[SOLVED] Netgear GS748T switch ... Green Ethernet Configuration?

[robert600]

I've recently come into posession of a Netgear GS748T switch. I'd like to manage it to use as little power as possible and still be effective. Is anyone out there familar with the 'Green Ethernet Configuration' settings of this switch. There seems to be 2 settings to manipulate: 'Auto Power Down' and 'EEE Mode' ... both are disabled by default.

Can anyone tell me in simple terms what the result of enabling either (or both) of these settings is?

 

[jimasek]

How many hosts do you have in your network? Is this home or bussines network?

 

[jojesa]

I've recently come into posession of a Netgear GS748T switch. I'd like to manage it to use as little power as possible and still be effective. Is anyone out there familar with the 'Green Ethernet Configuration' settings of this switch. There seems to be 2 settings to manipulate: 'Auto Power Down' and 'EEE Mode' ... both are disabled by default.

Can anyone tell me in simple terms what the result of enabling either (or both) of these settings is?

Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) is a standard that allows physical layer transmitters to consume less power during periods of low data activity (low link utilization) by going into Low Power Idle (LPI) mode.
By the way, the switch respond time will be lower than on regular mode, when waking from LPI mode.

The Auto Power Down feature will power down ports that are not in use.

 

[robert600]

How many hosts do you have in your network? Is this home or bussines network?

It's a home network. I'm unsure what you mean by 'hosts'? Do you mean ... the number of devices that are currently connected to the switch or do 'hosts' mean something different?

 

[robert600]

Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) is a standard that allows physical layer transmitters to consume less power during periods of low data activity (low link utilization) by going into Low Power Idle (LPI) mode.
By the way, the switch respond time will be lower than on regular mode, when waking from LPI mode.

The Auto Power Down feature will power down ports that are not in use.

Ok ... thanks for that. Thinking of the lower respond time when waking ... are we talking a few seconds ... a few minutes or what? Oh and rereading ... what are 'phsical layer transmitters ... is that something in the switch itself?

 

[bill001g]

I would look up what the power savings really is using that feature. These switches do not use a lot of power, most are well under 100 watts. If it saves say 10 watts of power it is not worth messing with. These low power mode causes all kinds of strange issues for machines. It just is not worth the hassle for something that might save you a couple of pennies of electricity in a year.

 

[jimasek]

Do you mean ... the number of devices

Yes you are right. I asked about number of devices connected to your switch.

 

[robert600]

I would look up what the power savings really is using that feature. These switches do not use a lot of power, most are well under 100 watts. If it saves say 10 watts of power it is not worth messing with. These low power mode causes all kinds of strange issues for machines. It just is not worth the hassle for something that might save you a couple of pennies of electricity in a year.

Ok ... I've been unable to find much info regarding how much difference using 'power savings' really makes. Even when I google 'normal' power usage I get different results. I guess the netgear folks would know the best and they state ... max power usage at 69 watts. I was hoping to run it a bit lower but NOT at the expense of introducing strange issues. So maye I should leave it alone.
My motive for minimizing the power usage wasn't simply finaincial ... I'm trying to minimize the fan usage as well ... not that they're all that loud or that they come on all that often as is ... but since I'm often in quite close proximity to the switch ... the less the fans are on the better. But again, I don't want any 'strange issues'.

 

[robert600]

Yes you are right. I asked about number of devices connected to your switch.

I only received this last night. At the moment ... not counting the feed coming from my primary router ... I have 9 devices attached ... mostly laptops but also a secondary router, a UHD blu ray player and a ps3. The number of devices will grow though as I add some cable but will unlikely ever approach using the 48 allowable LAN ports. As to the fiber ports ...they're beyond my understanding at the moment. All I've changed from 'default' so far is to disable a bunch of ports. The only ones I've left enabled at the moment are every other one on the top row of ports. So g1, g5, g9 etc are enabled. I have no idea if this is saving me any power usage or not?

 

[jojesa]

Ok ... thanks for that. Thinking of the lower respond time when waking ... are we talking a few seconds ... a few minutes or what? Oh and rereading ... what are 'phsical layer transmitters ... is that something in the switch itself?

We talking of milliseconds but when they add up it could be noticed.

A network device, like a switch, has several layers and the the physical layer's function is to send and receive bits of data using electrical, hardware, software, etc...interfaces.

....These low power mode causes all kinds of strange issues for machines. It just is not worth the hassle for something that might save you a couple of pennies of electricity in a year.

I would have to agree with bill001g, specially when just using one of two switches...is not worth it.

At work we have hundreds of 48- port switches. We could have a couple of dozens stacked together in a closet. We enable some of the power savings features at night and on weekends only and that saves a bit of electricity. Electricity is saved on both the switches and the cooling, since the switches run cooler on EEE mode.

 

[robert600]

We talking of milliseconds but when they add up it could be noticed.

A network device, like a switch, has several layers and the the physical layer's function is to send and receive bits of data using electrical, hardware, software, etc...interfaces.


I would have to agree with bill001g, specially when just using one of two switches...is not worth it.

At work we have hundreds of 48- port switches. We could have a couple of dozens stacked together in a closet. We enable some of the power savings features at night and on weekends only and that saves a bit of electricity. Electricity is saved on both the switches and the cooling, since the switches run cooler on EEE mode.

Ok ... I'm thinking I should definitely leave the EEE to the default of 'disabled'. I'm so glad I asked about this and didn't simply blindly enable it. Thanks for the advise about this.

How about the 'Auto Power Down'? Should I just leave this as 'disabled' as well or would it be worth enabling? Again, I don't want to do anything that would result in the switch behaving stangely. I have already disabled a bunch of the ports if that makes a difference to your answer.

 

[jojesa]

Ok ... I'm thinking I should definitely leave the EEE to the default of 'disabled'. I'm so glad I asked about this and didn't simply blindly enable it. Thanks for the advise about this.

How about the 'Auto Power Down'? Should I just leave this as 'disabled' as well or would it be worth enabling? Again, I don't want to do anything that would result in the switch behaving stangely. I have already disabled a bunch of the ports if that makes a difference to your answer.

You could test the switch with the features on or off and see if there are any advantages or issues that you could notice.

 

[robert600]

You could test the switch with the features on or off and see if there are any advantages or issues that you could notice.

Yes... thanks for the help. I'm trying to learn about this stuff so I expect I'll be fiddling about with things quite a bit. But on the weekend only. I'm on-line teaching during the week though so I need everything working just right during that time. At least I'm confident I can get into the settings now ... that was actually quite difficult to do initially.

 

[jimasek]

For me this switch is to big for home application - power over 40W

 

[robert600]

For me this switch is to big for home application - power over 40W

Yes, I agree as I'll never come close to using it at full capacity. I guess it's vaguely possible that I'd use the fiber ports to go a long distance at some point but I haven't really had time to explore that technology. But this switch 'fell in my lap' so not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth I thought I might as well use it for a while to learn what managed switches are all about. I think long term ... I'll probably switch (pun intended) to the fanless, unmanaged type. They seem to be a very reasonable price and draw hardly any power.

My knowledge of electronics isn't all that extensive ... is there any way to actually test a device (as it's working) and determine how much power it is using?

 

[jimasek]

I can see solution if you have clamp meter you can do current measurement of electricity. You will know what the power consumption of the switch is.

Sorry for my English I thing so that you understood my suggestions

 

[robert600]

I can see solution if you have clamp meter you can do current measurement of electricity. You will know what the power consumption of the switch is.

Sorry for my English I thing so that you understood my suggestions

Ok ... thanks for that ... I don't actually have one but I think I know someone who might have one. If so, I can probably borrow it.

 

[jojesa]

I can see solution if you have clamp meter you can do current measurement of electricity. You will know what the power consumption of the switch is.

Sorry for my English I thing so that you understood my suggestions

That's the idea.

You could get a Kill A Watt Electricity Usage Monitor or Smart Plug that monitors power usage or similar device to keep track of power usage.

Just because the switch comes with a 70W max, it does not mean that's the power consumption. To get close to 70W all ports must be on use at full capacity.
I have a Netgear 24-port switch with a 40W max, and it is using around 11.6W...with all but one port in use.

 

[robert600]

That's the idea.

You could get a Kill A Watt Electricity Usage Monitor or Smart Plug that monitors power usage or similar device to keep track of power usage.

Thanks, I'll look into those!

Just because the switch comes with a 70W max, it does not mean that's the power consumption. To get close to 70W all ports must be on use at full capacity.
I have a Netgear 24-port switch with a 40W max, and it is using around 11.6W...with all but one port in use.

Ok ... that's what I like to hear! Wow ... you're drawing like ... 0nly 28% of it's max ... I'd be very happy with that! So far, I've disabled all but 12 ports and set all ports to 'enable' in the 'Auto Power Down' Green Ethernet section.

I've been down working beside it for about an hour now with those settings and ... the fans have yet to come on ... I'm taking that as a good sign that's it's not drawing a lot of power but ... being a numbers guy ... I'd like to be able to directly measure the draw. If I could come close to that 28% (say 20 - 25 W) you're getting ... I'd be well pleased.