Dierect-connect two readeyNas Pros using second eth port

No need for a cross-over cable (though you can use one if you really want to) as the NICs are auto-sensing. A standard ethernet cable would be fine.

Thanks mdgm!

Strangeness with Default gateway settings:

My eth 1 is set to 10.10.10.x with a default gateway of 10.10.10.1
I try to set my eth 2 to 10.10.5.10 with a default gateway of my other machine on the same subnet (10.10.5.20) and when I hit the 'save button, it reverts automatically to 10.10.10.1

So, two RNDP6000's. eth 2 ports directly connected and configured with static IPs on the same same subnet (10.10.5.x) and they do talk to each other but I have no control over the gateway address (keeps defaulting to my eth 1 gateway address on a different subnet). All masks set to 255.255.255.0

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance for looking!

Anyone?

You'd save yourself a lot of time and trouble by getting an inexpensive gigabit switch instead (and forgetting about the dual-homing idea). You'd get better results also. This assumes cat-5e cabling (at least between the 2 ReadyNAS and the switch).

Thanks for the reply Stephen. Using the direct-connect on both port 2's (on a separate subnet) does actually work like a charm (speed-wise), but by adding a switch (and a new subnet) just going to add an extra hop to the link? Is the ReadyNas smart enough to use the shortest route/interface if both are on the same subnet? With the exception of the gateway "bug" (which it is, IMO a bug) it works fine.

Thanks again!

Gigabit ethernet will be much faster, even with the switch on the path. The extra hop wouldn't impact throughput at all, and the latency is better than a fast connect @ 100 mbits

For instance, a 1500 byte packet takes about 120 microseconds to send down a fast ethernet link. That would also be the latency on a direct connect (plus about 1 nanosecond per foot of cable, which we can ignore for this).

With gigabit, the same packet takes about 12 microseconds to send. In the case of a Netgear switch (GS105/GS108 for instance), add about 15 more microseconds for switch latency, giving you ~40 microseconds total (12 + 15 + 12 more for the second hop).

So throughput is 10x faster, latency is 3x lower than the direct connect - gigabit is just better. You'd be limited by ReadyNAS performance, not by the network.

BTW, you wouldn't need a new subnet, the switch works at layer2, not layer3. So I'm not sure what you mean there. The switch sits between your router and the two ReadyNAS - ideally all your LAN wired connections would move to the switch (with the switch uplink going to the router). The switch learns which ethernet MAC addresses are associated with each LAN port by watching incoming traffic, and routes outbound traffic based on MAC addresses. If it sees a MAC destination it doesn't recognize, it sends the packet out all ports. IP addresses are not needed by the switch at all (though of course they are needed for other stuff).

Got it. Right now my Switches are 10/100 and my primary NAS port 1 hangs off the 10/100 port, as well does port 1 on my backup on the 10.10.10.x subnet.

So what you are saying is move my port 1 cables to a gig switch, and plug the gig switch either into my 10/100 switch that hangs off my router or directly into the router, and then also plug both port #2s in the same gig switch.

That being said, would I even need port 2 or does it provide a performance enhancement to separate my every day access traffic from my backup traffic?

Thanks again for the reply.

You wouldn't need port 2. There can be a gain if you have a lot of simultaneous users, but in most cases you are limited by the NAS and not the gigabit network.

BTW, if you get an expensive switch (one that is managed and supports teaming) you could team the two interfaces (you have pro's correct?). Both NICS have the same IP address in that case. I use GS108T and GS724T switches, which do support LACP teaming. Though honestly, I don't think it improves my overall performance.

But you should get a switch that supports 802.1x flow control. That can be helpful if you are mixing fast ethernet and gigabit.

I am looking to upgrade our 10/100 switches with two of GS748TPS so I think that should do it, just not going to happen in the short term.

Thanks again for your help Stephen.