Adding gigabit to an existing setup - Help

[rob67]

I have an exising setup like this (I stuck the Vonage thing on the front of an existing network a long time back)....
Cable Modem -> "Vonage" Router -> 10/100 Router [DHCP] -> WAP

The main computer and a new NAS box is on the second (non-Vonage) router. I want to get a gigabit link between at least the main computer and the NAS box.

1) Can I have a switch (thinking of buying the "NETGEAR GS108") hanging off the 10/100 Router and have everything attached to this switch run at gigabit speed to anything else also on this switch (assuming it has a gigabit NIC obviously)?

2) If the WAP stays on the 10/100 Router, can it get to the NAS on the new switch (the switch would be at the same level) or should I put the WAP on the switch as well?

3) I know there are issues with jumbo frames but could this work between the main computer and the NAS is the upstream routers are only 10/100?

Thank you very much for any help - I am not a network soul, so just trying to figure out what I should do in this case.

Rob

 

[Madwand]

1) Can I have a switch (thinking of buying the "NETGEAR GS108") hanging off the 10/100 Router and have everything attached to this switch run at gigabit speed to anything else also on this switch (assuming it has a gigabit NIC obviously)?

2) If the WAP stays on the 10/100 Router, can it get to the NAS on the new switch (the switch would be at the same level) or should I put the WAP on the switch as well?

3) I know there are issues with jumbo frames but could this work between the main computer and the NAS is the upstream routers are only 10/100?

1. Yes
2. Yes. You don't have to, but can if you want.
3. Yes. Path MTU detection should take care of a mixed frame environment, selecting the max frame size between points.

There are some different revisions of the GS108 (as well as GS608, etc.) To be sure that you have jumbo frame support, try to ensure that you get a v2, or that jumbo frames are advertised on the seller's site or the box itself. Search Netgear's support for something like "jumbo frame switch revision" for more details on this.

I saw several v1 GS605 in stores recently as new stock; I was surprised.

Note also that several consumer NAS boxes deserve the term "fakegigabit" for their poor performance despite having gigabit support. If you already have a GbE capable NIC/MB, you could try using a direct connection between your NAS and the computer (setting IPs manually if needed) (and straight-through cabling should work fine with GbE) in order to test throughput with gigabit connections before getting a switch.

 

[rob67]

Thank you for the info!

I don't have a gigbit NIC card on any of the machines, so was going to get one of those so I can talk to the NAS faster then over my 100Mbit link right now (I get @5Mb/sec over this link). I noticed the access lag from moving these files from the local HD to the NAS (these are image files mostly around 10Mb but some are up to 110Mb). Might do that first but even if the NAS is not using all the speed, it should be faster then 100Mbit :-//

I am happier with all the space and the RAID5 but just trying to limit the performance hit. I got the USRobotics 8700 NAS and stuck in 4 fast SATA drives.

Can you expand on the fake comment - I don't know anything about this potential issue....

 

[Madwand]

Can you expand on the fake comment - I don't know anything about this potential issue....

It's just that there's more to high-performance network file transfers than the inclusion of a gigabit port. Most modern NAS devices will include a gigabit port as a sales checkpoint for the customer. But many consumer NAS devices are seen in practice to not perform significantly better than 100 Mb/s with large files, regardless of gigabit ports.

This poor performance is likely because of the low-power electronics used internally, and performance improves when faster CPUs, etc., are used, and so should improve further over time as faster electronics become cheaper.

 

[jjw]

This poor performance is likely because of the low-power electronics used internally, and performance improves when faster CPUs, etc., are used, and so should improve further over time as faster electronics become cheaper.

Unless they just drop a faster CPU into the existing design that has a 12Mbyte/sec fronside bus. Dread the thought money would be spent upon redesigning the product. Engineers cost money, and they are a waste compared to lining someone elses pocket. :?

 

[blue68f100]

Check to make sure the port is the correct speed. I have seen other NAS were the speeds were not set correctly.