1GB to 10GB symmetrical fibre... what hardware upgrades do I need (ideas listed)?

[Richdog]

Hi all. I have been offered a free ISP upgrade to 10GB symmetrical fibre as long as I provide my own hardware (they will only upgrade the fibre connection to my OTP box).

I already currently have symmetrical 1GB fibre with the following hardware:

• OTP socket
• TP-Link Mc220l Media converter
• TL-SM321B | 1000Base-BX WDM Bi-Directional SFP Module
• 3m fibre-optic patch cable (Singlemode Simplex LC/APC-LC/PC) from OTP socket into SFP module
• TP-LINK AX75 Router with 1GB ethernet ports
• Motherboard with 5GB ethernet port (I know it's not the full 10GB but 5GB will be fine for now)
• Cat6 cabling in house.

My question is, what would be the most optimal way to upgrade my existing network to 10GB? Would it be:

1. 3m fibre-optic patch cable? do I assume I need a new one cable rated for SFP+ 10GB to go into the router?
2. Modem/Router with SFP+ port and 10GB ethernet? https://www.asus.com/ch-en/networking-iot-servers/wifi-routers/asus-gaming-routers/rt-be88u/
3. 10GBe ethernet switch? Any recommendations on best value with at least 2x 10G ports?

Many thanks for helping me to shed light on to this.

 

[ChrisD.]

Just leave it at 1 Gb.

 

[Richdog]

Just leave it at 1 Gb.

Thanks for the highly subjective and ultimately useless reply that does nothing to answer my actual question, much appreciated.

 

[Meddling-Monk]

It depends on a lot of factors really.

What does it mean by supply own hardware? Only your internal network? Or includes the modem/router?

Internal network is easy and has lots of options and prices, all depends on what you have right now and/or what you don't mind spending on.

Modem/Router I don't know, as if I were to get 10g Internet, they'll supply that portion of the network. Only my Internal Network needs to be 10g capabable.

 

[ChrisD.]

Thanks for the highly subjective and ultimately useless reply that does nothing to answer my actual question, much appreciated.

You'll save a bunch of money. Let's be honest - you are unlikely to notice any difference between 1 Gbps and 10 Gbps for your WAN outside of speedtests and the odd download. Most internet won't be able to serve at that speed.

 

[Richdog]

You'll save a bunch of money. Let's be honest - you are unlikely to notice any difference between 1 Gbps and 10 Gbps for your WAN outside of speedtests and the odd download. Most internet won't be able to serve at that speed.

While I appreciate the concern, in all fairness you don't know about my use case and are just making default assumptions. I really don't need any advice other than what is listed in the OP ie: which is the best way to upgrade my internet/network hardware to being to 10G capable. If you can't help with that then please kindly stop wasting both our time with unnecessary tangents. Thanks.

 

[Meddling-Monk]

Assuming your Cat6 cabling goes to each room already and punched down into their own sockets, etc.
Assuming only 1 line to each location (no backup line that also needs to be connected)
Assuming each line is less than 33m in line length distance to modem/router.
Assuming each location needs 10g (all at same time)
Assuming only 4 locations needing a line.
Assuming you want a no fan option.

Get something like the TP-Link SX105 (5 port unmanaged 10g rj45 switch) to replace main network switch duties and grab a modem/router that can handle the incoming 10g network. Plug in and just enjoy.

:: edit ::
Variations on the assumptions will change things of course.

 

[Armageus]

1. 3m fibre-optic patch cable? do I assume I need a new one cable rated for SFP+ 10GB to go into the router?

All current (i.e. OM3 or better) fibre-optic patch cables will do 10Gb. Even older stuff will likely do 10Gb

1. Modem/Router with SFP+ port and 10GB ethernet? https://www.asus.com/ch-en/networking-iot-servers/wifi-routers/asus-gaming-routers/rt-be88u/

As much as I also don't want to be "that guy", but if you are looking at 10Gb and considering Asus Gaming Routers, then you are well out of your depth, and contrary to your above reply then your use case is entirely relevant.

Personally if you genuinely need it, then I'd be looking at a dedicated router (something semi-professional e.g. Ubiquiti or Mikrotik or build your own *sense or other software router platform), and separate out the Wifi functionality to dedicated AP's.

Note that routing 10Gb internet is a non-trivial matter, and especially with software routing if it's delivered via PPPoE for example. And even if you can, what is the real point other than bragging rights?

1. 10GBe ethernet switch? Any recommendations on best value with at least 2x 10G ports?

Again depends what else you want? Any PoE requirements, any NAS etc that might also need 10Gb, If you go with Ubiquiti for a router and AP, then makes sense to also get a Ubiquiti switch etc.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

If you went down the Ubiquiti route, you’d need a UDM Pro, SE or Max as the minimum plus a switch from their line up, they have a few with 10gb ports that are not mega expensive.

You could have course build your own/buy a PFsense or similar box.

 

[ChrisD.]

which is the best way to upgrade my internet/network hardware to being to 10G capable.

Not with an ASUS gaming router as mentioned above. Do it properly, with hardware from a vendor that cares about consumers, or build your own.

 

[BusError]

I've been using a "8 Port 10G SFP Managed Switch, VIMIN 10G Web Ethernet" for about 6 months and I've been very pleased (and very surprised) by it. I don't have 10Gbs WAN but I wanted to upgrade my LAN. I first thought my crummy cat5 (not even shielded) was just about good enough for 1G, but it turns out that 10G transceiver are a LOT cleverer than I expected, and I'm running 10G full on these. I have have redundancy!

That Vimin switch was just over 100 ***elsewhere*** but unfortunately no longer available; possible replaced by a different model (haven't checked). All the cat5<->SPF+ modules gets toasty, but that doesn't stop them working very well so far. Search for "QSFPTEK 2024", they are 30 quid each.

If you get fiber, make sure to test it.. the first fiber DAC cable I got (about 10m to my rack) was pretty poor and I had a lot of error; replaced it by another (thinner, green fiber) and this one has had zero errors since I plugged it.

10G is super worth it -- basically you get pretty much "local storage" unless you use a lot of NVME. Even my SAS 12Gbs SSD Raid shelf is *pretty much* as fast remotely as on the host it is on now.

Wish I had realized my poor cat5 (which I can't replace, it's underground!) could do that a long time ago!

 

[Richdog]

As much as I also don't want to be "that guy", but if you are looking at 10Gb and considering Asus Gaming Routers, then you are well out of your depth, and contrary to your above reply then your use case is entirely relevant.

If you "don't want to be that guy" then please explain to me, in a more constructive and less demeaning way, why buying a combined modem/router that has SPF+ and a 10G port, feeding data to 10GB switches and later further devices in a home network, makes me "out of my depth"? :Confused:

 

[Richdog]

Not with an ASUS gaming router as mentioned above. Do it properly, with hardware from a vendor that cares about consumers, or

What will the ASUS router not be able to do when acting as a gateway for the 10GB fibre that it then feeds to a switch and my PC? Are you saying it won't be able to do that? Serious question.

 

[alex24]

ASUS are not currently a well-respected or well-supported brand for this and would not be recommended for high-bandwidth 'pro-sumer' applications. So we're saying try one of the other brands as it's likely to give you better performance, more setup flexibility and probably reliability, upgrade paths, support etc.

However, we know nothing about the use cases you have and which clients on the network you expect to serve or get benefit from this, so it's difficult to recommend things more specifically. Given you suggested a gaming router, if gaming is your main use case then I doubt the upgrade will make much difference and the money may be better spent on GPU or PC upgrades, for example. This may be why some of the advice was suggesting not to bother as we're making those assumptions without more information.

Sometimes when asking for free advice on the internet you'll get opinions you don't like or want to hear and especially if your request is narrow, it's useful to sometimes get more of the context to really understand the problem being solved and offer actual effective solutions.

 

[Armageus]

If you "don't want to be that guy" then please explain to me, in a more constructive and less demeaning way, why buying a combined modem/router that has SPF+ and a 10G port, feeding data to 10GB switches and later further devices in a home network, makes me "out of my depth"? :Confused:

Because it's an Asus Router

They are designed to look shiny in a home environment (much like I also wouldn't recommend Netgear Nighthawk etc), with little real substance, poor quality firmware, and a general lack of support.

I can be equally critical of Ubiquiti and other brands as well, however at least with Ubiquiti you know what to expect when you buy them, and issues are identified and documented very quickly by the community, due to there being a much larger user base (and with users pushing them much closer to the limit in business environments and the like)

 

[Caged]

Does your ISP recommend/sell routers to you? If you're happy to kick the can down the road for a few months then the GL.iNet Flint 3 might have 10Gb LAN/WAN interfaces, otherwise something like the Zyxel EE6601-00 would fit the bill and it has a built-in SFP+ cage.

 

[henson0115]

having run an asus router for 10 years in a small business i have to disagree with the snobbery going off in here, if it works for your use case and has the required features i don't see any reason why not to use it. can confirm i replaced a draytek vigor which was flakey at best with an asus router and havnt had any issue or use case that it cant deal with. funny how the same person recommending you to not upgrade to 10g on an enthusiast forum is also telling you to stay away from an asus router. tells you the mind set of some people in networking. there is also thousands of happy asus router users on the merlin forums. some people just havnt updated there outdated mindset to keep up with the times.

 

[alex24]

having run an asus router for 10 years in a small business i have to disagree with the snobbery going off in here, if it works for your use case and has the required features i don't see any reason why not to use it. can confirm i replaced a draytek vigor which was flakey at best with an asus router and havnt had any issue or use case that it cant deal with. funny how the same person recommending you to not upgrade to 10g on an enthusiast forum is also telling you to stay away from an asus router. tells you the mind set of some people in networking. there is also thousands of happy asus router users on the merlin forums. some people just havnt updated there outdated mindset to keep up with the times.

You're making assumptions about people's motivations here. My recommendation is based on experience, as is yours. Not everyone with each brand will have the same experience. Multiple opinions are OK, it's up to OP to decide. I'm not a snob at all... I respect your opinion, please respect others.

 

[henson0115]

You're making assumptions about people's motivations here. My recommendation is based on experience, as is yours. Not everyone with each brand will have the same experience. Multiple opinions are OK, it's up to OP to decide. I'm not a snob at all... I respect your opinion, please respect others.

not at all, ive said what i mean, i also never said ive only used asus routers either.

 

[Armageus]

Verging well off topic but I feel this needs addressing:

having run an asus router for 10 years in a small business i have to disagree with the snobbery going off in here

No snobbery from me here - I've done everything from home routers, through prosumer routers, enterprise routers, and even open source software routers. I run a Draytek at home, and run PFSense Community edition on a HP Server hardware at work.

I just can't see the point in spending silly money on an Asus and then having to run 3rd party firmware on it, when you could just buy something like a Flint router (with the Flint 3 being available soon as mentioned) for a 3rd of the cost, and be running something very similar anyway.

i replaced a draytek vigor which was flakey at best with an asus router and havnt had any issue or use case that it cant deal with.

Good for you - your use case isn't the same as my use however. Additionally even the best brands have had the odd flaky product or firmware release - it doesn't instant make the whole brand bad (or indeed the opposite)

funny how the same person recommending you to not upgrade to 10g on an enthusiast forum is also telling you to stay away from an asus router.

On the flip side, obviously it would be immensely helpful to the community if we just blindly told everyone to go ahead and spend loads of money on stuff they don't really need, because 99% of users won't actually notice a difference

there is also thousands of happy asus router users on the merlin forums.

Clearly there were enough un-happy users, or there wouldn't have been "merlin" or other 3rd party firmware in the first place

tells you the mind set of some people in networking.

some people just havnt updated there outdated mindset to keep up with the times.

Mindset takes a lot of time to change unfortunately - whilst you may have a great experience with your asus routers, some of us haven't had (whether years ago or whatever)

Sometimes when asking for free advice on the internet you'll get opinions you don't like or want to hear and especially if your request is narrow, it's useful to sometimes get more of the context to really understand the problem being solved and offer actual effective solutions.

This really is the clincher. If you can't take possible negative opinions and have your heart set on doing something, then just do it anyway