Are dual NICs at all useful if you don't have a specialty network switch?

[JTheNASBuilder]

I've had my FreeNAS setup for about a year now and I've only had a single NIC active on the server. For relevance it may be I'm running a SuperMicro X8DTH-iF board (which has an Intel 82576 dual gigabit NIC onboard).

My question is this: would I derive any benefit at all from using both ports on the NIC if I don't have an advanced managed switch in my house? I did some reading on this subject on and off the forum before posting this question but everything I came across talked about enabling link aggregation and the specialized switch hardware you want to pair it with. What I didn't come across was any info about what happens if run the setup *without* a high-grade switch on your home network.

Is there any point to plugging in both NICs if you don't have a switch that can handle any sort of hardware based link aggregation?

Further, if it *is* the case that there is no point in plugging both NICs into a plain old consumer grade 16-port gigabit router, is it worth upgrading my switch to take advantage of it? The primary (99.99%) use of my FreeNAS unit is serving up HD video to approximately 6 streaming units around the house but rarely more than 2 of them simultaneously.

 

[Ericloewe]

Not really, but you have a second one in case one of them breaks down.

 

[Savage]

Not really. You can get old lacp capable used switches pretty cheap as well as newer desktop style ones. However, you will probably waste money, effort and complicate things for little to no gain in a home use meant for video/backup etc.

 

[JTheNASBuilder]

Thanks for the replies, guys.

So, just to be clear, there's no benefit at all to plugging in both NICs at the same time unless there is a switch on the other end that supports it?

 

[Ericloewe]

Thanks for the replies, guys.

So, just to be clear, there's no benefit at all to plugging in both NICs at the same time unless there is a switch on the other end that supports it?

There are very clear downsides, so definitely don't do it.

 

[JTheNASBuilder]

Clear enough for me, thanks =)

 

[jgreco]

Thanks for the replies, guys.

So, just to be clear, there's no benefit at all to plugging in both NICs at the same time unless there is a switch on the other end that supports it?

Just to be crystal clear, the problem isn't plugging in both NICs, it is having both of them active (configured "up" whether statically or via DHCP).

Some of us routinely plug every network interface into a switchport even if it isn't intended to be used, because thanks to the magic of remote management, when an interface is acting flaky or a problem is encountered, we can just sit in the office and manipulate things from many miles away without ever touching a cable.