Realtek is Aiming to Make 5 Gbps Ethernet Switches More Affordable with New Platform

[LabRat 891]

Quite backwards given that 10G eth. over twised pair copper spec is from 2006, dont you think?

Time-wise, I don't disagree with you whatsoever. The Power User / Enthusiast / SOHO Admin got majorly screwed.

However, R-T-B is correct.
10GbE might've been ratified nearly 2 decades ago, but Power needs and Cost kept it away from the SOHO/Consumer space.

2.5GbE and 5GbE are (for the data rate) *much* more power efficient, on much newer (and better cost-optimized) ICs. I'd have to do some detailed research to be certain but, I'm confident that 5GbE uses well-less than half the power that 10GbE used. [BTW, 10GBASE-T NICs get freaking hot!]

TBQH @ this rate,
I'd expect a *new* 10GbE over Twisted Pair (AKA: 10GBASE-T) standard inside the next several years. (one derived from IEEE 802.3bz)
IEEE 802.3ch 10GBASE-T1 has been ratified and (also) implemented recently.

So, yeah...
The automotive industry got new generation low-power 10G Ethernet over Twisted Pair, before the rest of the market.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Quite backwards given that 10G eth. over twised pair copper spec is from 2006, dont you think?

Nothing backwards with it. 2.5 and 5 Gbps was developed as lower cost and lower power alternatives that could work over Cat 5e.
10 Gbps has a lot of limitations that mean it's not suitable for all scenarios, so other alternatives were developed.
That it's taken this long for 5 Gbps to end up being what was promised, rather than a cut-down version of 10 Gbps, is a different matter.

 

[chrcoluk]

Sorry, but are you having some kind of reading comprehension issue? Or did you just miss all the times I listed the pricing of 2.5 Gbps switches?
Why would a switch cost £400?

I think you should let it go, for some reason this is really bothering you, but did you miss the part where I said I use OpenWRT for my switches? So I would need something compatible with OpenWRT that has 4-5 2.5 Gbps ports. So you looking for a router that uses a chipset compatible with OpenWRT for the wifi as well (my switches are also AP's), and has the ports.

I would need two of these devices, as I have one in my bedroom, and another in my living room. Also a 2.5gbit NIC for my 2nd rig. Then to take advantage would be replacing all 40TB of spindle storage with SSD's, and after all that my STB would be still linked up via gigabit. As I transfer recordings from that as well. I would need to replace the entire STB as that NIC is embedded on its PCB. Your comments about people not latching on to 2.5 Gbps seems to make all sorts of assumptions about people's setup's and priorities.

Any 2+ port 2.5GbE routers supporting OWRT? (Alternatives)

same again, not a requirement in the initial post. The cheap ones are all Realtek, and they are supported.

forum.openwrt.org

https://www.reddit.com/r/openwrt/comments/ux2rhw https://www.reddit.com/r/openwrt/comments/13nworq

[OpenWrt Wiki] Table of Hardware: Full details

openwrt.org

Only 3 devices on the final link that have at least 4 2.5 Gbps ports and only one of them has wifi. It just isnt mainstream enough. The issue is a talking point in the UK broadband sector at the moment as we have ISPs selling 2+ gig connections but are unable to source supply of multi 2.5 Gbps devices to give to subscribers.

Sometimes I think people get too detached from the real world as they too ingrained with tech PR and a media circle that gets free kit.

 

[TheLostSwede]

I think you should let it go, for some reason this is really bothering you, but did you miss the part where I said I use OpenWRT for my switches? So I would need something compatible with OpenWRT that has 4-5 2.5 Gbps ports. So you looking for a router that uses a chipset compatible with OpenWRT for the wifi as well (my switches are also AP's), and has the ports.

Most consumer switches doesn't run an OS and if we go outside of that, only a very limited range are powerful enough to run something like OpenWRT. You're not buying any of them for £20 or less for sure.

[OpenWrt Wiki] Table of Hardware: Switches

openwrt.org

And no, a router is not a switch, but it might have a switch built in. The two are not the same thing and the fact that you've installed OpenWRT on a router, doesn't mean the switch is running OpenWRT. Seriously, please learn the correct terminology, as your way of describing your hardware is what's making me frustrated here.

I would need two of this devices, as I have one in my bedroom, and another in my living room.

So all your devices have 2.5 Gbps ports now?

 

[chrcoluk]

So all your devices have 2.5 Gbps ports now?

No, what is the point of replacing switches, when I am still transferring at gigabit, clearly I would have to replace every gigabit component to take advantage of the investment. As well as replace storage that cannot transfer fast enough.

In terms of switch functionality, a router can still be used as a switch and most have a internal hardware switch, OpenWRT enables the extra functionality on consumer routers, a reason I use it. Just because marketing doesnt call it a switch it doesnt mean it isnt one.