Reliable 25 Gigabit Ethernet via Thunderbolt
10 days ago
- #Networking
- #Ethernet Adapter
- #Thunderbolt
- Tiny Thunderbolt to 25 Gigabit Ethernet adapter available on Amazon, powered by the host with no additional power supply needed.
- Comes in single and dual port SFP28 versions, starting at $157, but lacks reviews and manufacturer information.
- Identifies as 'PX Thunderbolt to Ethernet' on macOS, plug-and-play without additional drivers.
- Gets extremely hot during use, leading to network disconnections or kernel panics on macOS.
- Performance tests show speeds up to 20.7 Gbits/sec unidirectional and 25.4 Gbits/sec bidirectional.
- Internally consists of a Mellanox ConnectX-4 Lx EN OCP 2.0 card and a Thunderbolt 3 adapter PCB.
- Added large heat sinks with thermal pads to reduce temperatures by 15 Kelvin, improving stability.
- Firmware update requires a Linux or Windows machine with Thunderbolt support, not possible on macOS.
- Updated firmware and cooling solution have made the adapter stable for continuous use.
- Does not fit in the original travel case after adding heat sinks.