Gigabit Ethernet. Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express Network Adapter Shielded Twisted Pair

Introduction

Networks based on 10/100 Mbps Ethernet will be more than enough for any task in small networks. But what about the future? Have you thought about streaming video over your home's network? Will 10/100 Ethernet cope with them?

In our first article on Gigabit Ethernet, we'll take a closer look at it and determine if you need it. We'll also try to find out what you need to create a gigabit-ready network and take a quick tour of gigabit equipment for small networks.

What is Gigabit Ethernet?

Gigabit Ethernet is also known as gigabit over copper or 1000BaseT... It is a regular Ethernet version operating at speeds up to 1,000 megabits per second, which is ten times faster than 100BaseT.

Gigabit Ethernet is based on the IEEE standard 802.3z which was approved in 1998. However, in June 1999, an addendum came out to it - the standard of gigabit Ethernet over copper twisted pair. 1000BaseT... It was this standard that was able to bring Gigabit Ethernet out of server rooms and backbones, ensuring its use in the same conditions as 10/100 Ethernet.

Prior to 1000BaseT, Gigabit Ethernet required the use of fiber-optic or shielded copper cables, which are hardly suitable for conventional LANs. These cables (1000BaseSX, 1000BaseLX and 1000BaseCX) are still used in special applications today, so we will not cover them.

The 802.3z Gigabit Ethernet group has done an excellent job of releasing a universal standard ten times faster than 100BaseT. 1000BaseT is also backward compatible with 10/100 hardware, it uses CAT-5 cable (or higher category). By the way, today a typical network is built on the basis of the fifth category cable.

Do we need it?

The first literature on Gigabit Ethernet pointed to the enterprise market as an area of ​​application for the new standard, and most often to data warehouse communications. Since Gigabit Ethernet provides ten times the bandwidth of the traditional 100BaseT, a natural application of the standard is to connect high-bandwidth sites. It is the communication between servers, switches, and backbones. This is where Gigabit Ethernet is needed, needed and useful.

As the price of gigabit hardware declined, the scope of 1000BaseT expanded to include "power users" and workgroup computers using "bandwidth-hungry applications."

Since most small networks have modest data needs, they are unlikely to ever need 1000BaseT bandwidth. Let's take a look at some typical small network applications and assess their need for Gigabit Ethernet.

Do we need him, continuation

• Transferring large files over the network

  Such an application is typical, rather, for small offices, especially in companies engaged in graphic design, architecture or other business related to the processing of files in the tens or hundreds of megabytes. You can easily calculate that a 100MB file will be transferred over a 100BaseT network in just eight seconds [(100MB x 8bit / byte) / 100Mbps]. In reality, many factors degrade the transfer speed, so your file will take a little longer to transfer. Some of these factors are related to the operating system, the applications running, the amount of memory on your computers, processor speed, and age. (The age of the system affects the speed of the buses on the motherboard.)

  The speed of network equipment is another important factor, and the move to gigabit equipment can eliminate potential bottlenecks and speed up the transfer of large volumes of files. Many will confirm that getting speeds above 50 Mbps on a 100BaseT network is far from trivial. Gigabit Ethernet, on the other hand, will be able to provide throughput above 100 Mbps.

• Network redundancy devices

  You can consider this case as a variant of "large files". If your network is set up to back up all computers to a single file server, then Gigabit Ethernet will speed up the process. However, there is also a pitfall - an increase in the "pipe" of transmission to the server may not lead to a positive effect if the server does not have time to process the incoming data stream (this also applies to the backup media).

  To benefit from a high-speed network, you should equip your server with more memory and back up to a fast hard drive rather than tape or CDROM. As you can see, you need to thoroughly prepare for the transition to Gigabit Ethernet.

• Client-server applications

  This area of ​​application is again more common in small business networks than in home networks. A large amount of data can be transferred between the client and the server in such applications. The approach is the same: you need to analyze the amount of transmitted network data to see if the application can “keep up” with the increase in network bandwidth and if this data is enough to load the Gigabit Ethernet.

In truth, we believe that most home network builders are unlikely to find sufficient reason to buy gigabit equipment. In small business networks, moving to gigabit can help, but we recommend that you analyze the amount of data transferred first. Everything is clear with the current state. But what if you want to take into account the possibility of future upgrades. What do you need to do today to be ready for it? In the next part of our article, we will look at the changes that need to be made to the most expensive, most often and most time consuming, part of the network - cable.

Gigabit Ethernet Cable

As we mentioned in the introduction, one of the key requirements of the 1000BaseT standard is the use of Category 5 (CAT 5) or higher cable. That is, Gigabit Ethernet can work on the existing cable structure of the 5th category... Agree, this opportunity is very convenient. Typically, all modern networks use Category 5 cable, unless your network was installed in 1996 or earlier (the standard was approved in 1995). However, here exists several pitfalls.

• Four pairs required

  As seen from of this article 1000BaseT uses all four pairs of Category 5 (or higher) cable to create four 250 Mbps links. (Another coding scheme is also used - five-level pulse amplitude modulation - to stay within the 100 MHz CAT5 frequency range). As a result, we can use the existing CAT 5 cabling structure for Gigabit Ethernet.

  Since 10 / 100BaseT only uses two out of four CAT 5 pairs, some people did not plug in extra pairs when laying their networks. Pairs were used, for example, for a telephone or for Power over Ethernet (POE). Fortunately, gigabit NICs and switches are smart enough to fall back to 100BaseT if all four pairs are unavailable. Therefore, in any case, your network will work with gigabit switches and network cards, but you will not get high speed for the money you paid.

• Don't use cheap connectors

  Another problem for amateur networkers is poor crimping and cheap wall sockets. They lead to impedance mismatches, resulting in return loss and, as a result, a decrease in bandwidth. Sure, you can try head-on search for the cause, but you'd better get a network tester that can detect return loss and crosstalk. Or just put up with the low speed.

• Length and topology restrictions

  1000BaseT is limited to the same maximum segment length as 10 / 100BaseT. Thus, the maximum network diameter is 200 meters (from one computer to another through one switch). For 1000BaseT topology, the same rules apply as for 100BaseT, except that only one repeater per network segment (or more precisely, one “half-duplex collision domain”) is allowed. But since Gigabit Ethernet does not support half-duplex transmission, you can forget about the last requirement. In general, if your network was doing fine under 100BaseT, you should have no problem going to gigabit.

Gigabit Ethernet Cable Continued

It is best to use a cable for laying new networks. CAT 5e... Although CAT 5 and CAT 5e both pass 100 MHz, CAT5e cable is manufactured with additional parameters important for better transmission of high frequency signals.

Review the following Belden documents to learn more about CAT 5e cable specifications (in English):

Although a modern CAT 5 cable will work just fine with 1000BaseT, you might be better off choosing CAT 5e if you want to guarantee high bandwidth. If you're hesitant, estimate the cost of a CAT 5 and CAT 5e cable and go your way.

The One Thing You Should Avoid Is Purchase Recommendations CAT 6 cable for gigabit Ethernet. CAT 6 was added to the TIA-568 standard in June 2002 and it skips frequencies up to 200 MHz... Sellers will most likely persuade you to buy the more expensive sixth category, but you will only need it if you plan to build a network. 10 Gbps Ethernet over copper wiring, which is hardly realistic at the moment. What about CAT 7 cable? Forget about it!

If you have a good amount, then it is better to spend it on network specialist which possesses sufficient experience in laying gigabit networks... A technician will be able to competently lay cables or test your existing network for working with Gigabit Ethernet. When installing a CAT 6 cable, we highly recommend that you seek professional help, as this cable specifies the bend radius and special high-quality connectors.

Gigabit equipment

In some way, the question of "gigabit or not" could have been the subject of controversy a year or a couple of years ago. From the point of view of a SOHO shopper, the transition from 10 to 10/100 Mbps has already happened. New computers are equipped with 10/100 Ethernet ports, routers already use built-in 10/100 switches rather than 10BaseT hubs. However, such a change is not a consequence of the demands and wishes of home networkers. They are content with the existing equipment.

For these changes, we should thank the corporate users who buy only 10/100 equipment in bulk today, which allows us to lower prices for it. Once consumer equipment makers discovered they could use 10BaseT chips versus 10/100 options more expensive, they did not hesitate for a long time.

Thus, yesterday's 10BaseT hub architecture has quietly migrated to today's 10/100 switched networks. We will experience the same transition from 10/100 to 10/100/1000 Mbps. And although there is still a year or two left before the tipping point, the transition already started and prices continue to fall steadily.

All you need is to buy a gigabit network card and a gigabit switch. Let's take a closer look at them.

• Network cards

  Branded 32-bit PCI 10/100 / 1000BaseT network cards such as Intel PRO1000 MT, Netgear GA302T and SMC SMC9552TX cost from $ 40 to $ 70 on the Internet. Products from second-tier manufacturers are about $ 5 cheaper. And while gigabit NICs are about two and a half times more expensive than the average 10/100 cards, your wallet is unlikely to notice any difference at all, unless you buy them in bulk.

  You can find network cards that support not only the 32-bit PCI bus, but also the 64-bit one, but they also cost more. What you won't see are CardBus adapters for your laptops. For some reason, manufacturers believe that notebooks do not need gigabit networks at all.

• Switches

  But the price of 10/100/1000 switches makes you think ten times about the feasibility of switching to gigabit Ethernet. The good news is that transparent gigabit switches are now available, which are much cheaper than their managed counterparts for the enterprise market.

  A simple four-port 10/100/1000 Netgear GS104 switch can be purchased for less than $ 225. If you opt for lesser-known brands like TRENDnet's TEG-S40TXE, you can drop the cost to $ 150. Few four ports - please. The eight-port version of the Netgear GS108 will set you back about $ 450, and the TRENDnet TEG-S80TXD about $ 280.

  Considering that a 5-port 10/100 switch costs only $ 20 today, the prices for gigabit will seem too high to some. But remember, until recently, you could only buy Managed Gigabit Switches at $ 100 + per port. Prices are heading in the right direction!

Do you have to change computers?

Here's a little secret to Gigabit Ethernet: Under Win98 or 98SE, you probably won't get any benefit from Gigabit speed. While you can try to improve throughput by editing the registry, you still don't get a significant performance boost over your current 10/100 hardware.

The problem lies in the Win98 TCP / IP stack, which was not designed with high-speed networking in mind. The stack has problems even using 100BaseT networks, what can we say about gigabit communication then! We'll come back to this question in the second article, but for now, you should only consider Win2000 and WinXP to work with gigabit Ethernet.

With the last sentence we are by no means not assumes that only Windows 2000 and XP support gigabit network cards. We just haven't tested the performance on other operating systems, so please refrain from sarcastic comments!

If you're wondering if you'll have to throw out your good old computer and buy a new one to use Gigabit Ethernet, then our answer is “maybe”. Based on our practical experience, one hertz of "modern" processors equals one bit per second of network bandwidth... One of the manufacturers of gigabit networking equipment agreed with us: any machine with a clock speed 700 MHz or below will not be able to fully utilize the bandwidth of the Gigabit Ethernet. So even with the right operating system, old computers are gigabit Ethernet like a dead poultice. You will rather see speeds 100-500 Mbps

Many Russians have already learned the delights of Gigabit Ethernet. "

- Don't have Gigabit Ethernet yet? Then we go to you! We will tell you how to properly build a home network at gigabit speeds, which router to choose, what maximum speed can be achieved with the right equipment, and how much it will cost you.

Just a few years ago, Gigabit Ethernet technology was used only by telecom operators and large companies: in corporate networks, local networks, for transporting traffic over long distances, etc. Home subscribers did not even think about getting such speeds. But in 2012-2013, thanks to the improvement of "software" and "hardware", as well as the widest spread of Internet technologies, gigabit speeds have become more affordable and real for private users. Today, almost every metropolitan resident has the opportunity to build a network with Gigabit Ethernet support at home.

Many will ask: “Why have Internet at home with speeds of the order of 1 Gb / s at all? Is megabit Internet not enough for surfing websites, downloading movies and freezing up on social networks? "

We will answer in detail.

How a home user can use Gigabit Ethernet

Russian Internet users, as well as home Internet consumers around the world, are extremely active in using traffic. The volume of traffic consumed in the world is growing every month (not even a year already). A few years ago, we were happy with 1 Mbps, and even earlier, we were ready to download a movie all night to watch it later. Today, few people download videos at all, most of them watch directly online. Plus, thousands of users want HD quality and are willing to pay for it. And to watch and download videos in high quality, you need high-speed unlimited Internet.

Also, recently, torrent television is gaining popularity, allowing you to watch TV over the Internet, completely free of charge. Some users have already begun to abandon cable and satellite TV, others use torrent TV as a new interesting service and hope for its soon popularization. But in any case, for torrent-TV you need fast Internet, and even unlimited, otherwise this venture will cost more than a regular cable one.

A very important segment of high-speed broadband Internet consumers are gamers who play online. Today there are many online games for which young people (and not only young people) upgrade their PCs, pay for unlimited Internet with high connection speeds. Moreover, at the end of 2013 it is planned to release a new cult game Survarium from the creators of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. It will be an online game with free accounts. Considering how many Russians played the legendary S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Internet providers should prepare for a new influx of subscribers willing to pay for faster and more expensive Internet access. And users can start preparing now - and gigabit Internet can be the first step in this preparation.

In short, it is very easy to find the use of Gigabit Ethernet in a home network if you are an IT-advanced person and use modern technologies to the fullest.

Real Gigabit Ethernet Speed ​​- What's the Catch?

The phrase "gigabit internet" sounds loud, but are you really getting at least 1 Gbps? In fact, this speed is achieved only under ideal conditions, it is unrealistic to get it at home, even if you install equipment that supports Gigabit Ethernet, configure everything as needed, order a gigabit package from your provider. Of course, you will get a speed 1,000 times higher than with 1 Mbit / s, because the same restrictions apply for the megabit Internet. But let's calculate what your Internet access speed will be.

We will count, using ordinary arithmetic, according to the "standard" approach. In addition, we will round off for simplicity: 1 kilobit = 1000 bits, not 1024 bits. In this case, 1 Gigabit is equal to 1000 megabits. But on a hard disk, information is not stored in bits, but in bytes - larger units. As everyone knows, 1 byte = 8 bits. For convenience, the amount of information and the speed of its transmission are usually considered in different units, and this often confuses the user, forcing him to expect more than it actually is.

Thus, the transfer rate of real files will be 8 times less than the provider says, since providers and speed testing programs count bits. Our 1 Gbps (1,000,000,000 bps) translates to 125,000,000 bytes (divided by 8). It turns out that 1 Gb / s = 125 MB / s.

But the problem is that the home user, due to various circumstances that do not always depend on him, actually gets only about 30% of the ideal 125 MB / s. That is, we already get about 37 MB / s. That's all that remains of 1 Gbps. But if you look at this figure in comparison with 1 Mbit / s, then we will still get 1,000 times faster Internet.

Home network equipment for Gigabit Ethernet

It is quite possible to create the conditions for a Gigabit Ethernet network at home today. Moreover, if you have a modern PC, then you will not need a very big re-equipment, and it will not cost as much as it might seem at first glance. The most important thing is to make sure that all of your primary devices are Gigabit Ethernet capable. After all, if at least one of them is not designed for such speeds, then in the end you will get a maximum of 100 Mbps.

If you want to achieve gigabit speeds, then you need the following equipment with support for 1 Gbps:

• a router that supports Gigabit Ethernet;
• network card (Ethernet adapter, network adapter);
• Network Controller;
• hub / switch;
• HDD;
• cables must be rated for 1 Gbps.

Each of the listed devices is an important link in the network; the final data transfer rate depends on each. So let's take a closer look at each of them.

Wi-Fi router. You need a gigabit router i.e. with Gigabit Ethernet support. These routers are somewhat more expensive than megabit ones, because they are designed for higher speeds. In principle, there are enough offers on the market under the brands Asus, TP-LINK, D-Link, etc. But base your choice on more than feature list, specs, and design. Be sure to check the forums (and at least 5) with reviews from real consumers to make sure that the router will work for a long time and reliably.

LAN card. This device can be integrated into the motherboard or stand-alone. The network adapter for a gigabit network must necessarily support Gigabit Ethernet. If your PC is more than 2-3 years old, then most likely the network card is outdated and does not support such high speeds. If you recently purchased a computer, then it is quite possible that you will not need to upgrade your network adapter. But in any case, check the characteristics of your specific network card for compatibility with the Gigabit Ethernet network.

Network Controller. If you are building a home network, then it is important that every computer on that network has a gigabit controller. Otherwise, only those PCs that have one will get sufficient speed. Like a network card, a network controller can be separate or integrated into the motherboard. Usually modern PCs have controllers that support 1 Gbps by default. So it is possible that you do not need to modify anything for Gigabit Ethernet.

Hub / Switch. It is one of the most expensive components in a home network. Often, it is already in the router. But check if it supports gigabit speeds. Important! A switch is more efficient than a hub because it routes data to only one specific port, and a hub to all of them. Using the switch, you can significantly save resource without spraying it over unnecessary ports.

HDD. It may seem strange to some, but the hard drive seriously affects the speed of Internet access. The fact is that it is the hard drive that sends data to the network controller, and how quickly you can transmit and receive data depends on their quality connection. It is desirable that the controller has a PCI Express (PCIe) interface, not a PCI one. And the hard drive must have a SATA connector, not IDE, since the latter supports too low speeds.

Network cable. Naturally, cable is an essential part of a home gigabit network. You can choose twisted pair Cat 5 and Cat 5e cables (used for laying telephone lines and local networks - they are enough for Gigabit Ethernet), or you can overpay a little and take Cat 6 cable (specially designed for Gigabit Ethernet and Fast Ethernet). The length of the twisted pair should be no more than 100 m, otherwise the signal begins to fade and the required speed of the Internet connection cannot be achieved. In addition, when placing cables in an apartment, pay attention to the fact that it is undesirable to lay them next to the power supply wires (read more about the reasons).

And the last important factor for organizing a home Gigabit Ethernet network is software. The operating system on the PC must be fresher. If it is Windows, then not earlier than Windows 2000 (and even then you have to dig into the settings). XP, Vista, Windows 7 versions support Gigabit Internet by default, so there shouldn't be any problems. With other operating systems, additional configuration may be necessary.

Top 5 Best Home Wi-Fi Routers
supporting Gigabit Ethernet, 2013

1. ASUS RT-N66U- an excellent model, powerful and reliable. Works simultaneously in two frequency bands - 2.4 and 5 GHz. The high speed of data transfer pleases - 900 Mbit / s is declared. Great for building a home Gigabit Ethernet network. But you need to reflash to improve performance and get rid of a number of problems that arise on native firmware. However, most routers require flashing immediately or shortly after purchase. The cost is about 4.5-5 thousand rubles.

2. D-Link DIR-825 - not a bad choice. This is a 2-band router, quite "stuffed". Working frequencies: 2.4 and 5 GHz; simultaneous use of both is available. This router has the best price-quality ratio on the market. Among the advantages is a wide distribution channel Wi-Fi (can pull up to 50 subscribers). From the point of view of users, the most noticeable disadvantage is the bright LED indication of the device, but this is more a matter of taste than the quality of the device. As for the firmware, you can leave the native one, but it is recommended to reflash to improve performance. Router price: about 3 thousand rubles.

3. TP-LINK TL-WDR4300 Is a very fast router, great for home networks. The manufacturer claims a maximum data transfer rate of 750 Mbps. One of the important advantages of this model over many others is the ability to simultaneously use two frequency bands: 2.4 and 5 GHz. Thanks to this, users can simultaneously connect to the Internet from phones, smartphones, and from a laptop, PC or tablet. Another plus of this model is that it comes with powerful enough antennas that allow you to distribute the Internet via Wi-Fi for more than 200 m. But in order for all this to function normally, it is better to change the firmware from the factory. Through a series of software manipulations, the device will perform much better. Model price: about 3 thousand rubles.

4. Zyxel Keenetic Giga is a decent router with several useful features. Its main disadvantage is that the router works only in one frequency range - 2.4 GHz. But at the same time, the speed is sufficient to watch IP-TV, use torrent networks (there is a built-in torrent client) and other "gluttonous" services. The Zyxel Keenetic Giga is equipped with powerful antennas, which allows you to create Wi-Fi networks (by the way, the device supports all Wi-Fi standards) with a long range. The router is quite simple to set up, but the firmware, like for most routers, will have to be changed. Another plus is that the device is relatively inexpensive - from 3 to 4 thousand rubles.

5. TP-LINK TL-WR1043ND - a fairly powerful and cheap gigabit router. However, it has several disadvantages. Firstly, it works only in the 2.4 GHz band, which is not very convenient. Secondly, it is more suitable for experienced users, since the native firmware, as in many cases, is not very good, and it can be difficult to reflash this model. But all this is more than offset by the reliability and power of this router. The maximum data transfer rate is 300 Mbps. The device works out its money, since the price of the model is only 2 thousand rubles.

I was in no rush to move my home network from 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps, which is rather strange to me since I am transferring a large amount of files over the network. However, when I spend money on upgrading my computer or infrastructure, I believe that I should immediately get a performance boost in the applications and games I run. Many users like to amuse themselves with a new video card, central processor and some kind of gadget. However, for some reason, networking equipment does not attract such enthusiasm. Indeed, it is difficult to invest the money earned in the network infrastructure instead of another technological birthday present.

However, my bandwidth requirements are very high, and at one point I realized that the infrastructure for 100 Mbps was no longer enough. All my home computers already have 1 Gbps integrated adapters (on motherboards), so I decided to take the price list of the nearest computer company and see what I would need to transfer my entire network infrastructure to 1 Gbps.

No, a home gigabit network is not that complicated at all.

I bought and installed all the hardware. I remember that it used to take about a minute and a half to copy a large file over a 100 Mbps network. After upgrading to 1 Gbps, the same file was copied in 40 seconds. The performance gains were nice, but I still didn't get the tenfold superiority that one would expect from comparing the 100 Mbps versus 1 Gbps bandwidth of the old and new networks.

What is the reason?

For a gigabit network, all parts of it must support 1 Gbps. For example, if you have gigabit network cards and corresponding cables installed, but the hub / switch only supports 100 Mbps, then the entire network will operate at 100 Mbps.

The first requirement is a network controller. It is best if each computer on the network is equipped with a gigabit network adapter (separate or integrated on the motherboard). This requirement is the easiest to meet, since most motherboard manufacturers have been integrating gigabit network controllers over the past couple of years.

The second requirement is that the network card must also support 1 Gbps. There is a common misconception that gigabit networks require Category 5e cable, but in fact even older Cat 5 cables support 1 Gbps. However, Cat 5e cables are superior in performance, so they are better suited for gigabit networks, especially if the cables are long enough. However, Cat 5e cables are still the cheapest today because the old Cat 5 standard is outdated. Newer and more expensive Cat 6 cables offer even better performance for gigabit networks. We'll compare the performance of Cat 5e vs Cat 6 cables later in this article.

The third and probably most expensive component in a gigabit network is a 1 Gbps hub / switch. Of course, it is better to use a switch (possibly paired with a router), since a hub or hub is not the most intelligent device that simply broadcasts all network data to all available ports, which leads to a large number of collisions and slows down network performance. If you need high performance, a gigabit switch is essential because it only redirects network data to the correct port, effectively increasing the speed of your network in comparison to a hub. A router usually contains a built-in switch (with multiple LAN ports) and also allows you to connect your home network to the Internet. Most home users understand the benefits of a router, so a gigabit router is an attractive option.

I decided to upgrade my computer a little, and since I needed 2 network cards and there were not enough slots, I needed a network card in the PCI-E slot. There was enough time so I decided to buy it on aliexpress.

Found, according to the description completely satisfied, for the price too. When checking the seller, it showed that the level of risk is practically zero. Ordered, the package arrived 20 days after the seller sent it. By the way, now the seller has a discount or a sale, but the card costs 3.63.

But since I don't really trust Chinese manufacturers, I first looked closely at the board. My intuition did not deceive me, the main microcircuit was soldered not only with an offset, but also there were solder sticks in three places (indicated by arrows).

I did not particularly understand what these conclusions are responsible for, but I was stuck on the legs of the connection with the memory microcircuit, and the power outputs, i.e. the board is guaranteed not to be determined at least, at most I would be left without a new computer.

And of course the funny designation of the link speed in Hertz.

Without inserting it into the computer, I wrote to the seller that I received the parcel, but it does not work, the microcircuit is badly soldered. To which he replied that they say send a video. What he was going to see there, I do not understand. I told him that I would try to take a photo, but everything is so small that he is unlikely to see anything. Sent a message.

Without waiting for an answer, he took a soldering iron, removed the snot, checked the card - it works.

The card was identified as Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller, and because I already had the Realtek drivers installed, the card started working right away, I didn't have to install anything.
The equipment manager writes about her -
PCI \ VEN_10EC & DEV_8168 & SUBSYS_816810EC & REV_02 \ 4 & 293AFFCC & 1 & 00E0

I tested the copying speed, though everything was limited by the speed of the router's port (I was surprised to find that I had nothing to test the card with at gigabit speed), while I have nothing to test the gigabit with, and to be honest, I don’t see it as an absolute necessity yet, 100 megabits is enough, but I haven't seen 100 megabits PCI-E, so let it live. Moreover, for this money, I hardly buy from us.

As a result, I wrote to the seller that the chip was soldered, the card works, I will confirm receipt, but I am very dissatisfied. The workmanship is very poor. As a result, the seller offered a refund of $ 3, I agreed, in fact, I had no particular complaints about the seller, I went to contact immediately and without problems.

But this is not the point, the moral of this micro-review is that, just in case, before inserting a new piece of hardware into your computer, do not be too lazy to carefully examine it, so as not to be left without a computer at all.

In general, the delivery is excellent, the card is the most commonplace, the price is reasonable, delivery is fast, but the quality is lame and quite strong.

Probably this is how my network was assembled