Getting iMac Pro to use PC as file server via 10gbe, what is the best way?

[rondocap]

Hey guys, need some networking help.

Basically, I have a PC with 10gbe card, and a Mac with 10gbe card as well. I want to connect both using 10gbe, and use the PC as a file server/raid for the Mac.

I was able to connect them together, and found the PC on the Mac side, and was able to transfer files. Here are my issues:

1.) Mac only has 1 10gbe port, so I need wifi to connect to the internet. When I am using that one port to connect to the PC, I have to disconnect from wifi so the PC sees the Mac. How can I be on wifi, on both, but for file transfers force them to connect and use the 10gbe port? Can it technically be on the same network if both are wifi and but I need to use the 10gbe connection for better speeds?

2.) I was not able to see my Mac in the PC windows network area, even though the Mac can see the PC and transfer. Any ideas here?

3.) I seemed to be getting around 400-500mb/s transfer speeds via 10gbe - is that normal or should it be faster? Both Mac and PC have SSDs with well over 1000mb/s each.

 

[barbu]

1. Your Mac to PC connection needs to be on a different network from wifi for this to work the way you want.
2. Did you turn on file sharing on your Mac?
3. Google tells me 10gbe should be about 1200 MB/s. Are you using a cat 6 or 7 cable? Cable length can also be a factor.

 

[rondocap]

1. Your Mac to PC connection needs to be on a different network from wifi for this to work the way you want.
2. Did you turn on file sharing on your Mac?
3. Google tells me 10gbe should be about 1200 MB/s. Are you using a cat 6 or 7 cable? Cable length can also be a factor.

Thank you - if I turn wifi off on both Mac and pc, it works fine.

How do I create a network between the 10gbe ethernet of the Mac and pc while leaving the wifi alone? what do I need to do that?

 

[barbu]

If both the Mac and pc connect to internet over wifi, then you’re good. You could go one of two ways:
A. Trust autoconfig/apipa and just plug the computers together. They should self assign IPs and you should be able to see the shares.
B. Manual IP addresses (recommended). Set pc and iMac Ethernet to manual, choose a rfc1918 network different than your wifi. For example, say your Mac on your wifi network is 10.0.0.5, make the Ethernet adapter 10.0.1.5. Use 255.255.255.0 for you let mask and you don’t need a router or dns. You should be able to ping back and forth via the new address.

 

[rondocap]

If both the Mac and pc connect to internet over wifi, then you’re good. You could go one of two ways:
A. Trust autoconfig/apipa and just plug the computers together. They should self assign IPs and you should be able to see the shares.
B. Manual IP addresses (recommended). Set pc and iMac Ethernet to manual, choose a rfc1918 network different than your wifi. For example, say your Mac on your wifi network is 10.0.0.5, make the Ethernet adapter 10.0.1.5. Use 255.255.255.0 for you let mask and you don’t need a router or dns. You should be able to ping back and forth via the new address.

if I do A, it connects but very slowly, I’m assuming tries to transfer over WiFi even if I set priority to the Ethernet. Only works fast when both have WiFi off, and are connected directly

I’ll have to try b. On my pc, the Ethernet is listed as unknown/public network, so,I’m not sure if that’s an issue too.