Order 10 GB Ethernet or get dongles?

[pshufd]

I'm considering getting an iMac (yes, I'd really prefer Apple Silicon but it doesn't look like it will be here anytime soon), and the option of 10 GB Ethernet is one I'd like. There are no devices in my household above 1 GB Ethernet right now but I could add it to my Windows Desktop with a PCIe card and I assume that I could add it to other devices via a dongle. I would like to set us up with 2.5 GB Ethernet down the road or even 10 GB Ethernet. It's a matter of what modem/routers work with Comcast.

The motivation for faster Ethernet is LAN speed as WAN speed is only 100 mbps. The main use for this would be screen-sharing. It would obviously help with moving large files around though this is not currently a big problem as we can just wait.

 

[MiG007]

If you go the dongle/adapter route you lose a Thunderbolt port (unless the adapter is looping).

It also seems like it is cheaper to get the 10g port on the iMac (+$100 upcharge) compared to an adpater -- $149.00.

I went the 10g iMac route. Previously used adapters for older iMacs.

 

[pshufd]

If you go the dongle/adapter route you lose a Thunderbolt port (unless the adapter is looping).

It also seems like it is cheaper to get the 10g port on the iMac (+$100 upcharge) compared to an adpater -- $149.00.

I went the 10g iMac route. Previously used adapters for older iMacs.

I didn't realize the adapters were so expensive. I was assuming the price of the GB Ethernet adapters. The only downside on getting it integrated is that I'd have to wait another ten days for BTO. Which means that I need to think about upgrading the CPU as well.

thanks for the info

 

[MiG007]

Yes the adapters are pricey -- why I don't use the term dongle. Just wait until you look at 10g switches.

I think giving up a Thunderbolt 3 port might have you regretting longer than the 10-day BTO delay.

I had to wait on mine a little longer because I wanted the VESA mount option.

 

[pshufd]

I looked at prices for PCIe cards and they are around $100. Switches about $200 (GB Ethernet switches are around $30 I think). I'm not sure that there are 10 GB Modems with Comcast right now. I may just go with 2.5 GB as I have heard that those are available.

 

[BeatCrazy]

I looked at prices for PCIe cards and they are around $100. Switches about $200 (GB Ethernet switches are around $30 I think). I'm not sure that there are 10 GB Modems with Comcast right now. I may just go with 2.5 GB as I have heard that those are available.

10GbE switches are usually more than $200. At that price, you're looking at maybe ONE 10GbE port, and a few 2.5GbE.

No consumer internet providers are providing 10GbE modems right now, that I'm aware of.

I set up a 10GbE LAN, so I'm not saying that it's worthless... rather you may not have a complete understanding of the costs and complexity.

 

[MiG007]

10GbE switches are usually more than $200. At that price, you're looking at maybe ONE 10GbE port, and a few 2.5GbE.

No consumer internet providers are providing 10GbE modems right now, that I'm aware of.

I set up a 10GbE LAN, so I'm not saying that it's worthless... rather you may not have a complete understanding of the costs and complexity.

I was just going to chime in about finding cheap 10GbE switches. Sometimes what you are looking at are optical vs copper switches, then you have to add transceivers. Or, like you said, there might be only one or two actual 10GbE ports.

 

[pshufd]

10GbE switches are usually more than $200. At that price, you're looking at maybe ONE 10GbE port, and a few 2.5GbE.

No consumer internet providers are providing 10GbE modems right now, that I'm aware of.

I set up a 10GbE LAN, so I'm not saying that it's worthless... rather you may not have a complete understanding of the costs and complexity.

I don't. I only started looking at it a few days ago.

But the decision to get the support in hardware is a decision that I can make today. So I can get an iMac with 10 GB and figure out the rest later one. I suspect that it would be more practical to go 2.5 for now. It would make a big difference in screen sharing which is something that I've wanted to get working for a while.

 

[BeatCrazy]

I don't. I only started looking at it a few days ago.

But the decision to get the support in hardware is a decision that I can make today. So I can get an iMac with 10 GB and figure out the rest later one. I suspect that it would be more practical to go 2.5 for now. It would make a big difference in screen sharing which is something that I've wanted to get working for a while.

If I were in your shoes, I'd definitely pay the $100 for a BTO option and indeed figure out the rest later. I do a lot of screen sharing myself. I think you can get extraordinary performance from 1GbE. Just make sure you're using quality switches, cables and terminations.

 

[pshufd]

If I were in your shoes, I'd definitely pay the $100 for a BTO option and indeed figure out the rest later. I do a lot of screen sharing myself. I think you can get extraordinary performance from 1GbE. Just make sure you're using quality switches, cables and terminations.

1 GB is usable but it's not great with high-resolutions. I've tried QHD and redrawing time, while usable, isn't great. I think that 2.5 GB would be a considerable improvement. But I like to think about infrastructure from time to time, even if it isn't needed now. Do it when you have time is better than do it in a crunch.

The Apple M1 stuff may be a good time to upgrade a lot of things. I'd love to see Apple go to 2.5 GE as their PC standard.

 

[Juicy Box]

The way I look at it is that if you are currently using a wired network better than 1Gbps, or you know that you will be using 10Gb Ethernet in the near future, pay for the BTO port now.

If you are unsure if you will be using 10Gb Ethernet anytime soon, don't pay the extra money now for it, and get an adapter if you end up needing one.


BTW, 10Gbps adapters are $100+, but 2.5Gbps adapters are a lot cheaper.

 

[Apple_Robert]

The way I look at it is that if you are currently using a wired network better than 1Gbps, or you know that you will be using 10Gb Ethernet in the near future, pay for the BTO port now.

If you are unsure if you will be using 10Gb Ethernet anytime soon, don't pay the extra money now for it, and get an adapter if you end up needing one.


BTW, 10Gbps adapters are $100+, but 2.5Gbps adapters are a lot cheaper.

I agree. I would definitely order the BTO option, instead of going the dongle route.

 

[Juicy Box]

I agree. I would definitely order the BTO option, instead of going the dongle route.

To be clear (I think my post maybe wasn't written well), I am not suggesting the OP should definitely get the BTO 10Gb port, nor am I suggesting that the OP should not get the 10Gb port.

If the OP already has a wired 2.5Gb+ network set up, or plans on have one soon, and has a reason to use the higher link speed on their iMac, then I suggest getting the 10Gb BTO port.

If the OP has no plans on getting a wired 2.5Gb+ network, and/or they don't have a need for a higher link speed, then I suggest to just stick with the standard 1Gb Ethernet port on the new iMac.

If the OP decides not to go with the 10Gb port, and then sometime later the OP ends up being in the situation that they need a higher than 1Gb link speed, then the OP could always use an adapter, so it wouldn't be like they are totally screwed.

 

[pshufd]

I might as well get it. $100 is a small amount of money for useful functionality. I only wish I got a MB in my recent build with 2.5GB. I had a look at 10 GB motherboards and ran into one at 150% more than what I paid for my motherboard.

 

[USB3foriMac]

This thread contains a actual model numbers, prices and links to products.

 

[Prorege1]

I would go for the 10 Gb iMac. 10 Gb switches are however an overkill for a home network, even a fast NAS will be restricted by the speed of the harddisks.

In spite of this I already added a 10 Gb switch to my network a month ago just to be prepared for future use, my other standard switches are restricted to 1 Gb (and so is my current interneed speed), but 2.5 Gb internet is now in the horizon.

 

[filmak]

Just to have it in your thought, I have read that the 10Gb option produces a lot more heat inside the iMac...
I have read it here in MR, I think, so if you have the time, please search about it...

 

[pshufd]

Just to have it in your thought, I have read that the 10Gb option produces a lot more heat inside the iMac...
I have read it here in MR, I think, so if you have the time, please search about it...

Maybe if you're running it at 10 GB. I don't see actually running 10 GB anytime soon given that I can't get a cable modem at that speed from Comcast. Heat isn't an issue. I'd be using it in the basement. The basement is unheated and additional heat would be welcome three seasons of the year.

 

[Jordan Klein]

I would go for the 10 Gb iMac. 10 Gb switches are however an overkill for a home network, even a fast NAS will be restricted by the speed of the harddisks.

In spite of this I already added a 10 Gb switch to my network a month ago just to be prepared for future use, my other standard switches are restricted to 1 Gb (and so is my current interneed speed), but 2.5 Gb internet is now in the horizon.

View attachment 1720303

That's purty

 

[HDFan]

I would go for the 10 Gb iMac. 10 Gb switches are however an overkill for a home network, even a fast NAS will be restricted by the speed of the harddisks.

I get 1544 MB/s with a 5 bay RAID NAS which will pretty much saturates my 10 Gbs network.

In spite of this I already added a 10 Gb switch to my network a month ago just to be prepared for future use, my other standard switches are restricted to 1 Gb (and so is my current interneed speed), but 2.5 Gb internet is now in the horizon.

For most people it is not the internet (WAN) speed, but the LAN speed which is the most important. In a business environment it might make sense, but for a home environment it would be hard to saturate even a 1 Gbps internet. It could run 40 Netflix Ultra HD 25 Mbs streams. I generally see website download speeds in the 40 Gbs range so even a "cheaper by the dozen" family downloading huge files wouldn't saturate it. The only site I know that can utilize it is Apples' which will sometimes hit the limit when downloading an OS image.

Would be interested in hearing about websites that would fully utilize 1 or 2.5 Gbps speeds.

On the local LAN, however, it is relatively easy to saturate a 10 GB network. Takes just a few users running backups and you can hit the limit.


Don't the point of all of these 2.5 Gbps devices (modems, NAS devices). Certainly better than 1 Gbps, but looks to me to be just an interim measure. 10 Gbps will eventually replace 1 Gbps. Why don't they just goto 10 Gbps? Is it that more expensive?