Gigabit NICs for Linux
All, Recently, I've been looking to upgrade my current network setup and make the push to gigabit. At the moment, I'm looking for any suggestions on gigabit NICs that folks have got working under the 2.6 kernel, preferably without too much effort. I'm currently looking at the Rosewill RC-400, which supposedly uses the r8169 module. Any one happen to have any luck with that? Additionally, I'm looking for a gigabit switch. Only need like 4-8 ports and would like it, again, to work very easily. Never used a switch, just hubs and routers. Right now, have a hub hooked into a router. From what I understand, if I replace the hub with a switch, it should *just work*. Basically, a switch is like a hub, but with full duplex support and maybe some fancy QoS features or something, right? My plan is to plug the high bandwidth internetwork connections into the switch which then connects into my router and through to a cable modem. Basically, fast connection on the network for transferring files, streaming and such, but, when it comes to the internet, cable modem is the bottleneck, so who cares if the router supports gigabit, right? Does this sound reasonable to you network folks out there? Thanks for all your help! Carlton Stedman
On Sat, 31 Mar 2007 12:19:40 -0400 (EDT) sageman@WPI.EDU wrote:
All,
Recently, I've been looking to upgrade my current network setup and make the push to gigabit. At the moment, I'm looking for any suggestions on gigabit NICs that folks have got working under the 2.6 kernel, preferably without too much effort. I'm currently looking at the Rosewill RC-400, which supposedly uses the r8169 module. Any one happen to have any luck with that?
Additionally, I'm looking for a gigabit switch. Only need like 4-8 ports and would like it, again, to work very easily. Never used a switch, just hubs and routers. Right now, have a hub hooked into a router. From what I understand, if I replace the hub with a switch, it should *just work*. Basically, a switch is like a hub, but with full duplex support and maybe some fancy QoS features or something, right?
My plan is to plug the high bandwidth internetwork connections into the switch which then connects into my router and through to a cable modem. Basically, fast connection on the network for transferring files, streaming and such, but, when it comes to the internet, cable modem is the bottleneck, so who cares if the router supports gigabit, right? Does this sound reasonable to you network folks out there?
Thanks for all your help!
Carlton Stedman
I've been using Intel e1000 devices under FreeBSD and Linux (onboard and PCI NICs), they are well-supported and pretty good/low-CPU use cards. For some reason I've been using D-Link switches over the years, not sure why, I wouldn't recommend any of their other hardware, but their 100 Mbps and Gigabit switches have always worked great. My recent purchases for home were: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833106123 (e1000 $32 retail, more coming in stock soon, I assume) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833127082 ($40 after rebate) I've also been using the onboard Broadcom BGE cards at work, those have worked relatively well except in cases of the very latest chips not being supported with a given OS/kernel. I don't think those are offered in card form anyway, though. Brian J. Conway
sageman@WPI.EDU wrote:
All,
Additionally, I'm looking for a gigabit switch. Only need like 4-8 ports and would like it, again, to work very easily. Never used a switch, just hubs and routers. Right now, have a hub hooked into a router. From what I understand, if I replace the hub with a switch, it should *just work*. Basically, a switch is like a hub, but with full duplex support and maybe some fancy QoS features or something, right?
As I understand it, switches are much simpler and more basic than routers. If it has QoS, I think it's either a router or a managed switch. My GigE router is a D-Link DGS-105, and it has no administration whatsoever; you just plug your cables into it and go. Wikipedia addresses the difference between switches and routers here, but I don't know if it'll clear things up for you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Router#Function Look for a router that allows "jumbo frames". Ref. wikipedia, again: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumbo_frames -- Rich
participants (3)
-
Brian J. Conway -
Richard Klein -
sageman＠WPI.EDU