Which PCI-E ethernet card for my desktop ??

[Chess Gator]

Hi fellows,

It appears the ethernet card on my mobo is not working properly and I will have to acquire a card. Which internal plug-n-play PCIe ethernet card are you recommending for a standard home desktop computer with Bell Internet connection?

Thank you,

CG

 

[VirtualLarry]

Get a Syba or I/O Crest 2.5GbE-T PCI-E x1 card, off of Amazon or ebay. They're $30 (more or less), and support the lowest-end of the newest multi-gig standard, which you are going to see more and more of.

Yeah, you could drop $10-15 on a 1GbE-T PCI-E x1 card, but some of them have older support, and don't support the newest OSes and/or Linux, and at this point, when we are transitioning to faster-than-1GbE-T networks, it would seem prudent to just spring for the extra cost for a 2.5GbE-T card, even if you don't use the benefits right away.

The other approach, the non-future-proof cost-optimized approach, would be to get a cheap USB to 10/100 ethernet dongle adapter, for $3-5, shipped from China (try "free driver", "driver-less" models).

Edit: You didn't specify your OS, which can matter for driver compatibility, and you didn't mention whether you were on DSL or fiber.

If you're on Windows 10 and fiber internet, then most definitely get the 2.5GbE Syba PCI-E card.

 

[SamirD]

I'd just get a standard 1gb Intel nic if that's all you need. I would avoid looking for these on ebay or amazon as most of them there are fakes. But any HP branded 1gb nics that are intel-based would be the same thing and be the genuine product.

If you have usb 3.0, I would even skip a pcie nic that and get a usb3.0 2.5gb adapter. While it won't be the most efficient, it would be able to do 2.5x regular gigabit ethernet and would be able to move to a newer system or other use as you need it.

 

[ubern00b]

Any decent 1Gbps Ethernet card should be fine in a home environment, no need to go overboard with killer nic and $100+ all singing all dancing ethernet cards imo unless you have different requirements from a NIC than 90% of other home users who just want a plug and play solution that delivers it's rated speeds and doesnt cause you any unneccesary headaches, genuine Realtek or Intel cards you should be A-OK with.

 

[SamirD]

Any decent 1Gbps Ethernet card should be fine in a home environment, no need to go overboard with killer nic and $100+ all singing all dancing ethernet cards imo unless you have different requirements from a NIC than 90% of other home users who just want a plug and play solution that delivers it's rated speeds and doesnt cause you any unneccesary headaches, genuine Realtek or Intel cards you should be A-OK with.

And if you have a choice between realtek or intel on 1gb, go intel as they are better cards.

 

[mxnerd]

I really don't understand how do you make fake network adapters.

Any used Intel gigabit adapter from eBay seller with good rating will be absolutely fine.

Like the following link.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-LAN-...Dell-Network-Port-RJ-45-PCIe-NIC/401754779075

 

[SamirD]

I really don't understand how do you make fake network adapters.

Any used Intel gigabit adapter from eBay seller with good rating will be absolutely fine.

Like the following link.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-LAN-...Dell-Network-Port-RJ-45-PCIe-NIC/401754779075

A lot of the sellers of nics on ebay are fake producers based out of china copying the original design in detail and then cutting corners that will only reveal themselves with odd errors, and even the best rated people sell them. My first 'burn' was by a seller that had sold thousands, but they were not legit per intel when I called intel, and the packaging right down to the serial numbers and such were faked. And it has been going on for years:
https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/comparison-intel-i350-t4-genuine-vs-fake.6917/

The only way I was able to get some legit cards was to get the HP version of the Intel card I wanted. Bonus was that it was much, much cheaper--ended up being <$5/ea shipped (bulk lot).

 

[ubern00b]

And if you have a choice between realtek or intel on 1gb, go intel as they are better cards.

Considering 90% of motherboards have Realtek NIC's then they're not really a bad 2nd choice though..

 

[SamirD]

Considering 90% of motherboards have Realtek NIC's then they're not really a bad 2nd choice though..

Agreed, but if Intel and Realteks are the same price, then go Intel for sure. I notice they iperf about 10% faster in real life.

 

[VirtualLarry]

If you have usb 3.0, I would even skip a pcie nic that and get a usb3.0 2.5gb adapter. While it won't be the most efficient, it would be able to do 2.5x regular gigabit ethernet and would be able to move to a newer system or other use as you need it.

The problem there is cost. The 2.5GbE-T RealTek-chipset PCI-E x1 NICs, are $30. The TrendNet RealTek-chipset 2.5GbE-T USB3.0 adapter is $50, and the Club3D one with RealTek is $58 at Newegg, and $38 at Provantage.

If it were available for the same / lower cost, sure, go for it.

 

[mxnerd]

A lot of the sellers of nics on ebay are fake producers based out of china copying the original design in detail
https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/comparison-intel-i350-t4-genuine-vs-fake.6917/

The only way I was able to get some legit cards was to get the HP version of the Intel card I wanted. Bonus was that it was much, much cheaper--ended up being <$5/ea shipped (bulk lot).

Thanks for the info.

I did purchased several used Intel chipset based adapters (HP, Silicom) from eBay US sellers (not China) and never got bad ones, however.

 

[SamirD]

Thanks for the info.

I did purchased several used Intel chipset based adapters (HP, Silicom) from eBay US sellers (not China) and never got bad ones, however.

If they are used then generally they are legit as the only way they would be fakes is if people are dumping them after discovering them being fakes.

I don't use anything hard enough to probably discover a fake either, but I'm going to get what I pay for and not get ripped off with a copycat. After reading and researching what I know, I'm skeptical of processors, nics, and even certain brands like netgear and dell--there's just too many shady mfrs out there now that they've discovered that Americans can be really stoopid with their money.

 

[SamirD]

The problem there is cost. The 2.5GbE-T RealTek-chipset PCI-E x1 NICs, are $30. The TrendNet RealTek-chipset 2.5GbE-T USB3.0 adapter is $50, and the Club3D one with RealTek is $58 at Newegg, and $38 at Provantage.

If it were available for the same / lower cost, sure, go for it.

I wouldn't trust those $30 2.5g nics as they will probably be some sort of pre-release design of the more expensive ones that are now out or a copycat fake of the same design. At some point I could see these legitimately coming down to this price, but right now 2.5g still commands a premium. And if the premium was going to be there, the convenience of usb does help bring value as the performance will be the same with less installation effort.

As far as the OP is concerned, now that I think about it the easiest thing is to go the closest local store and buy whatever they have on the shelf as that's probably 'good enough' and would have some sort of reliability since a physical store owner doesn't want to have an angry customer in their face with a fake or garbage product. Plus, it's bound to be pretty cheap since even office supply stores now have nics. I've actually been waiting to see a nic in a grocery store--haven't seen one yet, but since mice and keyboards are there, I think it's only a matter of time.

 

[ch33zw1z]

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?N=100158104 600016290 600013871 600013857

Intel fanboy here for NIC's, but I'd settle for a Startech or Broadcom.

 

[SamirD]

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?N=100158104 600016290 600013871 600013857

Intel fanboy here for NIC's, but I'd settle for a Startech or Broadcom.

Startech uses intel chipsets in a lot of their cards. I've noticed that broadcom sometimes has issues installing the driver compared to intel or realtek.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Startech uses intel chipsets in a lot of their cards. I've noticed that broadcom sometimes has issues installing the driver compared to intel or realtek.

Realtek isn't bad. I've noticed their speeds seem to rely a bit more on driver version.

 

[SamirD]

Realtek isn't bad. I've noticed their speeds seem to rely a bit more on driver version.

Yep, for a 'just works' nic, they're actually my goto because of the universal support. I've just noticed they are about 10% slower than an intel when pushed hard.