From owner-freebsd-net@FreeBSD.ORG Mon May 2 15:32:55 2005 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-net@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 5E1A616A4CF for ; Mon, 2 May 2005 15:32:55 +0000 (GMT) Received: from lithium.nettersworld.net (e131.ip.nettersworld.net [202.67.150.131]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with SMTP id B18E343D45 for ; Mon, 2 May 2005 15:32:53 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from mc@netx.com.hk) Received: (qmail 91336 invoked from network); 2 May 2005 15:33:16 -0000 Received: from lithium.nettersworld.net (202.67.150.131) by lithium.nettersworld.net with SMTP; 2 May 2005 15:33:16 -0000 Received: from lithium.nettersworld.net ([202.67.150.131]) by lithium.nettersworld.net with ESMTP id 54325-24 for ; Mon, 2 May 2005 23:33:16 +0800 (HKT) Received: from mcpm (n19z178l105.broadband.ctm.net [202.175.178.105]) by lithium.nettersworld.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id B278020497D for ; Mon, 2 May 2005 23:33:16 +0800 (HKT) Message-ID: <005b01c54f2c$a37f6e40$df63af0a@mcpm> From: "mc" To: Date: Mon, 2 May 2005 23:35:58 +0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="big5"; reply-type=original Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2180 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2180 Subject: gigabit ethernet (copper/fibre) X-BeenThere: freebsd-net@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Networking and TCP/IP with FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 15:32:55 -0000 Hi all, I would like to ask if anyone on the list could point me to some comparison charts between optical fibre and copper gigabit ethernet connection? recently I am seriously considering to upgrade some of my machines and switches to gigabit speeds. seeing that the copper version is so much cheaper than fibre (and easier maintenance too), I'd of course want to deploy the copper version if possible, but I have no idea what is making the big difference (besides the distance of the cable run?). besides..could anyone suggest me with some gigabit nic and switches? (would be great if you could tell me roughly the price! :) off topic: some time ago, I have tried using intel em(4) nics (tried both onboard and desktop version) with a cisco 2950T. the speed was terrible - even much worse than a $cheap fxp. is this because intel+cisco = incompatible? or is this because copper cannot achieve good performance? (sorry for having no meaningful stats to support my question...the test was done some years ago and at that time I was too busy to follow up the situation) cheers mc