I’m in the process configuring my M3 Ultra Studio to connect to a 10Gb stock 2024 M4 Mac mini. Both have a 10Gb ethernet ports. The mini has TB4 ports and the M3 Ultra has all TB5 ports.
I’ve experimented using a Thunderbolt bridge for connecting both and observe good transfer rates of around 1.1 GB/s. I suspect using the 10Gb connection I would see around 800 to 900 MB/s for similar data transfers I’ve made using the Thunderbolt bridge.
Given that both Macs also have their own Wi-Fi as well as a 1Gb USB-C-to-Ethernet adapter for connecting to my office LAN to provide internet connectivity, it’s important to setup the Network Service Order to ensure the TB bridge and 10Gb ethernet are in first places ahead of plain 1Gb ethernet and Wi-Fi. I’ve played with the Network service order and I’m finding some anomalies such that the TB Bridge and/or the 10Gb don’t always get selected as they should when the M3 is sharing the M4 mini’s screen or sharing the M4 mini’s storage devices. I’ve also noted that when the Thunderbolt Bridge is selected it can take time for it to become active, and during data transfers it can at times stall badly performing. the data transfers. I suspect this has something to do with the macOS software that has to be used for using the TCP/IP protocol over the Thunderbolt hardware. Of course the 10Gb connection does not have this issue and its data flow does not stall.
If you have any good advice for this type of Mac-to-Mac communication I’d appreciate it.
Thanks….
I’ve experimented using a Thunderbolt bridge for connecting both and observe good transfer rates of around 1.1 GB/s. I suspect using the 10Gb connection I would see around 800 to 900 MB/s for similar data transfers I’ve made using the Thunderbolt bridge.
Given that both Macs also have their own Wi-Fi as well as a 1Gb USB-C-to-Ethernet adapter for connecting to my office LAN to provide internet connectivity, it’s important to setup the Network Service Order to ensure the TB bridge and 10Gb ethernet are in first places ahead of plain 1Gb ethernet and Wi-Fi. I’ve played with the Network service order and I’m finding some anomalies such that the TB Bridge and/or the 10Gb don’t always get selected as they should when the M3 is sharing the M4 mini’s screen or sharing the M4 mini’s storage devices. I’ve also noted that when the Thunderbolt Bridge is selected it can take time for it to become active, and during data transfers it can at times stall badly performing. the data transfers. I suspect this has something to do with the macOS software that has to be used for using the TCP/IP protocol over the Thunderbolt hardware. Of course the 10Gb connection does not have this issue and its data flow does not stall.
If you have any good advice for this type of Mac-to-Mac communication I’d appreciate it.
Thanks….