The weird gap between consumer and prosumer networking

[misterpumpy]

There's a plethora of options for any user who wants a single gig router or a single gig mesh network; there's similarly an abundance of prosumer options for those with wants of 10gigSFP+ and 24port POE etc...but what I am finding a weird lack of on either end: I just want 2.5gbe WAN, and 2.5gbe LAN, so that I can have a router that offers that, plus a simple unmanaged switch to route everything. Right now, ASUS makes a wifi mesh setup with that requirement....for 900 dollars; they also make a 400 dollar ROG router with dual 2.5gbe ports...but there are so many things about those products that I *do not need*. For instance, I have an ASUS Zenwifi xd4 three pack that is just gig ethernet connectivity but it's perfect for the current usecase. I do not NEED the 5-600 dollars extra in connectivity speed to justify that. a 2.5 gig lan port should not cost that much to me the consumer. I *ALSO* do not need all the goofy gamer software tech that the ROG router offers--though I admit a router with exactly what I'm asking for in terms of speed and wan/lan is close to what I want.

 

Almost every other major consumer level provider offers a 2.5 or even 5 gig WAN port, but almost every time the LAN ports are simple 1 gig, or they offer 2gig via aggregation. And then we get to the prosumer level, the Ubiquiti and whatnot... I don't need rackmount, I don't need POE, and I don't need 10gig SFP+ ports.

 

The closest actual prosumer level equipment that has exactly what I want would be a Netgate 6100 running PFsense Plus and an unmanaged 2.5gbe switch...but then I'd need to buy access points. The 6100 costs 700 dollars. We go back to square one. It's so weird to see that the closest offering to exactly what I want (that ROG AX6000 router I mentioned) costs more than a damn unifi dream machine pro.

 

Am I missing a product offering here? I've checked TP Link Omada, their routers can't handle full gig and gig+ speeds, meraki requires a license, meraki go is slow garbage, etc.

[porina]

I'm confused what you actually want. Do you have beyond 1G net connection? How is that provided? Presuming the ISP has something for that, just run 2.5G internally?

[Falcon1986]

13 minutes ago, misterpumpy said:

Am I missing a product offering here? I've checked TP Link Omada, their routers can't handle full gig and gig+ speeds, meraki requires a license, meraki go is slow garbage, etc.

There's a catch-up period that we're going through right now. More people have access to +1Gbps internet connections, but it's still not the majority. That's why many consumer router manufacturers aren't dumping 1Gbps LAN ports just yet, but will provide a 2.5/5Gbps WAN port.

 

Before that, and even currently, such high speed connections were only found in data centers, so hardware was made for them. And since they handled much more than 2.5Gbps, they used hardware with ports at +10Gbps. The hardware had time to mature and drop in price, so it's much easier to find if you're looking in the used enterprise market.

 

If routers or switches with 2.5Gbps ports are too expensive for you right now, research older hardware with 10Gbps ports. There will be a learning curve, but you might end up spending less. Or better yet, build your own pfSense box.

[misterpumpy]

11 minutes ago, porina said:

I'm confused what you actually want. Do you have beyond 1G net connection? How is that provided? Presuming the ISP has something for that, just run 2.5G internally?

The place we are living at now offers 2GB fiber speed, the place we are moving to offers up to 5GB speed, so that is how it is provided. As for the confusion, I said exactly what I Wanted. 2.5gbe at wan and lan, so internally I run 2.5gbe which I can do now, but can't from the ISP. the issue is a solution with both that doesn't break the bank or expect me to use SFP+ or rackmount stuff.

*this message from me comes off as being a jerk, but it isn't meant to; clearly I didn't express myself effectively.

[misterpumpy]

On 4/6/2022 at 11:44 AM, Falcon1986 said:

There's a catch-up period that we're going through right now. More people have access to +1Gbps internet connections, but it's still not the majority. That's why many consumer router manufacturers aren't dumping 1Gbps LAN ports just yet, but will provide a 2.5/5Gbps WAN port.

 

Before that, and even currently, such high speed connections were only found in data centers, so hardware was made for them. And since they handled much more than 2.5Gbps, they used hardware with ports at +10Gbps. The hardware had time to mature and drop in price, so it's much easier to find if you're looking in the used enterprise market.

 

If routers or switches with 2.5Gbps ports are too expensive for you right now, research older hardware with 10Gbps ports. There will be a learning curve, but you might end up spending less. Or better yet, build your own pfSense box.

thanks for the insight, I didn't realize we were sort of at an inflection point in networking. I'm in the process of looking into older hardware but the rackmount part is still limiting my options because I don't want rackmount at the moment. A pfSense box may be my way forward, but I'm having trouble finding any up to date hardware guides--level1tech guide from 2016 doesnt exactly give me any info on NICs above 1gig, etc.

 

EDIT: I have, for the time being, updated my network to include a 10 port netgear switch with 2 10GBE ports--this will allow me to have full duplex speed between my computer and my NAS; the more comprehensive network overhaul will happen when the tech gets more extensive.

[misterpumpy]

I ended up splitting down the middle--I upgraded from the ASUS ZenWiFi XD4 mini mesh network to the ASUS ZenWiFi XT8 mesh network kit. With the 2.5 GB WAN, it takes care of my want to go over 1GB WAN, but does not give me the ability to send a 2.5gb lan connection to the rest of my network...Which I realized is fine for now. I have 1GB/1GB Fiber, so the rest of my network can be 2.5 and If I get the 2GB fiber package when we move in July, I can always add the Asus ROG GT-AX6000 router with the dual 2.5GBE ports, which would make my XT8's into access points essentially via Asus' great aimesh compatibility. So I have upgraded my system, and I have an upgrade path within the same ecosystem if need be. 

[Alex Atkin UK]

What you're missing is what faster than 1Gbit is actually meant to be for.

 

Its not meant so you can do a single download faster than Gigabit, the vast majority of the time that will be impossible as the server you are downloading from will be rate limited or highly contended.  Its meant so that a household full of people will always get a good speed.

 

Most people will be using mostly WiFi, that pretty much always tops out below Gigabit anyway.  On a high-end router on a 2Gbit connection, you'd effectively have half for each.

 

THAT'S why 2.5Gbit WAN but only Gigabit LAN is still common, it works perfectly for the intended use-case of that connection.

 

Add to that the fact ALL broadband is contended so even on 5Gbit you're unlikely to achieve that during peak hours.