Advice on link aggregation on a Mac Pro

Hi CDave,

Welcome to the community! :) 

I have a Mac Pro tower with 2 ethernet ports and currently it serves as a file server to a studio of iMacs. 

Only one ethernet port is currently in use and this plugs in a wall port and then is routed to my companies network.   All the other iMacs do the same and then we can see each other on the network.   So I want to use this 2nd port using link aggregation. 

You will need to use 2 ethernet ports on the switch and 2 ethernet ports of MAC computer in order to be able to configure LAG (Link Aggregation).  Refer to the diagram on the article below and notice that 2 ethernet ports of the server and 2 ethernet ports of the switch are configured as LAG_10:

What are Link Aggregation Groups (LAGs) and how do they work with my managed switch?

Here are the answers to your questions:

Question 1 - Which switch is the easiest to configure and most reliable on a Mac.

--All of the NETGEAR ProSAFE Switches that supports LAG are compatible to MAC.  As reference to know what NETGEAR switch category is right for you, read the article below:

Which NETGEAR switch is right for me?

Question 2 - Do the iMacs need to directly attach to this switch to benefit from link aggregation.

-- It is a must that the iMACs or any other computers that supports LAG should be directly connected to the switch.  Again, refer to the diagram on the article below and notice that 2 ethernet ports of the server and 2 ethernet ports of the switch are configured as LAG_10:

What are Link Aggregation Groups (LAGs) and how do they work with my managed switch?

Question 3 - If the switch can be elsewhere in the company, if the iMacs have another switch between them that isn’t a managed switch, does this negate the benefit of link aggregation?

-- Again, it is a must that the iMACs or any other computers that supports LAG should be directly connected to the switch.

To know the NETGEAR switches that supports LAG, access the link below then click the "+" sign on "What kind of features do you need?" then select Link Aggregation:

NETGEAR ProSAFE Switch Product Selector

Regards,

DaneA

NETGEAR Community Team