bad as you might think and a helluva lot more secure than the stuff of the shelf. Not being bound to devices using closed source software / firmware and ancient kernel versions that break stuff.

If you get the right case you can do anything you want when it comes to ports / density. The only drawback on density is 4 ports per slot due to sizing. However if you wanted to go overboard with a 40gbps Ethernet card you could. Even 100gbps options are out there.

Roll in a "NAS" since you have the space and ports to plug drives in. Maybe setup a DVR function instead of renting from the cable co.

With the NIC modularity though if ATT handed off Ethernet copper/fiber you wouldn't need their box and if some other provider came along and you needed to tag it with a VLAN for access it's easy to do.

 

[SamS]

Staging it for insertion to the network would mitigate most of that. Getting the HW / updates all installed beforehand would make the switchover a painless couple of minutes of downtime.

Some pieces of the setup don't work until it's inline though but, it's not as bad as you might think and a helluva lot more secure than the stuff of the shelf. Not being bound to devices using closed source software / firmware and ancient kernel versions that break stuff.

If you get the right case you can do anything you want when it comes to ports / density. The only drawback on density is 4 ports per slot due to sizing. However if you wanted to go overboard with a 40gbps Ethernet card you could. Even 100gbps options are out there.

Roll in a "NAS" since you have the space and ports to plug drives in. Maybe setup a DVR function instead of renting from the cable co.

With the NIC modularity though if ATT handed off Ethernet copper/fiber you wouldn't need their box and if some other provider came along and you needed to tag it with a VLAN for access it's easy to do.

Sounds like a fun project, but more complexity than I have the time for currently. I'm also considering upgrading my Orbi mesh system to take advantage of Wi-Fi 6E, so that adds more complexity with wired backhaul, the AT&T gateway and the Orbi router/access points in different rooms.

I already have a DIY DVR for OTA, so I know just enough to be dangerous.. but what you're describing is still more than I feel like biting off, at the present time.

 

[Tech Junky]

DIY DVR for OTA

That's a good start and how I started rolling devices into a "server" as well. DVR + NAS and from there expanded devices after getting irritated with buggy firmware and not the best WIFI from off the shelf products. Next I rolled the WIFI into the server using a PCI card and hostapd to bring it up in AP mode and it had great coverage and speeds until I updated my laptop to WIFI 6 / 6E and then I wanted MORE!

 

[follower]

I almost feel silly asking this, but I'm giving up and coming to the experts here

In a couple of weeks, I'm going to get a new gateway/router from AT&T with 5Gb fiber internet service. It's a Arris BGW320 that has a 5Gb LAN port. I plan on connecting that 5Gb port to my Netgear ProSafe M5300-28G3 which has two 10Gb ports. I'll use the 2nd 10Gb port on the M5300 to connect to a Netgear XS708T (several 10Gb ports) in another room. My client devices have 2.5Gb ports.

My question - will my two Netgear switches with 10Gb ports pass the 5Gb internet service, and deliver/transfer the full 2.5Gb bandwidth to/between client devices, even though the Netgears are rated as 100/1000/10Gbs?

I see many switches that specifically designate 1/2.5/5/10Gbs, so I'm unclear if both client and switch need to negotiate the exact same speed in order to pass at the (lowest) rated throughput.

Maybe work or maybe not.

 

[jea101]

Instead of media converters I would consider one or two of these.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TC3VJ61/?tag=snbforums-20

XGS1250-12 - 12-Port Web-Managed Multi-Gigabit Switch includes 3-Port 10G and 1-Port 10G SFP+ | Zyxel Networks

www.zyxel.com

You can also get reasonably priced 5 and 8 port 2.5 GB dumb switches to add 2.5 GB ports.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0995S28PQ/?tag=snbforums-20

 

[SamS]

Instead of media converters I would consider one or two of these.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TC3VJ61/?tag=snbforums-20

XGS1250-12 - 12-Port Web-Managed Multi-Gigabit Switch includes 3-Port 10G and 1-Port 10G SFP+ | Zyxel Networks

www.zyxel.com

You can also get reasonably priced 5 and 8 port 2.5 GB dumb switches to add 2.5 GB ports.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0995S28PQ/?tag=snbforums-20

Prices seem very reasonable on those!

I get my 5Gb Fiber installed in one week. I'm still kicking around some ideas, I'll report back!