Questions: XR700 SFP+ and LAG

[Shikwan]

I've been using the XR700 with my GS110TP ProSafe Switch (which has served me for years with no issues) connected via LAG.  I have an External USB hdd connected to the XR700. 

I'm thinking of prepping my network for 10G by replacing the GS110TP with the GS110EMX or the MS510TX as well as purchasing a 10G Nic card by Aqtion for my gaming PC.

My questions;

1. Can I use both the LAG and the SFP+ at the same time to effectively produce 12GB of data throughput - I mean; will 1Gb ports see a bump in communicating speed 'theoretically' with router or usb storage?

2. Would it be more beneficial to use the SFP+ connection to my modem (standard 1Gb port) as opposed to a switch on the LAN with a SFP+ or multi-gig port supporting 10G...I don't know if I should keep the existing LAG setup and connect the router to the modem via SFP+ OR connect the SFP+ to the LAN and keep the LAG setup as well.

[Netduma Fraser]

I'll try to give a rough answer but as we're focused on the software specific hardware questions like this may be better suited for Netgear or some community members.

1. I believe 10G is the max so no. 

2. I'd go for the latter as it's for your local connection so if the modem is just acting as a modem then it wouldn't do much to set it up in that way.

[Shikwan]

Kool..and advice taken; will post on netgear forums. Thanks, Fraser!

[Bert]

I'm not sure if the XR700 would take the modem signal on SFP+ as I believe it has a separate WAN port, unless that is configurable in DumaOS.

 

Most routers that I know of that have SFP+ have more configuration ability, ie you can put WAN on any LAN or SFP/SFP+ port. For a normal modem connection you might as well just stick it in the WAN port. SFP/SFP+ for WAN connections is nice if you have a FTTH connection, because you can plug fiber straight into your router eliminating the ONT.

 

10G is normally more used to build a backbone in more complex networks, there is not so much use for it at home. But there is situations where it can be helpful.

 

Ie, suppose you have 3 trunkated switched, A B and C. Your router and WAN connects to B, you have a NAS on B,  you're trying to game from switch A and at the same time somebody connected to switch A copies files from the NAS they could saturate the connection between switch A and B. You would have to solve this by running QoS / BW control on the switches or use 10G trunk connections or LAG, or use a separate connection between A and B using a separate VLAN.

 

For most home users that have a single star topology 10G ports have no use unless you have more than 1Gbit internet connection. 

 

In your case it would make most sense to use a switch with 10G of SFP+ and connect your XR700 and switch by 10G ethernet. Your gaming PC can just use 1Gbit. That way if you use the USB storage or other stuff the link between the switch and XR700 is never a bottleneck.

[Netduma Alex]

The XR700 has port aggregation but I believe that's only for LAN ports and not for WAN ports.

[Bert]

Yeah but what I meant is I’m not sure if you can run WAN through SFP+ as it has a dedicated 1G WAN port

 

It would make little sense since there is no point in having 10G WAN capacity while having only 1G LAN ports or 2x1G LAG.

 

I’d use 10G for a trunkline to a switch and LAG is very useful when doing something like sharing a NAS with multiple users.