Best 10gb Ethernet Card

Author: Petar Petrov

Let’s start with a brief introduction. An Ethernet card is a system that helps connect your computer to an already existing Ethernet network (LAN). The card itself presents a network adapter that has to be plugged into your motherboard (MOBO). This action will make it possible to connect to a LAN. Some people remember how they used to be everywhere before. This day they are almost fully replaced by Wi-Fi. It is not weird that this is happening simply because, with advancing technologies, Wi-Fi speed is relatively close to that of Ethernet cards. Of course, under consideration is the fact that most people find it easier to deal with Wi-Fi than research, buy, and install a network adapter. Or they do not know how to do it, and here comes our guide, which will explain to you about Ethernet cards, their speeds, whether you need one, and how to install them. Let’s keep it as short and simple as possible.

Starting with Ethernet cards, we can say that they are of great significance for your local network. We can say that this device is like a hub for your machine, connecting to the local network via a cable that everyone or most people have at home. Most likely, the Ethernet cable you have at home is Category 5e. A widely used one and, in a sense, is enough for the majority. Once you have the card and the cable and connect them, you can access the network, which is high-speed and very stable.

Card Speed

Here comes the moment to talk about Ethernet card speed. There are different options, and it depends on various factors that determine which one you can get. We will give you an example. Let’s say your card or cable maximal speed is up to 1Gbps. With this in mind, you shall know that you can’t reach speeds above that and will need to upgrade to a card or cable that reaches up to 10Gbps. In most cases, people use a speed of 10/100/1000/10000Mbps. Depending on your needs, you can upgrade your components. We will not go into too many details, so keep in mind that based on the limit speed of your card and cable, you can expect to reach a certain maximal speed if you want to upgrade them.

Do you need one? This one is hard. We will repeat ourselves, but it depends on the individual’s wishes. If you want a stable and fast ethernet network, then yes, go and get one. The simplest example is to compare a gamer, who needs a stable and high-speed network, with someone who uses their machine for work. The first will prefer to get an Ethernet card and a cable because the connection will be better, the speed higher, and at the same time, the network will be more stable. The second option is Wi-Fi, simply because they do not require this high-speed, stable connection. They will not rely on it as much as gamers do, and accordingly, for them, Wi-Fi will be better.

How to install an Ethernet card This one is simple.

The first thing you’ll need to do is open our guide from your phone;) or write down the steps somewhere because the steps will require you to shut down your system.

At this point, we assume you have already turned the computer off and you are ready to follow our guide.

First, you have to make sure the power is off and nothing is plugged into the PC. The next step is to open up the case and find the Ethernet card slot in your MOBO (check the PCIe slot). After you find it, you’ll most likely see a metal plate there. Remove it. After doing that, you are almost ready. Just make sure the PCIe slot and the card are compatible and connect them. As a final step, you will use the screw and make sure to attach the card properly and securely. That’s it! If you followed these steps, you are ready!

It’s time to rank some of the best 10Gbps Ethernet cards.

Now gamers will get some pointers towards what they should look for on the market. Here are a few of the best Ethernet cards with a max speed of 10Gbps at the moment: H! Fiber 10Gb Network Card with Dual SFP+ Port; TRENDnet 10Gb Network Card, PCIe 2.0, 3.0 andTP-Link 10GB Ethernet Network Adapter (TX401).

The first item on the list, the TP-Link 10GB Ethernet Network Adapter (TX401), deserves its place because of its amazing features. The 10GBase-T technology offers good performance and high speed up to 10 Gbps. On top of that, it’s reliable if you need a stable connection and perfect data transmission. Being a high-end product, there is no need to say that it’s compatible with most servers, windows, and Linux systems. This card is versatile and can work well at low and high speeds. It also provides very good performance (looking towards you gamers). The bandwidth provides amazing congestion and this feature is your best friend.

TRENDnet 10Gb Network Card, PCIe 2.0, 3.0 is ranked second. Like the previous one has an RJ45 port and 4 PCI interfaces of version 3.0 but can also convert the PCI, be it 2.0 or 3.0, to a great 10G network. Different from the previous, it’s compatible with most Windows and Windows Servers but doesn’t support Linux. It can run at various speeds. For example, 5g and 2.5g using the appropriate cable (the one you most likely have at home, 5e).

In third place, we put the H! Fiber 10Gb Network Card with Dual SFP+ Port, which is equipped with some good features. It works great with Windows and Linux systems. As we said above, the PCI interface is important and this card is compatible with PCIe v3.0 (8.0 GT/s) (versions 2.0 and 1.1), X4 Lane, and X8/X16, which is a great feature. It also has dual RJ45 ports, which are great for scalability and can reach a 10G network. This will be more than enough for anyone and is good to meet even high-end data centers’ needs.

In conclusion, we can state that Ethernet cards are something we recommend to those of you who love gaming or use your systems for tasks that are demanding. I need higher speed and great stability. Ethernet cards are great, and we dare say that we use them too, but that doesn’t mean you have to get one. Finally, if you have decided to get one because of your need after reading our article, We advise you to consider our top 3. Of course, you should do your research before deciding, but these three will do the job. We did explain the details, gave examples, and provided you with the needed information. If the article was helpful, stay with us, and for the next one, thank you for going with us through it!