Guide to 2.5GbE Network Switches

Posted on 24 May 2022 šŸ“§ Subscribe
Contents hide
1 Buying the Right 2.5GbE Switch Switch First Time
2 Which Choose 2.5GbE over 10GbE in 2022 and 2023?
3 Understanding the Difference Between Managed & Unmanaged
3.1 BEST 2.5GbE to USB Adapter ā€“ QGeeM 4-in-1 2.5GbE & USB C Hub ā€“ Ā£25.49 (currently on offer 06/22)
3.2 Cheapest 2.5GbE Network Switch ā€“ QNAP QSW-1105-5T ā€“ Ā£80-100 (currently on offer 06/22)
3.3 Best Value PoE+ 2.5GbE Switch ā€“ TRENDnet TPE-TG350 ā€“ $184
3.4 Best 8-Port 2.5GbE Switch ā€“ TRENDnet TEG-S380 ā€“ $179
3.5 Best Value Managed 2.5GbE and 10GbE Switch ā€“ QNAP QSW-M2108-2C or QSW-M2108-2S ā€“ $279-309
3.6 Best Gamer 2.5G/10G Switch ā€“ D-Link DMS-106XT ā€“ $140
3.7 Best Unmanaged 2.5GbE and 10GbE Switch ā€“ QNAP QSW-2104-2T or QSW-2104-2S ā€“ $210
4 Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?

Buying the Right 2.5GbE Switch Switch First Time

Whether you like it or not, 2.5 Gigabit ethernet is very much a THING in 2022! From ISP routers and gaming desktops, to USB adapters and PCIe cards at $25, the access to 2.5x traditional 1GbE network speeds is pretty much 100% for everyone now. The ease of making the switch to 2.5GbE is made even easier when many client network hardware devices are either arriving with 2.5G at the same price as 1G, or include WiFi6 capabilities and therefore have the potential to exceed wired 1GbE too. So, when buying hardware for your home or office in 2022 or 2023, it is understandable that for reasons of future-proofing, you might want to invest in 2.5Gb hardware to ensure everything has the fullest bandwidth possible, without breaking the bank. One of the most important devices you will need to get in order to manage a 2.5GbE network (ensuring no bottlenecks and/or making sure everything gets their fair share of the bandwidth) is by investing in a network switch. A network switch is much like a plug adapter/extension can provide more power points from a single socket over a larger distance, but that also means that much like plug adapters, some are more reliable than others, have features of control and efficiency that are not available on all others and, ultimately, that some 2.5GbE network switches are better than others!

Want to Skip to the Best Switches? Click below to jump ahead:

So, today I want to walk you through the best 2.5Gb network switches you can buy right now, broken down into the best for price, value, scale, features and more. Before we go any further though, I know what you are thinking. Why should someone invest in a 2.5GbE network switch/setup, when they can just skip it and go for a 10GbE setup?

Which Choose 2.5GbE over 10GbE in 2022 and 2023?

Itā€™s a fair point. Although 10GbE is still more expensive than 1GbE and 2.5GbE, it HAS come down in price quite noticeably over the last 5 years. This alongside improvements in more efficient and affordable 10GbE network controllers has led to 10GbE routers and 10GbE switches arriving on the market at a much more affordable price point than ever. Many die-hard network veterans turn their noses up at 2.5GbE, as (alongside 10G being available to businesses and prosumer users for the better part of 10-15years) they consider 2.5G to be a stop-gap and overall better to spend the money towards something bigger and broader in bandwidth. So, why should you care about 2.5G then? Well, a few reasons actually. Such as:

  • Although 10GbE switches and routers ARE in the market at a better price than ever, they are still 3-4x the price of 1GbE alternatives in the managed or unmanaged form
  • 10GbE ports on laptops, computers and standard office hardware is still very much in low adoption. 2.5GbE featured less than 1G, but itā€™s still ahead of 10GbE in consumer adoption by default
  • PCIeĀ  upgrades with 10GbE are still very expensive (1Gb PCIe = $10, 10Gb PCIe = $80-100 minimum)
  • External 10GbE upgrades are limited and very expensive (Thunderbolt to 10GbE are your only option and start at $150-200, such as the Sonnet SOLO10G-TB3 or QNAP QNA-T310G1T), whereas USB-to-1G adapters are $10-12 and USB-to-2.5GbE are $20-25
  • 10GbE arrives in both Copper and Fibre, which is useful for diverse setups, but leads to a coin toss of more expensive 10G Copper base hardware vs 10G Fibre cables/transceiver high price point and complexity. 2.5GbE uses all the same hardware in place as traditional 1GbE and allows for improved sustainability and less waste
  • Most client hardware is not able to take advantage of 10GbE and although having 1-2 high bandwidth devices (a NAS or SAN type server) connected over 10Gbe to the network can be beneficial to all, most client hardware devices will never be able to saturate 10Gb Connections. In those cases, a 1x10G and 8+ X 1G solution is preferable ā€“ which end up costing more than full, widespread 2.5G adoption.

So, yes, 10GbE will most certainly provide you with more bandwidth to play with, but it will cost you more ā€“ both for the switch, but also to upgrade each of the client devices on the network .This can slightly mitigated in a few ways (opting for 10GBASE-T and reusing some hardware, gradually upgrading the key clients, choosing comb style switches that featured mixed ports, etc) but 2.5GbE is a more affordable alternative that allows you to upgrade some systems enough for them to saturate 250MB/s bandwidth and not overspend on 10GbE for systems/networks that were never going to take advantage of the 1,000MB/s on offer.

Examples of a 2.5GbE to USB Adapter ā€“ $22.99 Examples of a 2.5GbE Network PCIe Card ā€“ $27.99

Understanding the Difference Between Managed & Unmanaged

This is one of the two main areas whereby the price of your networks switch can differ wildly. Network switches predominantly arrive in two software types. namely managed and unmanaged. A managed switch is a device that allows an admin or another authorised user to access a control panel visually displayed in the web browser or a supported mobile app, to configure numerous settings inside the switch and create a much more tailored, superior network environment for their own needs. Ranging from configuring which ports and devices have priorities, combining network ports for larger bandwidth (known as link aggregation or port trunking), creating security rules to prevent network invasion and numerous other unique and customisable configuration options. It can be intimidating to configure these settings and although things have become a little more user-friendly in recent years, it is still pretty overwhelming at first to configure your own network connection in a managed switch.

An unmanaged switch, as you probably have already guessed, does NOT allow users to configure the network in any kind of unique way. Unmanaged network switches arrived with more rudimentary internal processes that have numerous default settings for network access, security protocol and how to behave as more client hardware connect to the network. You lose a number of key and popular features such as link aggregation, priority of service, quality of service, failover configurations and more. However an unmanaged switch arrives at a noticeably lower price point due to its more cost-effective internal hardware requirements and if you are a home or even low-level business user who does not require a particularly unique network setup, an unmanaged network switch can often be perfectly fine. It should also be highlighted that smaller, unmanaged switches are often fanless and near-silent in operation too.Ā In short, if you are not particularly tech-savvy, have no interest in learning the ins and outs of your network management, are on a tight budget or are running a fairly rudimentary setup, then an unmanaged switch should be perfectly ok for you and your network requirements. However, in almost every other regard, a managed switch is always better in the long run.

Learn More About Managed VS Unmanaged in the Article Below:

BEST 2.5GbE to USB Adapter ā€“ QGeeM 4-in-1 2.5GbE & USB C Hub ā€“ Ā£25.49 (currently on offer 06/22)

The 4-in-1 USB C to ethernet hub expands the USB-C port of your laptop to 6 functions. You can connect to the Ethernet, charge the laptop, use an external monitor, data transfer, connect the mouse, etc. to improve your work efficiency. In the process of expansion, it cleverly retains all the functions of the USB-C port that supports up to 100W PD to charge your laptop at full speed, the data transmission speed reaches an astonishing 5Gbps, and it also supports 4K@30Hz media display (mirror mode and extended mode. The USB C adapter is stylishly designed, lightweight and portable, very suitable for home, office environments and business trip, easily handle multitasking and increase productivity.

  • 1x Ethernet: up to 2.5 Gbps
  • 1x USB C: 100W Charging / 4K@30Hz Video / 5Gbps Date Transfer
  • 2x USB 3.0: up to 5 Gbps

The USB c to 2.5g ethernet adapter is for users looking to move beyond Gigabit Ethernet speeds. It can provide network bandwidth of up to 2.5Gbps, 2.5 times the traditional network, and backwards compatible with 10/100/1000Mbps. Compared with wireless connections, wired networks are more secure and stable. There will be no lag in video conferencing, transferring files and playing games. 100W Power Delivery via the USB C PD port, which charges up to 100W, When expanding other devices, you donā€™t have to worry about running out of power on your laptop, and you can also reduce the number of cables on your desktop. The USB 3.0 port can transfer your files at speeds up to 5Gbps, 10 times faster than the USB 2.0. Backward compatible with USB 2.0 and below, Allows you to connect keyboard, mouse, hard disk, U disk, etc. to your device.

I recently upgraded my MacBook Pro and I was bummed to find out that the new versions donā€™t have USB ports anymore. This hub allows me to plug in all my devices that use a USB! Itā€™s small and portable which I appreciate because I can easily carry it with me in my backpack without much-added weight. Just tested it out using my Cricut machine and it worked like a charm! Allows 2.5 gig ethernet speed where there is no port on the laptop. Much faster for wired environments than Wi-Fi only. Since it provides a USB ā€œCā€ port and two USB ā€œAā€ ports, you still have USB available on the laptop. Works Great and adds functionality to the laptop! My studio has a really unstable wifi signal so I am looking for a portable hub including Ethernet and a USB port for my Dell XPS. And I am happy with this tiny hub. It works great after 3 days of use. Now I donā€™t need to worry about the unstable connection during my zoom meeting. In addition, I can connect more devices like flash or external drives to my laptop. It is very light and convenient, I can also bring it when I travel without any concern.

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Cheapest 2.5GbE Network Switch ā€“ QNAP QSW-1105-5T ā€“ Ā£80-100 (currently on offer 06/22)

TheĀ QNAP QSW-1105-5T switch definitely lives up to what it promises and has a very clear target user in mind. It does not pretend to be more than it is and because of that can maintain high performance and low physical and power usage impact for users looking to move to the next level of networking without spending a vast amount. The QSW-1105-5T serves as a great upgrade for users moving from gigabit ethernet and towards multi-gigabit environments and with fantastic growth in 2020 towards 2.5G, 5G and 10Gbe in affordable hardware, the need for a more palatable and affordable upgrade to this tier is not only hugely welcome but fast becoming an inevitability. That said, the QSW-1105-5T is not for everyone, it seems a little pricey when unmanaged 1Gbe 5-Port switches are generally around Ā£40-50.

Also, if you already have a multi-gigabit network environment in place or have need of a more controllable and priority defining network environment in mind, you will probably find the QSW-1105-5T a backstep and limiting in its scope. But theĀ QSW-1105-5TĀ is not designed for that and does not pretend to be so, and with QNAP having released and in the process of releasing switch options to cater to an ever-evolving network clientele, whether this is the switch for you or not, by the end of 2020 QNAP will almost certainly have a switch that suits your needs and budget. Bottom line, I really like this device and couldnā€™t see myself finding many uses for this device for aspiring YouTubers like me as well as day-to-day data work in general.

Needless to say, the QNAP QSW-1105-5T is not a hugely powerful switch that is designed to challenge smarter or larger entries into the QNAP QSW range of switches ā€“ but that is largely the point! Along with users looking at play n play upgrades to their PC/Client machines at home/office with USB adapters (such as the QNA-UC5G1T), the appeal of 2.5Gbe upgrades in networks that favour WiFi 6 and (soon) WiFi 6E is actually quite pronounced. In this arena, the QSW-1105-5T has little or no competition right now and even if it did, itā€™s a very solid and well-made product. The price point of over $100 for a 5-Port switch that is unmanaged, when you can pick up 1Gbe unmanaged switches at $40-50 is a little off-putting, but given the next tier (10Gbe) will likely set you back $200 for the same unmanaged architecture, this is more a question of finding a balance I guess. Aside from that, It is hard to fault the switch for what it is, as it is delivering on all itā€™s promises ā€“ I just wish there was a managed version too to take advantage of 2.5Gbe LAG connectivity that is available in almost all multi LAN QNAP solutions in 2020/2021.

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Best Value PoE+ 2.5GbE Switch ā€“ TRENDnet TPE-TG350 ā€“ $184

Expand your networkā€™s bandwidth and reduce traffic bottlenecks with TRENDnetā€™s Unmanaged 2.5G PoE+ Switches. These 2.5G PoE+ switches come equipped with 2.5GBASE-T RJ-45 ports that provide higher gigabit speeds capable of up to 2.5Gbps over your existing Cat5e or better cabling. Each high-speed 2.5G PoE+ switch features a durable metal enclosure and can be mounted to the wall for setup flexibility. The fanless design lowers energy consumption and eliminates distracting operating noise. TRENDnetā€™s reliable 2.5G PoE+ switches are cost-effective solutions to increase your networkā€™s throughput. A 55W total PoE power budget on this PoE+ switch supplies up to four PoE+ devices with up to 30W per port.

  • 5 x 2.5GBASE-T ports
  • 55W PoE power budget
  • IEEE 802.3bz (2.5G) compliant
  • Supports IEEE 802.3at/af PoE standards
  • Backwards compatible with 10/100/1000Mbps devices
  • 25Gbps switching capacity
  • Fanless design eliminates noise
  • Wall mountable for installation flexibility

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Best 8-Port 2.5GbE Switch ā€“ TRENDnet TEG-S380 ā€“ $179

Despite itā€™s growing popularity with hardware manufacturers, 2.5G still gets overlooked, and this is a shame. Why? Well, 2.5G network capabilities are showing up in more computers and motherboards nowadays, and it can be the most affordable way to go multi-gig. For instance, 2.5G cards and dongles wonā€™t break the bank, while 2.5Gbps speeds can theoretically be achieved with existing Cat5e. Along with the previously mentioned TG350, TRENDnet releases an affordable unmanaged 2.5G switches. Called ā€œTEG-S380, an 8-Port Unmanaged 2.5G Switch and is the brandā€™s addition to TRENDnetā€™s Multi-Gigabit Networking Solutions family. Both switches include 2.5GBASE-T RJ-45 ports, which allow users to achieve up to 2.5Gbps over existing Cat5e (or better) cabling. TRENDnetā€™s new 2.5G switches are cost-effective means of increasing a networkā€™s throughput, and helping to reduce or eliminate network bottlenecks.

These multi-gigabit switches also feature a durable metal housing, as well as a fanless design to eliminate distracting operating noise. For installation flexibility, the 2.5G switches are conveniently constructed to be mounted on the wall or placed on a desktop. These TRENDnet switches are IEEE 802.3bz compliant; they are also backward compatible with legacy technology hardware. No special configurations are required for these switches to connect and network devices to high-speed 2.5G Ethernet. Equipped with 2.5GBASE-T RJ-45 ports that provide higher gigabit speeds capable of up to 2.5Gbps over existing Cat5e or better cabling. The 2.5G switches feature metal housing with a convenient wall mountable design for greater installation flexibility. Meanwhile, the fanless design of the 2.5G switches lowers energy consumption costs and eliminates operating noise.

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Best Value Managed 2.5GbE and 10GbE Switch ā€“ QNAP QSW-M2108-2C or QSW-M2108-2S ā€“ $279-309

There is always going to be the question ofĀ ā€œwho actually has 2.5Gbe these days?ā€, which is a perfectly valid point! The answer is that thanks to the growth of WiFi 6 (802.11ax) we are seeing lots of router solutions arriving with 2.5G ports. Thatā€™s not all though, there are several USB-to-5Gbe and USB-to-2.5Gbe adapters in the market that serve as much MUCH more affordable (and far more convenient) alternatively to hardware systems upgrading to 10Gbe via a PCIe card. Lastly, some more compact systems (Raspberry Pi, MacBook, ChromeBook, Laptop, Surface Pro, etc) do NOT have the ability to upgrade their network port conventionally. So, given that to date, there is no 10Gbe-to-USB adapter on the market (and if there was, I would look at Aquantia in the future), the only alternative to break out of 1Gbe bottlenecks is to use 2.5/5G USB adapters ā€“ which is EXACTLY why this 10Gbe and 2.5Gbe network switch exists! QNAP was not one of the first to introduce a budget +Gigabit ethernet switch in 2020/2021 and given the affordability of 10Gbe, as well as the need for businesses to improve their internal networking speeds to match that of high-end ISP and fibre internet around the world, they likely will not be the last.

However, the combination of 8x 2.5Gbe with the 2x10G really makes theĀ QSW-2108-2CĀ managed switch really stand out, whilst still arriving in a compact and affordable way ā€“ a scaled 10Gbe switch for businesses that want to make the step towards this network bandwidth, but is still unsure about the investment. With its unique multi-port combo system, allowing users to combine copper and fibre environments, there is a large degree of flexibility even at this more affordable price point. The design is not for everyone and it lacks the lifetime warranty of some more expensive NETGEAR solutions, but the QNAP QSW-2108-2C is most certainly a capable solution and manages to live up to every single promise that QNAP claims. Along with an incredibly intuitive management panel and ease of design that lends heavily from the QTS NAS software, it certainly beats most of its competitors in the GUI department. In short, the QSW-M2108 largely defeats any notion of looking at 1Gbe switches ever againā€¦

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Best Gamer 2.5G/10G Switch ā€“ D-Link DMS-106XT ā€“ $140

As you can probably guess from my tone throughout this review, I found it pretty tough to fault the D-Link DMS-106XT network switch given its price tag and wide variety of network connectivity. There are a few design choices that are going to split opinion (metal throughout, LEDs, very unconventional shape, etc) but these are quite minor points in the grand scheme of things. The Price tag of this switch for a 10GbE and 2.5GbE switch, even unmanaged, is going to make it damn near irresistible to many buyers and now that it has had some time in the market to increase exposure, availability and reviews, the price tag has become increasingly flexible (arriving as low as Ā£130/$140 in some retailers).

D-link could stand to be a little clearer about the turbo mode and itā€™s advantages with the DMS-106XT and the extent to which those LEDs can actually be customized is pretty weak, but you are clearly getting a sturdy, solid and high-performance piece of kit here. Additionally, with the increase of affordability of 10GbE, as well as 2.5GbE becoming the defacto port to be used with WiFi 6 client hardware, this switch has a much wider audience than it might have had just 2 years ago. A great piece of kit and one I heartily recommend.

Pros ā€“ 10G + 2.5G arriving at the same/cheaper price than many 2.5G-only switches right now.Ā  Unique and Attractive Design. Unmanaged BUT the Turbo Mode adds Priority of Sevice features.Ā  Fanless + Ridged Metal design assists heat dissipation. LED and lighting are quite cool looking

Cons ā€“ LED lighting controls are practically zero

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Best Unmanaged 2.5GbE and 10GbE Switch ā€“ QNAP QSW-2104-2T or QSW-2104-2S ā€“ $210

QNAP Systems introduced the QSW-2104 series of unmanaged switch models. The series is formed by the QSW-2104-2S and QSW-2104-2T network switches. The QSW-2104-2T is an easy-to-use unmanaged switch with 2-port 10GbE RJ45 and 4-port 2.5GbE RJ45, allowing you to upgrade your network environment by connecting a wider range of devices with different bandwidth requirements. Featuring a near-silent fanless design and compliance with IEEE 802.3az (Energy Efficient Ethernet, EEE), the QSW-2104-2T operates quietly and with optimal power usage. With high performance and superb functionality, the QSW-2104-2T is the ideal choice for creating an affordable high-speed network environment in your home or workplace.

aBoth of them are six-port with two 10GbE ports and four 2.5GbE ports, and the difference is that the QSW-2104-2S has 10GbE ports routed to SFP + fiber-optic transceivers, and the QSW-2104-2T model ā€“ to connectors designed for copper twisted pair connection. Note that in the first case, speeds of 10 Gb/s and 1 Gb/s are supported, and in the second ā€“ 10 Gb/s, 5 Gb/s, 2.5 Gb/s, 1 Gb/s and 100 Mb/s. The 2.5GbE ports in both cases are designed for twisted pair connections and support speeds of 2.5 Gbps, 1 Gbps, and 100 Mbps. With no complex settings required, the QSW-2104 series supports auto-negotiation that optimizes transfer speeds and performance for each connected device. It also features network loop detection that automatically locks looped ports to ensure the network environment quickly resumes normal operations. With plug-and-play support, near-silent, passively cooled design, IEEE 802.3az compliance, and automatic loop detection and blocking, the QSW-2104 series unmanaged switch is ā€œthe ideal choice for affordable high-speed networking environments in homes, and in the workplaceā€ says the manufacturer.

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      63 thoughts on “Guide to 2.5GbE Network Switches”

      1. I am going for RJ45 10G straight.
        Where are the 2,5gb models from synology??? People got to help themselfs with RJ45 to USB dongle workarounds…
        Come on Synology….
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      2. Honestly, if you have a NAS and are using it in any serious way, 2.5Gb should be a minimum at this point. In fact, I’ve found some reasonably priced gear that’s mostly 2.5GbE, with some 10Gb SFP+ ports as well, and will probably run fibre for 10Gb connections to major switches in my house, then the 2.5Gb connections to each individual device. Is fibre overkill? YES, but I WANTED Cat6A years ago and was told “Cat5 is plenty” only to now be unable to do 10Gb. So for that magical future proofing, fibre is going in, and that should basically do the job forever, since the fibre itself can do 400Gb+ it’s just the hardware at each end that would need upgrading. Do I think I’ll ever use 400Gb… no, but 40Gb would be nice, and maybe one day I might want 100Gb, this way we never have to re-run the cables (yes conduit is amazing, and even MORE future proof than fibre, but it’s not viable in an old, existing house like ours without basically moving out for a month).
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      4. Amother chap’s youtube NAS channel says that besides upgrading devices, for 10 gbe you’ll need to upgrade to CAT6 cabling as well – and THAT is a BIG consideration, unless it’s original construction!
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      6. I purchasted the Nimbuster NAS from you in 2020 to set up my home network and it’s super slow when connected to a Netgear gigabit switch and trying to save and get files from my Mac or PC. I’ve tried to aggregate the connection from the NAS to the switch but it’s still super slow. I guess the bottleneck is in the gigabit Netgear switch. Would I have to buy a 2-5gbe switch? If so how should it be connected and set up? Many thanks for any advice .
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      8. o/ from the US. I recently purchased a ASUS GT-11000 pro (on sale) which has 1 x 10g and 1×2.5g ports. My WAN port on my modem is a 2.5g. I connected my 10g port to my Dlink DMS-106xt. I have my dlink connected to a simple unmanaged cisco switch in my living room that connects to my xbox, ps5, TV, and apple TV, none of which support 2.5gb only 1gb. Then I have my dlink connected to a asus GT6 that supports a 2.5g port and 3x 1gb ports. I learned that I should have bought the Zen wifi pro since it supports two 2.5gb ports. Why this matters to me? My pc supports 2.5gb and 1gb on the mobo. Now I’m not going to lose any sleep over it but since I am designing a network that suits my needs I didn’t account for that error in my budget. After buying all these things I didn’t fully think my network setup thoroughly because now I have to buy another multigig 10G port switch that likely cost 300$ USD to fix my error. I just dont have enough 10g ports now. Problems for future me.
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      10. Thank you for this video, when I renovated my place with Cat 6A cables I moved to a2 gigabit internet connection just this year, however only recently I have purchased USB 2.5 gb singles to upgrade my connections and it has been amazing, thank you for your video it was informative and helped me make the right decision to wait for a year and then move up
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      12. We don’t need discuss 2.5 GbE, 1 GbE has effectively been the standard for LANs at the edge for over a decade. Thanks to Moore’s Law, computer power doubles, every 18 months (or less), so very quickly LAN speeds need to improve by an order of magnitude (x 10) to be significant.
        What few (none?) of the network companies have realised is that computers now come equipped with Thunderbolt 4/USB4 ports and Thunderbolt Hubs. Over our PANs we are already doing 40 GbE. We need switches with TB4 ports, Fairly predictably, network equipment brands have fallen into the trap of treating 2.5 GbE as the new normal.
        The new normal is 40 GbE.
        We can do 7+ Gb over 5G mobile networks.
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      13. 2.5g isn’t futureproofing. 10g has been around for much longer than 2.5g or 5g… if you’re going to use cat5/6 cables, just go to 10g. the only reason I can think of that companies are feeding us 2.5 and 5g right now is in attempt to segregate a market that started and should be homogeneous. 10g is the way of things right now, today. but even that’s not futureproofing. if you want to futureproof, you should get 10g sfp+ switches and nics and use om3 fiber and/or dac cables to make your connections. the reason for this is that sfp+ is 10g, uses less power, and if you use fiber connections, that fiber will later be able to run 25g, 50g, and 100g (and probably more later on) via bonding multiple frequencies of laser communications together in a single strand of fiber. if you’re building a house today, put om3 in the walls and be happy. worst case scenario, you want to use one or more rj45 based network devices and you buy a 3-5 port sfp+ switch and use sfp+ to 10g ethernet modules for the devices you want to use. the biggest reasons to go with 10g: copying large files (such as videos you’ve got today with your nice video camera), photos from a dslr camera, high resolution audio recordings, backups to and from your NAS. virtual machine migrations for high availability or automatic resource re balancing for homelabbing and/or hosting of services from your home such as nextcloud, video game servers, plex server so you can store your dvd and blu-ray collection on your NAS and distribute that content to every computer, tv, phone, and tablet in your home and outside of your home when you travel, etc. and now that residential fiber is FINALLY gaining traction (I live in rural ct (I can literally walk to cows) and was just offered symmetrical 5 gigabit fiber (I took them up on the symmetrical 2g fiber because it was the same $110 I was spending on 600/25 from charter spectrum cable)), and in some other places, you can get up to symmetrical 10g now.
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      14. My ISP model is 2.5GbE, most recent motherboards are 2.5GbE, NAS more often come with the red 2.5GbE socket now. It’s a no-brainer to just get a 2.5g switch and be done with it. gigabit network is basically slowly dissapearing with the current hardware being sold.
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      16. will you notice or need 2.5 times better throughput for local file transfers vs 1gig? if you don’t do much transfers, and you are not running a time critical business(or personal req) that requires it, then probably not.

        but where it may matter is for the upcoming wifi 7 stuff will will benefit from multigig (without it, you will simply be bottlenecked. if you are going to get wifi7, get multi gig networking gear to go with it, e.g. switches, nics etc)

        homelab networking enthusiasts may also appreciate more than the standard 1gig.

        Also in 2023, a lot of motherboards nowadays have 2.5gbe. You would have to go out of your way to go for the cheapest possible motherboard to get a 1gbe port.
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      18. The issue with 2.5G is the switches… If you poke around, you can get 10GbE for the same or less than 2.5G, especially if you like old Enterprise gear as I do. I can set up 10gig for way less than I can for 2.5gig, as Enterprise skipped 2.5Gig thus it’s not around in the used market. If you need managed switches, like I do, then 2.5G actually costs more than 10gig. Since regular cat6 cables can handle 10gig speeds over shorter cable lengths, it’s less of an issue than you make it out to be.
        2.5G may be on a lot of new devices, but if the supporting hardware is more expensive than 10gig, it’s pointless.
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      19. Your talk about futureproofing really hit me. Its one of the reasons (having GbE FTTP WAN/Internet already) I was determined that when I finally paid a decent chunk for a new router, it MUST have at least 2.5GbE WAN and LAN, rather than the 2.5Gbe WAN OR LAN which seems common, and rather defeats the point IMO, as you’ve got an instant bottleneck.

        I am looking to upgrade the backhaul around my house fairly soon, as it will mean even if my NAS is still only running 1GBps, I will have full capability to max out the internet AND NAS at the same time across the network, or. if its via a machine with 2.5GbE, maximise the internet AND NAS usage at the same time, all the whilst having overhead so other devices on the network can still communicate with each other. Also means I will not be instantly having to run to upgrade equipment if I 1.8/2/2.5Gb FTTP becomes available.

        Im not expecting all of this to happen now. But it may well in the next few years, and will also give additional overhead room for shared bandwidth on the network if multiple machines are heavily active at a given time. Again, not designing around whats capable now,. but what may happen in the next few years.

        The only thing delaying the upgrade is the cost of 2,5GbE switches at the moment, multiple machines around my house already have 2.5GbE NICs, but whereas I can get GbE NICs for pennies, a 2.5GbE Switch is still over Ā£100.
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      20. .900 Gigabit/s= 112.5 MegaBytes/s = a single spinning rust slow sata hard drive speed
        1.1 Gigabit/s= 137.5 MegaBytes/s = a single spinning rust fast sata hard drive speed
        2.3 Gigabit/s= 287.5 MegaBytes/s = generic 2.5Gbit/s Linux data rate
        4.4 Gigabit/s= 550 MegaBytes/s = a good sata ssd
        60 Gigabit/s= 7500 MegaBytes/s = some Gen 4 NVMe PCIe SSDs capable of 7500 MB/s
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      21. 10 GB network is expensive and only makes sense with fiber optic cable. 2.5GB Ethernet can use old CAT5e, CAT6 cables. It also uses less power than 10GB copper Ethernet. Unfortunately, 10GB SFP can not switch to 2.5 GB but then fall back to 1GB.
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      22. I work in business and small datacenter networking, and anything between 1 and 10 Gbps does not exist. SFP, sure, they’re 1, 10, 25, 40, 100 Gbps.

        Even in my home use, I’d rather get everything on 10 Gbps than pay the barely supported premium for 2.5 or 5 Gbps, especially on managed devices.
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      28. I think at this point itā€™s pretty safe to say that for most non enterprise applications 2.5Gbe is the horse that is firmly in the lead over 5 and 10
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      29. I took your advice and went 2.5gbe and also bought a Asustor AS6702T Nas with NVME storage, I am having the easiest of times setting up the Nas it is so simple. Watching Blu-ray files from the Nas is super fast. Thanks for all your help. Looks like Iā€™m planning for 10gbe in the near future.
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      31. Workstations have 10gbit on almost every port now USB etc. Except for the one you use the most, your network interface port. It is not overkill, it’s falling behind in my opinion. A lot of people rather have wifi for network connections nowadays cause it is surpassing their cabled network speeds and it is more convenient. If you still care to put a cable through the ceiling you better have something that makes it worth it! Large capacity NAS at the read and write speed of local SSDs.
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      32. I have 2.5GBe right now. no switch either. just added an extra 2.5g nic in my server and desktop, and have them as an additional direct NIC. updated hosts file on my server and voila, my server can be accessed at 2.5g for $50.
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      33. Hi m8, watched a good few videos regarding NAS, are you interested in a video tutorial setting up a semi cheap NAS setup with semi total noob build. I Have the parts etc, but cache disk, OS and RAID setup are still total nightmares for someone like myself still surfing channels to find a definitive answer to my questions?
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      34. I belive wifi ratings include the overhead and payload of packets, where ethernet speeds are just the payload, something to keep in mind
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      35. I have 2.5G fiber (upgraded from 1G a couple months ago) in my house. I’m still waiting for a router with multiple 2.5G ports. Most only have it on the WAN or the LAN, but not both. Really frustrating. Hopefully that changes with the upcoming Wifi 7 routers.
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      36. Only the newest 10GbE equipment will negotiate down to 2.5 or 5 gigabit. Those speeds were not available until 2016, when 10 GbE had already been around for a decade.
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      37. I picked up a QNAP TS453D not long back to replace an older Qnap with the dreaded bad firmware update. It’s got twin 2.5Gbe ports on it but the trouble I’ve found is there’s limited routers and network switches currently available to actually utilise this feature. I even decided to update to a wifi 6 router (as I’ve got a wifi 6 laptop). While the routers got link aggregation, they’re still only 1Gbe ports. The only router that did have 2.5Gbe (ASUS) was considerably more pricey and didn’t have link aggregation either – so barely worse off having twin 1Gbe ports.
        Besides, the features only useful IF the laptop had 2.5Gbe capability too. But still OK if you’re running a few devices concurrently sending data (at least the transfer speeds aren’t bottle necked).
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      38. Wish 2.5GbE would become standard, 1GbE is way to slow these days.
        My pc has 2.5GbE, My Router has 2.5GbE, My Synology 5 bay NAS has 1GbE šŸ™
        Network is only as good as the weakest link.
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      39. You touched on it, but to expand:
        You are only going to get a maximum speed equal to the weakest link in the chain.
        If your Internet and router is 2.5gbps, but your switch is 1gbps and your old laptop’s network card is 100mbps, then you will never get performance from that laptop faster than 100mbps.
        I have 300mbps ethernet and 1 PC with 1gbps LAN, and 2 PC sticks with 100mbps LAN.
        The PC sticks will only ever send/receive at a max of 100mbps to either the internet, the other PC stick, or the PC.
        The PC will only get internet of 300mbps and the communication between the PC and the sticks will be 100mbps max.
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      41. I don’t really need 2.5g everywhere , but I would like it on my core connections. sadly I cannot find a cheap 4 or 8 port switch (unmanaged) with a 2.5g uplink port and the rest as 1GB ports . If anyone knows of one , comment below.
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      42. Fun future-proofing story – built my house over 20 years ago. The town had no cable internet yet, but I still had every phone plate box run with 2 Cat 5 cables. First, wired for multiple phone lines, then DSL came. When real ISP came, 4 wires got me 100Mb speed. As we didn’t need the phone lines for dial up, over time I rewired each port to have full 8 wire 1Gb connectivity.

        At 2.5Gb, it’s only one room that needs this. My home office with multiple computers and NAS. Exactly right that 2.5 is pretty cheap to add, and my spinning drives aren’t saturating that. Unless I change to a RAID configuration on the desktop, this setup will work for quite a while.
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      43. 95% of homes have cat5e, so there’s no question of 10GbE without ripping the walls, which isn’t a problem at 2.5GbE. 95% of WiFi6 APs have 1 GbE LAN, so how do you want to use the full WiFi6 bandwidth, between laptop and NAS, laptop and internet etc. If you want to take full advantage of WIFi 6, you have to buy the most expensive AP which has, guess what… 2.5GbE LAN.
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      44. Yes but only if you buy basic nas’s, 10gbe is better , you can buy 10gbe 2nd hand switches and nics so cheaply now and often only need a switch with 2 x10 for your main pc and nas.

        1100mps is what your nas can do in a raid or with m.2 on 10gbe.

        280mps is good for budget nas’s where you have max 2 drives mech models or cheap Sata SSD’s its good to see entry level at 2.5gbe
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      47. Synology is sadly missing the Boat. I have 1 2.5 Gb Network on almost all the workstations Server, 2.5GBe I will have Fiber connect soon. Qnap and many other have Nas have 2.5Gbe , I have talked to Synology Tech Support no word on any 2.5GBe sadly Nas box after 2.5GB Fiber, will be the slowest device in the Network , Does anyone have and info on 2.5GBe from Synology
        Qnap has had it for years
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      48. Nice! Would like to see a 2.5gb video showing a setup. Maybe with connectivty to NAS devices that don’t have a 2.5gb adapter (usb or card added) and a more modern one. What Cables do i need? Virutalization station concerns? Port binding? that sort of thing.
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      49. Don’t forget to check your specs. Many early 10Gbe chipsets don’t support 2.5Gbe and 5Gbe. Buying cheaper switches may leave you stuck at 1Gbps if they don’t support the middle speeds.
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      50. I went with 2.5Gbe on my 4 bay NAS. It’s an older Asustor unit. Several computers need to access it at the same time. My Plex Server saves all DVR files there and my Transcoding setup transfers files off and back on. It really helped with congestion when streaming from Plex. I’d go up to 10Gbe with my next NAS.
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      51. I really love your videos! You explain things in such clarity just one thing, why are they so long?
        I noticed that in one of your videos you repeated the same thing 4 times (different examples) before getting to the heart of the issue.
        Can you please try to make your videos shorter?

        Thanks!
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      52. Want full 2.5/10Gb speed? Full DATA PATH upgrade is always required šŸ™‚

        2.5Gb should be an entry data speed standard. 1Gb is to just slow for current performance of internal devices. Also 2.5Gb might be last standard that can be thermally manageable in laptops or SFF/Thin clients. 5 and 10 are just too hot. Also 5 and 10Gb are fast but use of external USB/Thunderbolt devices is not what you would call stable…
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      55. Thank you for putting this out, practical thinking is hard to do when speed is the topic. Time to stay grounded and avoiding distractions is the way for me. Lol. Cheers.
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      56. Ese atuendo me vuelve loco fukada-jpp.monster loco contigo y tienes ese cuerpo curvilĆ­neo, hiciste un buen trabajo modelĆ”ndolo tambiĆ©n. TambiĆ©n me gusta el Ćŗltimo atuendo. Me encantac cĆ³mo los cinturones de liga se.
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      57. Iā€™m just starting to move everything to 2.5gb with my truenas running a 10gb. But Iā€™m also seeing better performance from my 1gb devices.
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      59. Firstly, I am impressed by your ability to count by 2.5. I have a new PC arriving today that has 2.5GbE built in. Luckily, it also has 10GbE built in. (It’s a Core i9 Intel NUC 12 Extreme.) I’ve been 10GbE in my home lab for nearly a decade, starting with a Netgear switch, progressing to as used Arista Networks switch and finally installing a Ubiquiti aggregation switch a few months ago. The Ubiquiti switch has four 25GbE ports as well, so I’ve gone an upgraded my two Dell PowerEdge servers to 25GbE with Mellanox fibre cards. I’ve upgraded my two big Synology NASes as well. The Synologys support the Mellanox cards out of the box. I consider the 2.5GbE standard a “feature” aimed at consumers to get them to buy hardware (again). 10GbE is and has been an enterprise solution for a very long time now. It’s too bad vendors have been so slow to get on the 10GbE bandwagon. A 10GbE NIC or switch shouldn’t have to cost more than a 1GbE or 2.5GbE NIC or switch.
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      60. For a home/SOHO network, being able to transfer files at around 280MB/s is a big upgrade from just 105MB/s. That reason alone is enough to use 2.5GbE.
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      63. for me convient. faster than 1 GB, cheap, works fine and none of my Hardware is bottlenecking it. Did i think about 10gig…yes, but this would have caused such an upgrade cascade….
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