Broadband upgrade need 2.5gbe card/adapter

[SouthSider]

I've just upgraded my broadband speed to 1200mbit and now need a 2.5gbe network card or adapter to take full advantage of it. My router has a couple of 2.5gbit ethernet ports, and my 16 port switch is also 2.5gbe so no issues there. My desktop and laptop however only have 1gbe ports. For the laptop I don't have much choice except to buy a 2.5gbe ethernet adapter. My question is for the desktop I use for gaming, should I buy a type-C adapter or a PCIe card? Would a proper card be more reliable or would a good type-C adapter be fine? If I used a card I may have to lose or put the soundcard on a riser/extension cable due to having an mATX board and side mount it, which is fine if necessary. These are what I have in mind:

https://www.scan.co.uk/products/asus-usb-c2500-usb-type-a-to-rj45-25g-base-t-ethernet-network-adapter-100-1000-2500mbps

https://www.scan.co.uk/products/1-port-asus-xg-c100c-v2-10gbe-workstation-network-card-pcie-x4-10gbe-rj45-port-built-in-qos

[d5aqoëp]

Get any TP-Link 2.5G card from amazon or e-retailer. Avoid Intel I225-V and I226-V as these cards have issues in maintaining a 2.5 G Link. 

[neufuse Veteran]

On 11/08/2023 at 05:56, d5aqoëp said:

Get any TP-Link 2.5G card from amazon or e-retailer. Avoid Intel I225-V and I226-V as these cards have issues in maintaining a 2.5 G Link. 

I've used the intel card for a while now and have had zero issues with 2.5Gbps connections staying up, I did have a TON of issues with ASUS's 10GbE multigig cards (the 100/1/2.5/5/10G multi mode ones)

Edited August 11, 2023 by neufuse

[SouthSider]

So in a nutshell get PCI-e card rather than a USB adapter?

[neufuse Veteran]

On 11/08/2023 at 15:28, SouthSider said:

So in a nutshell get PCI-e card rather than a USB adapter?

if you have slots open, use them first before USB

[WaynesWorld]

In the desktop, get the PCIe card, it will almost always be the better of the 2 options and more stable/consistent too...

For the lappy, a good, name brand USB-C adapter will work great, been there, done that, many times :)

[bikeman25]

In my situation since i also use a Wifi/Bluetooth card in my Main Gaming Desktop to have Bluetooth support on the Desktop mainly,  i opted to get a USB (Realtek) based 2.5gig Ethernet adapter when i upgraded my Comcast to Gigabit Extra 1200MBps speed,   working pretty well so far,  if i had more card space though for the Desktop i would've opted for the PCie card,  but sadly i don't really have anymore space i don't think

 

Video card Takes up PCie 16 slot

x1 Slot down 2 slots is Wifi/Bluetooth card

and Last Slot is  Pci E video card slot it appears (or a second video card slot i suppose not that i ever plan to use it for that)   

 

But my current usb adapter seems to be stable enough as i use system sometimes 14-16 hours a day, Gaming, Streaming, Downloading various files, upload files to Cloud service (OneDrive)   so usb adapter is used a ton.   Maybe someday in the future if my future motherboard upgrade has built in Wifi/Bluetooth and Lan 2.5gig port i'll see how it is with the non usb lan connection 

 

[neufuse Veteran]

On 16/08/2023 at 11:01, bikeman25 said:

In my situation since i also use a Wifi/Bluetooth card in my Main Gaming Desktop to have Bluetooth support on the Desktop mainly,  i opted to get a USB (Realtek) based 2.5gig Ethernet adapter when i upgraded my Comcast to Gigabit Extra 1200MBps speed,   working pretty well so far,  if i had more card space though for the Desktop i would've opted for the PCie card,  but sadly i don't really have anymore space i don't think

 

Video card Takes up PCie 16 slot

x1 Slot down 2 slots is Wifi/Bluetooth card

and Last Slot is  Pci E video card slot it appears (or a second video card slot i suppose not that i ever plan to use it for that)   

 

But my current usb adapter seems to be stable enough as i use system sometimes 14-16 hours a day, Gaming, Streaming, Downloading various files, upload files to Cloud service (OneDrive)   so usb adapter is used a ton.   Maybe someday in the future if my future motherboard upgrade has built in Wifi/Bluetooth and Lan 2.5gig port i'll see how it is with the non usb lan connection 

 

you can put a 1x, 4x or 8x card into those 8/16x pcie slots ... they aren't just "video card slots" , heck I don't know the last time I saw a 4x slot on a consumer board, usually just server boards now so for a 4x card you have to use the extra "video" card slots since most consumer ones are just 1x and 8/16x slots

[bikeman25]

Ohh didn't know that,  definitely good to know in case in future do purchase a pci-e card then and stick that in bottom slot underneath wifi/Bluetooth card in that case.     

Correction:  was thinking of my Older Asus I7 7700 G11CD-K  Case and that board had a bottom video card slot.

 

Just looked thru side window for my Current I7 10700 based Desktop, and discovered All Slots Currently in use,  other Pcie 1x spot too close to video card to be of any use,  so Wifi/Bluetooth card is in last 1x PCie Slot available.    So yeah no choice for My situation to use USB 2.5gig Ethernet Adapter after all, unless i gave up Backup Wifi & Bluetooth on this I7 10700 Desktop

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by bikeman25