Tag: networking

Unifi 10 Gig USB 4 Ethernet Adapter Review

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been checking out some of the new USB 4.0 10-gigabit Ethernet adapters that have hit the market. In my latest review, we take a look at one from Unifi – known more for their network infrastructure equipment vs. individual adapter cards.

At $200, it sits a bit higher on the price scale compared to others, but this one stands out because it doesn’t have a noisy fan. The outer case gets a bit warm but I noticed no performance degradation under sustained loads.

This adapter is running with the same Marvell AQC113 chipset as some of the others we’ve reviewed recently. Setup was simple. On macOS, Linux (Ubuntu), and Windows, the adapter functioned as plug-and-play in my testing. UniFi also provides a direct link to Marvel’s driver download page for those who need additional support. That’s a refreshing change from some of the vendors I’ve seen who push downloads through sketchy sites.

Performance was consistent across the board. I ran speed tests on all three platforms—Mac, Windows, and Linux—and consistently saw results in the 9.4 to 9.47 Gbps range in both upload and download directions using iPerf. The adapter maintained those speeds reliably with minimal variation.

To get the full performance you will need to connect this to a USB 4 or Thunderbolt connection. In addition to 10 gigabit speeds it will also operate at 5, 2.5, 1 gigabits or 100 megabits. I’m sure it’ll probably support 10 megabits too if you happen to plug it into a 90s era hub.

Overall this one feels like a solid option for anyone looking to get reliable 10 gig connectivity and something I’m comfortable recommending.

Plugable 5G USB-C Ethernet Adapter Review – USBC-E5000

My latest video review is of the Plugable USBC-E5000 5 gigabit ethernet adapter —something that’s still relatively uncommon compared to the more widely available 2.5 gigabit options. The unit supports 5 Gbps speeds when plugged into a 10 Gbps USB 3.2 port, meaning you don’t need Thunderbolt or USB 4 to hit those higher transfer rates. You can see it in action here.

You can find these on Amazon at a pretty reasonable price (compensated affiliate link). Be sure to look for coupon options that might be available.

It’s powered by the Realtek RTL8157 chipset, which made setup a smooth process on macOS and Linux. Windows was a bit different. It recognized the device without needing a manual driver install, but initial download speeds didn’t meet expectations. Installing the drivers directly from Plugable’s site resolved that issue. I’d expect Windows to eventually update with better out-of-the-box support.

That chipset choice makes a difference. A few years back, I tried similar 5 gig adapters using less reliable chipsets, and the experience wasn’t great. This one worked consistently across all three major operating systems. It also worked with a few of my smartphones, although I found performance better on iOS vs. Android.

It’s worth noting that while this is a 5 Gbps adapter, it also scales down to 2.5 Gbps, 1 Gbps, and even 100 Mbps depending on the network switch it’s connected to. However, to get the full 5 Gbps performance, the USB port has to support 10 Gbps throughput. Plug it into a slower port, and you won’t get top speeds.

Once I had it connected to my Mac, I ran a speed test using my 10 Gbps internet connection. The results were in line with what I expected from a 5 gigabit connection—downloads and uploads both performed well, taking into account the usual network overhead. I saw similar performance on my Windows and Linux machines.

There’s not much else to the product. It does what it says. It’s compact, has indicator lights for link status, and so far it’s been reliable. Plugable is also a U.S.-based company with domestic support, which might be a consideration for those who like knowing there’s someone they can reach out to if anything goes wrong. Most of their products, including this one, come with a two year warranty.

If you’re looking to move beyond 2.5 Gbps over USB and want a relatively straightforward upgrade, this might be something to keep on your radar.