5GbE and beyond ethernet adapters

[TanKianW]

HI all, any recommendations for a 10G NIC card for PC?

Mobo: X870 Asrock Pro RS with an open PCIE x 16 slot (Gen 4 x 4 lanes).
CPU: Ryzen 7600X
Good airflow PC build.

Ive signed up recently with Starhub for their 5GB plan + EB810v router. Having finally had a taste of 2gb speed (mobo LAN port) for past few weeks.. and now want moarrrr..

So far, shortlisted in my Amazon cart:-

- $130 WAVLINK: 10G Base-T PCIe Network Card, 10000/5000/2500Mbps PCI Express Ethernet Adapter with AQC113 Controller: https://www.amazon.sg/gp/product/B0DNF1T55H/ref=ox_sc_act_title_8?smid=AYH85219XLWXU&psc=1

- $75 10Gtek 10Gb PCI-E NIC Network Card, Single Copper RJ45 Port, with Intel X540-BT1 - https://www.amazon.sg/gp/product/B01LWU8BEB/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ARPIJN329XQ0D&psc=1

// Edit: realised the 10Gtek card above would not negotiate at 5G? It is either you give it 10 or if not, it will drop nego at 1G? //

- $ 110 - ASUS 10Gbps Network Card XG-C100C V2 - https://www.amazon.sg/gp/product/B09Q546Y7N/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=AFOV6SKRLWY2&psc=1

Is there anything I should take note of with any of the above?

I will suggest an Intel X550-T2 for best compatibility and faster PCIE lanes, which could easily be repurposed for future use other than just a desktop.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/u...ed-network-adapter-x550t2/specifications.html​

 

[sfflatwhite]

I will suggest an Intel X550-T2 for best compatibility and faster PCIE lanes, which could easily be repurposed for future use other than just a desktop.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/u...ed-network-adapter-x550t2/specifications.html​

Makes sense.. Plus it has multigig (vs the x540). Checking out AliExpress and Shopee for it.. (Amazon.sg cannot make it the prices for it). Thanks!

 

[kindredSG]

Makes sense.. Plus it has multigig (vs the x540). Checking out AliExpress and Shopee for it.. (Amazon.sg cannot make it the prices for it). Thanks!

A proper Intel manufacture will be $$$, be careful of cheap knockoffs/fakes etc.

I use the Asus XG-C100C you linked (V2 I think - heard V1 had Windows issues). Have no problem hitting 8gbit with it.

 

[sfflatwhite]

A proper Intel manufacture will be $$$, be careful of cheap knockoffs/fakes etc.

I use the Asus XG-C100C you linked (V2 I think - heard V1 had Windows issues). Have no problem hitting 8gbit with it.

Yeah.. There's tons of listing's over at AliExpress there.. Not even sure what to look out for.. Maybe prolly better if I get it from a friend or a friend friend who pulled it our of an office/data centre server..

Okaylah, think I just shortlist to the Asus or the Wavlink ones..

 

[physistry]

Hi guys, I am currently running on a motherboard Gigabyte B650M DS3H mobo - and am about to renew my internet to the 10gbps (Viewqwest). My mobo has a 2.5GbE ethernet port, and also a couple of USB3.2 Gen2 (max theoretical 10gbps) ports excluding overhead.

As for the PCIe, it only has 1 x PCI Express x16 slot (GPU taking up that slot), and 1 x PCI Express x1 slot, supporting PCIe 3.0 and running at x1 (PCIEX1). I do have M.2 NVMe slots but both are being utilised.
I would like to clarify if I were to get a 10GbE NIC (TP-Link TX401 or Wavlink running on AQC113, or x540 NIC) which is running on an X4 PCIe interface, can I plug it to my PCIe 3.0 x1 slot (with a converter to extend and fit the x1 to x4, x8 or x16 cards). I do know that this will mean the card will be limited to the PCIe 3.0 x1 theoretical speed of 8gbps (7.87gbps after overhead loss) right, or will the card not work at all?

The alternative is to use a 10GbE USB Ethernet adapter - costly but don't think it will work on mine coz mine is USB 3.2 Gen 2 (max 10gbps theoretical) and it is not running on Thunderbolt or USB4?

 

[gundamkitten]

Realtek-based USB to Ethernet adapter drivers updates:

Win10 Auto Installation Program
10.63.20
2025/02/11
5 MB

Win11 Auto Installation Program (NetAdapterCx)
1152.17.20 , 1153.17.20 , 1155.17.20 , 1156.17.20, 1157.17.20
2025/02/11
6 MB

https://www.realtek.com/Download/List?cate_id=585

 

[1 Ghz]

I was watching this M.2+PCIE NIC for a while, looks like it's finally available.

Useful for folks who want something newer/cooler than X520/82599, don't have x4 PCIE slot, but have free M.2 slot.

Not sure if it comes with brackets, maybe someone needs to 3D-print one.

https://www.lr-link.com/products/lres2130pf-2sfp_.html
https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Port-SFF-8087-Ethernet-Network-Mellanox/dp/B0DMV85GZM

 

[xiaofan]

Hi guys, I am currently running on a motherboard Gigabyte B650M DS3H mobo - and am about to renew my internet to the 10gbps (Viewqwest). My mobo has a 2.5GbE ethernet port, and also a couple of USB3.2 Gen2 (max theoretical 10gbps) ports excluding overhead.

As for the PCIe, it only has 1 x PCI Express x16 slot (GPU taking up that slot), and 1 x PCI Express x1 slot, supporting PCIe 3.0 and running at x1 (PCIEX1). I do have M.2 NVMe slots but both are being utilised.
I would like to clarify if I were to get a 10GbE NIC (TP-Link TX401 or Wavlink running on AQC113, or x540 NIC) which is running on an X4 PCIe interface, can I plug it to my PCIe 3.0 x1 slot (with a converter to extend and fit the x1 to x4, x8 or x16 cards). I do know that this will mean the card will be limited to the PCIe 3.0 x1 theoretical speed of 8gbps (7.87gbps after overhead loss) right, or will the card not work at all? Aside from the standard NIC, I do see those dual 10GbE ethernet port NIC that are meant for servers (like HP 530T) - can those also be used to connect to the router for internet connection?

The alternative is to use a 10GbE USB Ethernet adapter - costly, and to also convert an existing M.2 SSD slot to PCIe (both are in use).

1) If you have a physical PCIe x 1 slot, I will suggest to go with 5Gbe adapter mentioned in the first page. They are cheap and low power.

I have the version from IOcrest at RMB89, now it is even cheaper at RMB 79, from official IOcrest Taobao flagship shop.
【淘宝】假一赔四 https://e.tb.cn/h.TJ0RB9bxljx87ea?tk=PdZTeStCVFp HU926 「乐扩 Pcie单口5G网卡RJ45电口网卡PXE无盘启动电竞游戏网卡有线瑞昱RTL8126芯」
点击链接直接打开 或者 淘宝搜索直接打开

2) As for USB4/TB4 to 10Gbe adpater, I have provided a few options in the first page, they are not that expensive at only S$120 to S$160 if you buy from Taobao.

I will recommend the one from IOcrest. I bought it RMB 499 but now the price is at RMB 589.

【淘宝】假一赔四 https://e.tb.cn/h.TJ0kFGmYn41jFEH?tk=3MrkeStA5Iu HU006 「乐扩 USB4网卡10G兼容雷电3/4单口万兆电口RJ45以太网适配器M4支持IMAC」
点击链接直接打开 或者 淘宝搜索直接打开

3) Edit to add: one more option for 10G PCIe 4.0 x 1 adapter. This one is very new. Please refer to the next post.

 

[xiaofan]

New PCIe 4.0 x1 10Gbe adapter from IOcrest, at RMB 389.

Need to find more reviews. This seems to be quite unique with PCIe 4.0 × 1 slot, based on Marvell AQC113 chipset.

【淘宝】假一赔四 https://e.tb.cn/h.TJYJMaU8hvR3Ckt?tk=lJOCeSG1wjp MF287 「乐扩 PCIE4.0 X1万兆网卡10G电口支持PXE无盘AQC113芯10G/5G/2.5G/1G电竞」
点击链接直接打开 或者 淘宝搜索直接打开

 

[physistry]

1) If you have a physical PCIe x 1 slot, I will suggest to go with 5Gbe adapter mentioned in the first page. They are cheap and low power.

I have the version from IOcrest at RMB89, now it is even cheaper at RMB 79, from official IOcrest Taobao flagship shop.
【淘宝】假一赔四 https://e.tb.cn/h.TJ0RB9bxljx87ea?tk=PdZTeStCVFp HU926 「乐扩 Pcie单口5G网卡RJ45电口网卡PXE无盘启动电竞游戏网卡有线瑞昱RTL8126芯」
点击链接直接打开 或者 淘宝搜索直接打开

2) As for USB4/TB4 to 10Gbe adpater, I have provided a few options in the first page, they are not that expensive at only S$120 to S$160 if you buy from Taobao.

I will recommend the one from IOcrest. I bought it RMB 499 but now the price is at RMB 589.

【淘宝】假一赔四 https://e.tb.cn/h.TJ0kFGmYn41jFEH?tk=3MrkeStA5Iu HU006 「乐扩 USB4网卡10G兼容雷电3/4单口万兆电口RJ45以太网适配器M4支持IMAC」
点击链接直接打开 或者 淘宝搜索直接打开

3) Edit to add: one more option for 10G PCIe 4.0 x 1 adapter. This one is very new. Please refer to the next post.

Thanks for the input. I guess I may have to use the 5GbE adapter route because I do not have a USB4/TB4 port other than USB 3.2 Gen2 which do not support the 10GbE adapters ya.

 

[xiaofan]

1) IOcrest used to have one M2 to 5Gbe adapter as well, but now no longer available.

【淘宝】假一赔四 https://e.tb.cn/h.TJTHbqXmk27np8d?tk=vjKdeSG4FHD HU006 「乐扩 M.2转5G网卡瑞昱RTL8126芯片电竞游戏网卡有线」
点击链接直接打开 或者 淘宝搜索直接打开

2) IOcrest M2 10G adapter based on AQC113 chipset, not cheap at RMB 599, it comes with brackets.

【淘宝】假一赔四 https://e.tb.cn/h.TJTuC0OlW7htNdg?tk=LS7IeSG57GT tG-#22>lD 「乐扩 M.2转万兆网卡B+M key 服务器电口10Gbps网卡AQC113芯片质保五年」
点击链接直接打开 或者 淘宝搜索直接打开

 

[xiaofan]

Thanks for the input. I guess I may have to use the 5GbE adapter route because I do not have a USB4/TB4 port other than USB 3.2 Gen2 which do not support the 10GbE adapters ya.

You can also consider Wavlink USB to 5GbE adapter mentioned in the first page, but this may be not as good as the 5GbE PCIe x 1 adapter in terms of performance. It will work with USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps port. Now it is at RMB 179 from the official WavLink Taobao/Tmall flagship store.

【淘宝】假一赔四 https://e.tb.cn/h.TJYAevZfQaV11QG?tk=McRneSGRp2u CZ321 「有线USB千兆网卡5G适用苹果MAC笔记本电脑台式机睿因电竞金属款稳定网线口转接头RJ45网口转换器网络适配器」
点击链接直接打开 或者 淘宝搜索直接打开

 

[xiaofan]

Power related discusison if you are worried about power/heat dissipation
https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/...nsume-more-power-than-a-fridge.7092069/page-4

Tested the ConnectX-4 Lx EN MCX4121A-ACAT and ASPM works with the x670E.

Funnily enough, the integtrated NIC (Marvell AQC113CS) doesn't support ASPM ...

PC is using SSDs that don't support ASPM. Integrated NIC is Marvell AQC113CS that doesn't support ASPM.

No ConnectX4

ConnectX4

 

[Nwcguy]

Hi guys, I recently recontracted my M1 broadband to 6Gbps and am looking to buy a 10Gbps NIC to upgrade my existing PC (10Gbps to accommodate any future broadband speed upgrades).

My motherboard is an ASRock B650M PG Lightning WiFi and it looks like I have one free PCIe 3.0 x16 slot for installation (just below my NVDA 4070S card)

However, I have an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D processor. Based on many shared experiences here, it seems that an Intel-based system is the preferred choice.

Any recommendations for this? Thanks in advance.

 

[xiaofan]

Hi guys, I recently recontracted my M1 broadband to 6Gbps and am looking to buy a 10Gbps NIC to upgrade my existing PC (10Gbps to accommodate any future broadband speed upgrades).

My motherboard is an ASRock B650M PG Lightning WiFi and it looks like I have one free PCIe 3.0 x16 slot for installation (just below my NVDA 4070S card)

However, I have an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D processor. Based on many shared experiences here, it seems that an Intel-based system is the preferred choice.

Any recommendations for this? Thanks in advance.

Your CPU is a powerful AMD CPU, your motherboard is a decent motherboard, your system should be called an AMD based system.

For the network interface card, Intel chipset based 10G NIC is more recommended (eg: X550). They should work fine with your AMD system.

However, I tend to think you will also have no issues with those Marvell based 10G NIC as well since you have a powerful system, like the popular Asus XG-C100C.
https://www.asus.com/sg/networking-iot-servers/wired-networking/all-series/xg-c100c/

As per the reports over the internet, Asus XG-C100C V2 or V3 is better with AQC113C chipset which is cooler than V1 based on AQC107 chipset. I believe local version is more likely of V2 (V3 is very new).

 

[Nwcguy]

Your CPU is a powerful AMD CPU, your motherboard is a decent motherboard, your system should be called an AMD based system.

For the network interface card, Intel chipset based 10G NIC is more recommended (eg: X550). They should work fine with your AMD system.

However, I tend to think you will also have no issues with those Marvell based 10G NIC as well since you have a powerful system, like the popular Asus XG-C100C.
https://www.asus.com/sg/networking-iot-servers/wired-networking/all-series/xg-c100c/

As per the reports over the internet, Asus XG-C100C V2 or V3 is better with AQC113C chipset which is cooler than V1 based on AQC107 chipset. I believe local version is more likely of V2 (V3 is very new).

Thanks for the quick reply @xiaofan. I’m hesitant to take this up as I run Windows 11 24H2 and it seems to have some compatibility issues as cited in the first page of the thread. Keen to hear other success stories before I take the plunge

 

[kw2023]

Hi Xiaofan , I am looking at getting a USB-C to 2.5Gbps/5Gbps ethernet Adapter. I found 3 which i listed below. Any comments or recommendations for which I should get? THis adapter is toplug into my Macbook Pro which I will connect to the Nokia ONR. Trying to utilize the 5Gpbs pan I just got from SINGTEL.
THANKS!

From WAVLINK official store: $38 (USB C to Ethernet Adapter 5Gbps)
https://shopee.sg/WAVLINK-USB-C-to-...91?xptdk=a175ebd2-6b95-4354-a920-4f67676177a7

AMAZON: Sabrent : USB-C to 2.5Gbps Ethernet adapter - $40
https://www.amazon.sg/gp/product/B0CXBRNSC4/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=ARPIJN329XQ0D&th=1

Apple -Belkin USB-C to 2.5Gb Ethernet Adapter: $39
https://www.apple.com/sg/shop/produ...1eb8bc82a6bc34339a7c312d3b7050735b3f11c4f31c0

 

[xiaofan]

Hi Xiaofan , I am looking at getting a USB-C to 2.5Gbps/5Gbps ethernet Adapter. I found 3 which i listed below. Any comments or recommendations for which I should get? THis adapter is toplug into my Macbook Pro which I will connect to the Nokia ONR. Trying to utilize the 5Gpbs pan I just got from SINGTEL.
THANKS!

From WAVLINK official store: $38
https://shopee.sg/WAVLINK-USB-C-to-...91?xptdk=a175ebd2-6b95-4354-a920-4f67676177a7

AMAZON: Sabrent : USB-C to 2.5Gbps Ethernet adapter - $40
https://www.amazon.sg/gp/product/B0CXBRNSC4/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=ARPIJN329XQ0D&th=1

Apple -Belkin USB-C to 2.5Gb Ethernet Adapter: $39
https://www.apple.com/sg/shop/produ...1eb8bc82a6bc34339a7c312d3b7050735b3f11c4f31c0

No experiences with these 2.5Gbe USB adapters, but the technology is very mature so I believe all of them will work. But if you really ask me to choose one of them, I will buy from Apple Store.

I have two Ugreen USB 3.0 Type A to 2.5Gbe adapters and one Ugreen USB 3.0 Type C to 2.5G adapter (misplaced in somewhere now). I am now using either the XikeStor USB USB 3.2 Type C hub (USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps) with built-in 2.5Gbe adapter, or the Ugreen one.

 

[sfflatwhite]

Yeah.. There's tons of listing's over at AliExpress there.. Not even sure what to look out for.. Maybe prolly better if I get it from a friend or a friend friend who pulled it our of an office/data centre server..

Okaylah, think I just shortlist to the Asus or the Wavlink ones..

Pulled the trigger to get the 10Gbe Marvell QC113 PCIe card. From Aliexpress.

​

Updating the drivers was easy - From Marvell's website.

So far, has been golden and stable. Temp hovering around 76-78. No fans mod (yet). Have to increase my front and exhaust fans curves tough.

Finally being able to "maximise" Starhub's 5Gb plan.

sfarhan@eos-sfpc ookla-speedtest-bin$ speedtest

   Speedtest by Ookla

      Server: StarHub Ltd - Singapore (id: 4235)
         ISP: StarHub
Idle Latency:     3.57 ms   (jitter: 0.56ms, low: 3.03ms, high: 4.07ms)
    Download:  4634.78 Mbps (data used: 4.3 GB)                                                   
                  3.34 ms   (jitter: 0.27ms, low: 2.75ms, high: 4.45ms)
      Upload:  4702.47 Mbps (data used: 5.1 GB)                                                   
                  3.95 ms   (jitter: 2.71ms, low: 2.91ms, high: 211.32ms)
 Packet Loss: Not available.
  Result URL: https://www.speedtest.net/result/c/4ebc2a82-4325-4577-ad04-4aca2e093919

sfarhan@eos-sfpc ookla-speedtest-bin$ speedtest

   Speedtest by Ookla

      Server: Contabo - Singapore (id: 41358)
         ISP: StarHub
Idle Latency:     4.08 ms   (jitter: 0.31ms, low: 3.89ms, high: 4.66ms)
    Download:  4736.07 Mbps (data used: 3.3 GB)                                                   
                  4.60 ms   (jitter: 0.44ms, low: 3.90ms, high: 6.82ms)
      Upload:  4518.09 Mbps (data used: 5.4 GB)                                                   
                  4.49 ms   (jitter: 0.47ms, low: 3.48ms, high: 6.83ms)
 Packet Loss:     0.0%
  Result URL: https://www.speedtest.net/result/c/576f7125-2a40-443c-9f41-634acf0c80b3
sfarhan@eos-sfpc ookla-speedtest-bin$

 

[kw2023]

No experiences with these 2.5Gbe USB adapters, but the technology is very mature so I believe all of them will work. But if you really ask me to choose one of them, I will buy from Apple Store.

I have two Ugreen USB 3.0 Type A to 2.5Gbe adapters and one Ugreen USB 3.0 Type C to 2.5G adapter (misplaced in somewhere now). I am now using either the XikeStor USB USB 3.2 Type C hub (USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps) with built-in 2.5Gbe adapter, or the Ugreen one.

ah Ok! Thanks again Xiaofan!