Network speed 100mb vs 1GB

[EricB]

I am looking at managed switches to replace my 8 port that is full, and am wondering how much difference it will actually make if I am running a 100mb switch vs a 1gb switch?

Right now, I have the following...
CAT 5E cabling.
4 EmpireTec IPC-Color4K-T180 cameras,
3 EmpireTec IPC-T5442T-ZEB cameras,
and a EmpireTec VT02311R-WP doorbell.

I am sure I will be adding additional cameras, probably
1 or 2 additional IPC-Color4K-T180,
1 or 2 additional IPC-T5442-ZEP cameras,
1 or 2 additional VT02311R-WP doorbells (or similar),
and maybe a 1 or 2 of the Dahau IPC-WL46A cameras
and possibly 1 or 2 of the SD4A425DB-HNY

All of the cameras are on their own network with no outside connection, and only 2 computers on that network (BI machine and the machine I remote into to manage the cameras over HTTP).

So, with what I am looking at for cameras, will a 1gb ethernet switch make a noticeable difference over a 100mb switch?


EDIT:
I thought of a couple of additional questions....
Right now, my cabling is not permanently run, just 2 cables through the wall, each to a splitter (

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0198H6EUK

) and then runs of 100' or less to each camera.
1. Is Cat5E a good choice for permanent cabling or should I look at 6/6A cabling (the majority of the cable will run through the attic with on small amounts in the weather)?
2. Is it better to run a single larger (more ports) switch, or with multiple fewer port switches daisy chained?
3. For what I listed above, what power requirements should I be looking at for a switch?

Thanks,

Eric

 

[bp2008]

For network requirements, you need to think about how much data each network port needs to handle.

A single camera uses roughly 5 to 15 Mbps per video stream (all depends on your configuration). So a 100 Mbps switch port can easily handle this. Actually most cameras only have 100 Mbps network interfaces on them for that reason; they just don't need to be any faster. 100 Mbps is enough to transfer several copies of the video stream at the same time.

The problem comes when you have lots of cameras, because all the video from all the cameras adds together. Imagine 7 cameras producing 15 Mbps each. Now you have 105 Mbps of video that needs to be transferred, so a plain 100 Mbps switch is no longer sufficient because you won't be able to output all that video from any one port. This is why many 100 Mbps PoE switches have at least one 1 Gbps port to use as an uplink.

 

[bp2008]

1. Is Cat5E a good choice for permanent cabling or should I look at 6/6A cabling (the majority of the cable will run through the attic with on small amounts in the weather)?
2. Is it better to run a single larger (more ports) switch, or with multiple fewer port switches daisy chained?
3. For what I listed above, what power requirements should I be looking at for a switch?

1. Cat5e is capable of 1 Gbps at 100 meter length, so it is generally fine. If you think you might someday want faster than gigabit speed over that cable, then make it cat6a. Otherwise cat5e is fine. I run cat5e to my own cameras because it is cheaper and easier to work with. Just make sure you get pure copper wire instead of copper clad aluminum (CCA).

2. It is a matter of preference. A single larger switch is cleaner if all the cables run back to the same place anyway. However bigger switches (especially those with PoE) have fans and usually they are not quiet fans. So keep that in mind.

3. Assume about 6-10 watts for a non-PTZ camera, or perhaps 25 watts for a PTZ (that is about the limit of PoE+, and most PTZs will only reach that with all the motors running) . So if you want to buy a 24 port PoE switch, make sure it has a PoE power budget of at least 200 watts I'd say. And it should support PoE+ if you intend to install a PTZ camera. Also nice for some high powered wifi access points these days.

 

[looney2ns]

And stick with name brand switch's, not no name cheapies.

 

[EricB]

@bp2008 - Thanks for all of the information! I think I found a place that I can put the switch and the BI machine that will not be where noise will be an issue, and will allow me to more easily run the cables to than my original idea, so I don't think the fans won't be a problem. I figured for Wireless (if I wind up with any wireless cameras) I would just add a wireless router like the TPLink Archer AX3000 (AX55) since I haven't had any problems with my existing TPLink Archer AX3000 (not an AX55) router.

On your 1st reply, are when you say

"This is why many 100 Mbps PoE switches have at least one 1 Gbps port to use as an uplink."

Are you talking about using multiple 100mb switches and connecting them together via the 1Gbps port?

@looney2ns - I am leaning towards the Dell, Cisco or possibly the Brocade that was recommended on a previous post I made. Probably from eBay.

 

[looktall]

Is it better to run a single larger (more ports) switch, or with multiple fewer port switches daisy chained?

daisy chaining them will work ok for the most part but what happens when one of the switches starts to have issues?
You lose the entire chain.
Additionally, depending on how you have them configured you may find that you're pushing too much traffic through a single switch.

POE switches can be purchased quite cheaply these days. My first inclination is to go with a single larger switch if you can.

 

[EricB]

@looktall - Wouldn't a single switch be a single point of failure the same as a one switch in the connection having an issue?

 

[looktall]

Having 3 switches daisy chained to each other won't avoid that.
Daisy chaining switches isn't redundancy.

I was talking less about switch failures and more about the general fuckiness that can happen when switches don't behave themselves.

If you have one switch and you start to have problems you know the problem is that switch.
If you have 5 switches daisy chained together you're going to have unneeded frustration.

 

[bp2008]

Are you talking about using multiple 100mb switches and connecting them together via the 1Gbps port?

Sort of.

Generally, you don't want to use any 100 Mbps ports as an uplink carrying many video streams if you can avoid it.

If your PoE switch is mostly 100 Mbps ports and has a 1 Gbps port, you should connect that 1 Gbps port either directly to your NVR (Blue Iris PC) or otherwise use a separate gigabit switch to aggregate traffic from multiple PoE switches.

 

[EricB]

@bp2008 - Thanks, that makes sense.

 

[EricB]

Anyone have any knowledge or thoughts on this switch:

Dell Networking X1026P Managed Switch 24 Port GbE PoE 2x Gig SFP Ports

Thanks,

Eric

 

[garycrist]

Try Nelly's he is a vendor here.

All Products

Nelly's Surplus

nellyssurplus.com

 

[bp2008]

I would not buy that Dell switch for cameras. It is a nice size but it is not a PoE switch.

 

[EricB]

Sorry, I pasted the wrong link.

Dell Networking X1026P Managed Switch 24 Port GbE PoE 2x Gig SFP Ports

 

[bp2008]

Looks like it could be a good switch. Huge power budget of 369W, and supports PoE+.

https://i.dell.com/sites/csdocuments/Shared-Content_data-Sheets_Documents/en/Dell_Networking_X-Series_Spec_Sheet.pdf

My main concern would be fan noise.

 

[EricB]

Since it going to be down in the basement in an area that we usually aren't in, I am not too worried about noise - at least until it becomes an issue

 

[looktall]

Keep in mind that switch is not a standard size.
A switch normally has the ports on the long side of the switch, this has them on the short side which means this switch is very deep.
It likely wouldn't fit into anything but the deepest racks.
Most people don't have deep racks in their homes, but if you do then go for it.

Alternatively if you're just going to sit it on a shelf it should also be ok.

 

[EricB]

@looktall - Thanks. For now it be will going on a shelf.