The Route10 is a powerful, compact 10Gbps broadband router
Probably the smallest 10Gbps Internet router today.
A new gadget came in this week when I switched my ViewQwest broadband to its VQ X 10Gbps plan.
The Alta Labs Route10 is currently being tested internally, but ViewQwest was kind enough to loan me a unit of this nifty Internet router to try.
10Gbps broadband
I've previously written about 10Gbps broadband, which received a shot in the arm after the Singapore government earmarked funds to subsidise network upgrades.
The result was a flood of new 10Gbps offerings.
Turning up the heat, ViewQwest decided earlier this month to consolidate its 3Gbps, 5Gbps, and 10Gbps plans into just one plan - the VQ X at 10Gbps.
Crucially, it's priced the same as my existing 1Gbps plan with them. How could one resist such an offer?
SFP+ Module
What got me sitting up is the SFP+ Module option, which essentially squeezes the entire ONT "fibre modem" device into the body of an SFP module.
- The SFP module is a compact transceiver typically used in enterprise networking.
- Using ViewQwest's SFP+ Module, it's possible to plug the fibre cable directly into it.
- This means I can get rid of the traditional standalone ONT unit.
The problem is I'll need an Internet router with SFP+ ports. And these tend to be pricey. For instance, the Ubiquiti Dream Machine SE with 2x SFP+ costs $799.
This is where the Route10 enters the picture.
Alta Labs Route10
The Route10 Internet router comes with the following capabilities.
- Compact chassis measuring 18cm x 11cm.
- 2x HW-accelerated 10Gbps SFP+ ports.
- 4x 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports (2x POE+)
- Cloud-controlled.
Notably, you can toggle any port between LAN/WAN, up to 2 WAN ports, which is really nice.
It doesn't seem to offer WAN load balancing yet, so guess my dual 10Gbps dream would have to wait a bit.
How is it going?
I got the Route10 yesterday, but I really loved its compact footprint. As you can see, it's much smaller than Singtel's 10Gbps ONT in the background - I estimate around 25% of the volume.
From what I hear, the Route10 will be priced significantly cheaper than the Ubiquiti Dream Machine.
Finally, the Route10 offers 2x POE+ ports. While this isn't enough for me, most homes can use them to power 2x POE-powered wireless access points.
And oh, it runs hot. It's fanless though, which means it is completely silent in operation.
Are you considering switching to 10Gbps broadband for your home?
