Gigabit Ethernet Card (PMG5)

[illegalprelude]

Is there such a thing for Macs? Can the network card be upgraded? I just browsed over a 100 on NewEgg and not a single one mentions OSX support....

Does this work like alot of accessories where you just plug in (via PCI heh) and it just works or im stuck with 10/100?

(all equipment in the house is N with Gigabit so if I could turn the PowerMac G5 into a Gigabit Machine, I could network files SOO much faster, other wise, its just a bottle neck)

 

[Eidorian]

Why waste money on something you already have?

Do you need more then 1 (or even 2) ports?

 

[illegalprelude]

Why waste money on something you already have?

Do you need more then 1 (or even 2) ports?

if im not mistaken, the PowerMac G5 (the 1.6) came with only a 10/100 card and not 10/100/1000 correct?

Didnt think Gigabit was around 4 years ago (I couldnt find the info in "about my mac" either)

 

[Eidorian]

if im not mistaken, the PowerMac G5 (the 1.6) came with only a 10/100 card and not 10/100/1000 correct?

Didnt think Gigabit was around 4 years ago (I couldnt find the info in "about my mac" either)

Gigabit has been on the Power Mac since 2000.

I suggest getting MacTracker for the future.

 

[illegalprelude]

Gigabit has been on the Power Mac since 2000.

I suggest getting MacTracker for the future.

...oohh so I already have it then....Interesting! guess my Mac isnt my Bottleneck then! (i just put a gigabit card in my PC and havent tested the two (other units in the house are wireless N) so...HAH! Go G5

yea, thanks for that tid bit, I had NOOO clue there was even that speed 4 years ago

 

[Consultant]

...oohh so I already have it then....Interesting! guess my Mac isnt my Bottleneck then! (i just put a gigabit card in my PC and havent tested the two (other units in the house are wireless N) so...HAH! Go G5

yea, thanks for that tid bit, I had NOOO clue there was even that speed 4 years ago

Yes, Macs are way ahead of the PCs, as usual.

To do gigabit networking, you need a gigabit switch AND ethernet cable that is 5e (not 5), 6, or 6e.

In addition, unless you have RAID on both systems, you will not utilize the full speed of gigabit network.

 

[hardhatmac]

I just upgraded today to a gigabit network...and the speed increase is insane!

I was just using the wireless network before but I decided to go all out and do gigabit....

My first speed test was transferring a 4 gb file over both the wireless network and the new 1000Mbps network, here are the results:

wireless transfer time = 45 minutes

1000Mbps time = 1 minute 40 seconds...


I know this thread wasn't about speeds, but I'm just very please with the upgrade.

ps those transfers were between and AL iMac 2.8 and a 2.5 quad G5 non-RAID...

 

[trainguy77]

Well thats because you went from wireless to wired. You would get similar speed increase going to 100 base/t from wireless. Without RAID 0 you can't utilize 1000 base/t For example with the servers at work, when i transfer large files from one to another The MAX i can get it to use is 18% of the connection speed. And this is with 2 servers with 10k drives. The connection averages closer to 12% So really without 10k drives you would get very little performance boost with 1000 base/t. Now they are great in larger networks.....

 

[hardhatmac]

^^^ I'll try a wired 100 base/t today with the same file and see if there is a difference or not...

 

[trainguy77]

^^^ I'll try a wired 100 base/t today with the same file and see if there is a difference or not...

There should be a difference...but not a huge difference.

 

[hardhatmac]

I just ran some quick transfers to a couple different computers through a 100 base/t switch and the fastest time I could get for that same 4 gb file was 6 mins 25 seconds...

so here are my transfer time numbers of a 4 gig file:

1000 Mbps = 1 min 40 secs
100 Mbps = 6 min 25 secs
wireless (which I believe is 54 Mbps?) = 45 minutes


this is just one test, I'm no where near an expert, and I admit my network could be "tuned up" a bit....but I still think the numbers are interesting...

I also plan doing a RAID 0 on my G5 one of these days...so I'm sure those numbers might increase...

 

[trainguy77]

I just ran some quick transfers to a couple different computers through a 100 base/t switch and the fastest time I could get for that same 4 gb file was 6 mins 25 seconds...

so here are my transfer time numbers of a 4 gig file:

1000 Mbps = 1 min 40 secs
100 Mbps = 6 min 25 secs
wireless (which I believe is 54 Mbps?) = 45 minutes

Interesting. I guess it was probably our servers having heavily fragmented disks. And the number of switches in between could have affected it as well.