Want to set up 10Gb Home Network - need advice

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Vlad

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Oct 3, 2015
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So, my computers are the following, currently connected with 1Gb Ethernet (Comcast 75Mb connection, with Ubiquiti Gb Ethernet router):

- Main - Hackintosh (macOS Sierra 10.12.6)
- Server Hackintosh (macOS Sierra 10.12.6)
- Server Win10 PC (latest version of Windows 10)

They're all in the same room, so cable lengths won't be an issue.

I'm interested in putting cheap 10Gb NICs into each of these computers to set up an internal network with each computer connected to each other (no router). I'm no networking genious, but am very capable in following directions in getting things done. I may be looking to change the Main PC to Linux, and at least 1 of the servers to either FreeNAS or Open Media Vault or NAS4Free.

My main question would be software-wise, once I make all of the hardware connections: How do I get each PC to see each other if they all run different OS's? Assuming I have to set up a 2nd internal 10Gb network? How would I go about doing that?

Thanks!
 
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ttabbal

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Mar 10, 2016
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The tricky bit is going to be getting OSX supported cards. I'm not aware of any, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. I've just never needed to look for them. For FreeNAS, Linux, and Win10, Mellanox Connect-X2 are cheap and work well.

Are you planning to try without a switch? Personally, I wouldn't do more than 2 that way. The reason is that if you put, say, a 2-port in the server, and connect the other machines to it. Now if you turn off the server or it has a problem, the other machines can't talk to each other. If you don't mind that and they both just need to talk to the server over that link, it's fine.

Yes, it's a different network. As such, you can't use the same IP address space. Here's one example that would work.

10.0.0.0/24 - Normal 1Gb network, DHCP assigned, etc..
10.0.1.0/24 - Special 10Gb network, manual static assignments

So each machine would have 2 addresses. If you want the faster link, use 10.0.1.x addresses when setting up file shares etc..


Or get a switch and just use a flat network. But switches are expensive still for 10Gb.
 
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RyC

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Oct 17, 2013
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I *think* Chelsio has macOS drivers for their SFP+ cards. Otherwise, I would possibly wait until macOS High Sierra and the iMac Pro for 10Gbe. The iMac Pro is supposed to have a 10Gbe port, so the driver for whatever NIC they end up using could possibly support others in the same family. My guess is that they're going to use an Intel NIC
 
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Vlad

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Oct 3, 2015
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Thanks for the replies.
I found a Myricom 10G-PCIE2-8C2-2S on eBay that supports macOS, Windows, & Linux. Looks perfect. even includes 2 SFP+ adapters. Speaking of those, what kind should I be looking for? Noticed there are a bunch of different types sold on FiberStore.com:

10G SFP+ Transceiver Module Solutions | FS.COM

Sorry - not very knowledgeable about these types of NICs/Cables - I thought looking at the cables that are used with these types of cards that the cable has the connector on each end & they just plug into the ports on the cards???
 
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Vlad

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Oct 3, 2015
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Anyone? Please?

Itching to buy but not sure about the whole transceiver/cable thing.
 
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Brian_M

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May 17, 2016
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Vlad

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Oct 3, 2015
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Thanks Brian_M, but I won't be using a switch - I'll be connecting each computer to each other. So, question is, do I need NIC's with Transceivers, or do I need just a cable?
 
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Brian_M

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May 17, 2016
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NIC's with dac cables if they reach. That's what I did before with 2 workstations to the server. The WS had single port NIC's, the server had dual ports.

The transceivers are for use with the fiber cable. I'm not too sure on voltages and that stuff of fiber vs DAC's. The DAC's have the transceiver built in.
 
Jerry Renwick

Jerry Renwick

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Aug 7, 2014
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Vlad said:
Thanks Brian_M, but I won't be using a switch - I'll be connecting each computer to each other. So, question is, do I need NIC's with Transceivers, or do I need just a cable?
Click to expand...
In fact, it depends on the distance. 10G DAC cable terminated with sfp+ connectors on both ends can be directly used between NICs, but it is feasible within 7m.
Fiber optic transceivers must be connected with fiber patch cables, are ideal for long-reach applications.
 
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nry

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Feb 22, 2013
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I use the Myricom 10G-PCIE2-8C2-2S you mentioned previously in my Hackintosh setup, works perfectly.

They can be a bit picky with which DAC they will work with. I tend to stick to either Myricom 10G-SFP-SR transceivers or Dell 2CM32 3M DACs.
 
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Vlad

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Oct 3, 2015
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nry said:
I use the Myricom 10G-PCIE2-8C2-2S you mentioned previously in my Hackintosh setup, works perfectly.

They can be a bit picky with which DAC they will work with. I tend to stick to either Myricom 10G-SFP-SR transceivers or Dell 2CM32 3M DACs.
Click to expand...
Thanks everyone for your replies. I actually went ahead & ordered 3 Myricom 10G-PCIE2-8B2-2S 2-Port at $40 each from 1 seller on eBay. Does anyone know what the difference is between these & the 10G-PCIE2-8C2-2S?

Can anyone tell me if this cable would work for all 3:

New Dell/Force10 10GBe SFP+ 5M Copper Cable Assy CBL-10GSFP-DAC-5M 5CN56 | eBay

Thanks!
 
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