As 2024 comes to a close, I want to reflect on how my home network has evolved. This year, I made the big step up to 10Gbps WAN and LAN networks by changing my ISP as well as incorporating 10G routers and switches.
I started by upgrading my router to the new Wifi7 capable Asus RT-BE88U, and moved my previous primary router, the GT-AX11000 Pro to an AiMesh mode. I also use an old AX-56U as an additional node in one of my rooms. This was the year I finally retired the GT-AC5300U after 8 years of service. It was crumbling apart!
As my new primary router had 2 x 10G ports (1 being an SPF+ port), I figured it was time to jump into the world of 10Gbps internet speeds. I signed up with a new ISP who provided an XGS-PON network which generally delivers up to 8.2Gpbs real-world speeds. I had to get an SPF+ to RJ45 converter (TL-SM5310-T) to enable compatibility with the rest of my network equipment.
From the router, I added a TL-SX1008 TL-SX1008 8-Port 10G Desktop/Rackmount Switch which connected to the patch panels which runs Cat 5E to each room. I was worried that this older category of cabling would hamper my local network speeds. Thankfully, because of the short distance, I was seeing almost close to 10Gbps speeds
I also had to add another TL-SX1008 to my study room to provide a 10G ethernet backhaul connection to the GT-AX11000 Pro as well as provide sufficient ports for my main PC and my server. I had to upgrade all my PCs/servers with PCIe 10G NICs which I bought cheaply off AliExpress. They all run the Marvell AQC113 chip.
I also got a new M4 Mac Mini to replace my ancient HTPC, and I configured it with a 10G ethernet port too. I also purchased a Thunderbolt 3/4/USB4 to 10Gbps adapter to plug into my laptop. I lastly added a 5Gbps USB dongle to add a high speed connection to my NAS.
While I didn’t need a 10Gbps network, this new setup works seamlessly and I’ve not had any network disruptions in the month that I’ve had it running. With this upgrade, my home network is setup with high bandwidth networking that will enable me to explore setting up a homelab to experiment with Proxmox and Docker on my server. Additionally, a 10Gbps NAS may be on the horizon in a year or 2. 😅