X520-10G-2S-X8

The 10Gtek 10Gb PCI-E NIC with the Intel X540-BT1 controller is an outstanding network upgrade for anyone needing fast, stable, and reliable 10-gig connectivity. Installation was quick and seamless — plug it into a PCIe slot, install the drivers, and it’s instantly recognized. The Intel X540 chipset is known for its reliability, and this card absolutely lives up to that reputation. From a performance standpoint, it’s excellent. I consistently achieve full 10GbE speeds during large file transfers, virtualization workloads, and NAS-to-PC operations. Latency is extremely low, and there’s zero packet loss or connection instability. The onboard controller handles offloading efficiently, reducing CPU load and keeping system performance smooth even during heavy data transmission. Thermals are well-managed too — the heatsink keeps the card cool, and I haven’t experienced any throttling or heat-related issues. The RJ45 port is sturdy and compatible with Cat6a/Cat7 for maximum throughput. For home labs, servers, workstation builds, or high-speed content workflows, this NIC is a top-tier option at an excellent value. Enterprise-level hardware, flawless stability, and true 10Gb performance.

As a solutions architect who has recently started working from home, I needed a reliable and high-speed network card to handle my upgraded home internet connection, which is now a fiber connection at 5Gbps+. I also required higher throughput to my work's datacenter. The 10Gtek 10Gb Dual RJ45 Port Network Card with X540 Controller has proven to be an excellent choice. First and foremost, this network card delivers outstanding performance. With dual RJ45 ports and the X540 controller, it supports 10Gbps speeds, ensuring that my connection remains fast and stable. This has been crucial for my workflow, as I often need to transfer large files and access remote servers without any lag. Upgrading my home internet to a fiber connection at 5Gbps+ meant I needed a network card that could handle such speeds efficiently. The 10Gtek network card has met these demands perfectly, providing the necessary throughput to my work's datacenter. This has significantly improved my productivity, allowing me to access and manage data quickly and efficiently. The installation process was straightforward, and the card works seamlessly with my Windows systems and Hyper-V servers. The packaging was fantastic, and the install was as simple as expected. However, the only negative experience I had was finding compatible drivers. Windows Update didn’t recognize the hardware, and the manufacturer’s website didn’t have any readily available drivers. I ended up going to the chip manufacturer’s website and found the appropriate driver, which I successfully installed. No driver disks or instructions were provided. The build quality of this network card is on par with what I expected, providing a solid and functional product. It feels robust enough for long-term use without being overly impressive. Additionally, the card's design ensures efficient heat dissipation, preventing overheating even during prolonged use. One feature I particularly appreciate is the network activity lights, which, while almost standard, provide clear indicators of network status and activity. The device is also void of any additional noise, making it ideal for a quiet home office environment. Additionally, the value for the money is exceptional. This network card offers high-end performance and features at a reasonable price point, making it a great investment for anyone needing reliable network connectivity. In summary, the 10Gtek 10Gb Dual RJ45 Port Network Card with X540 Controller is an excellent investment for anyone needing high-speed and reliable network connectivity. It has significantly enhanced my home office setup, providing seamless and efficient access to my work's datacenter. If you're looking for a network card that offers great value for the money, exceptional performance, and broad compatibility, I highly recommend this product. Despite the minor inconvenience with the drivers, it has been a game-changer for my workflow and connectivity needs.

Great card so far. Works with either fiber sfps, 10G copper sfps or with DAC cables. One caveat with Windows 11: I had to find and install the older Intel x510 drivers for it to be recognized and work. Linux (Pop OS 22.04 LTS) had the drivers and libraries available natively. As far as stability and connectivity is concerned, zero issues so far. A quick Google search found an old Redfit article with a link to the driver pack, so 10 minute fix.

Easy install in a x4 slot. Positive, snug cable latching into the card using CAT8 cables. Current drivers can be found on Intel's site for the X550-T2 chip. Runs as advertised, averaging 1.055GB/s using a large image file directory transfer with NVMe SSDs at either end. Both ports can be teamed by downloading Intel's ProSet wired software. When teamed, transferring large files to 2 different computers simultaneously will produce up to 20Gbs throughput with NVMe SSDs on each end using jumbo frames. The attached test file image used a directory containing a total of 102.8GB of (3) large image files. If you must have a Wake-on-LAN feature, you may want to pass on this card. In Windows 10, the Power Management tab shows a grayed out box... can't enable it. Intel's site states that "Wake-on-LAN is not supported on most Intel® Ethernet 10-gigabit adapter chips." Not a fault of GTek. Really like the card, but won't be buying more because of the lack of Wake-on-LAN. Had to swap out the teamed 10Gb cards in my workstation (always on) to the backup server. Now using this card in the workstation. Overall, still quite happy with this card, it's a keeper! UPDATE: Purchased a second card after getting the first to (indirectly) wake-on LAN. Had an unused 2.5Gb 4 port switch... connected it to the 2.5Gb network interface on the motherboard. Connected from the switch directly to the modem, by-passing the main 10Gb network switch. Used the MAC address of the 2.5Gb motherboard interface on a different private subnet to use wake-on LAN. It's been waking and working fine; so I bought another card. Will also wire it through the 2.5Gb switch. Added bonus is I can now use jumbo (9k frames) through the 10Gb switch, while the 2.5Gb connection remains at the standard 1500 MTU. I can use the internet through the second subnet. Best of both worlds!

Works as designed. Bought this from Amazon Resale for a song. Came with all the parts and worked. This card runs warm. However my case has VG ventilation and is not an issue. There was no driver for Windows 11 Pro Update to automagically install the part. A manual install of the Windows 10 driver was necessary. If you know what you're doing its not hard, still was not a "point 'n click" installation.

Works great and provides 10GB speeds in my home lab

I originally purchased this to upgrade my opnsense nic to 10Gb. I decided to try it on my Synology DS1821+ just to see if it will work. I was surprise it worked without any issues or special installation steps/drivers needed. Synology detected the two interfaces and after doing some iperf testing, Im getting faster that speeds vs the build in 1Gb nic in the NAS. Opnsense detects these as "Shenzhen 10Gtek Transceivers Co., Limited". If you have static IP set on the build in nic, you will need to transfer those to the new nic. I now have two 10Gb nic on my nas. i dont think I need two, Im not sure if the single nic will work as well, I assume it will if its the same chipset. But this saved me $50 at least had I purchased the Synology branded nic.

I ordered a 10Gb NIC Network Card with X550-AT2 Controller chip & that is what I got but 10Gtek the makers of the card & the ones who sold me this card, listed it as Compatible with FreeBSD OS and OpnSense OS all not true as I wasted over a month trying to get to work right on OpnSense and the firmware on the card is old fw 2.11.11 nvm 2.10.0 Option ROM V1-b2585-p0 eTrack 0x80000f48 and locked firmware aka no flashing, I knew it was locked before buying it. I just did not think the firmware would be that old. I contacted 10Gtek & told them what was going & they replied that they would look into it. Days later I got an email from 10Gtek saying "After further investigation, our technical team has confirmed that the X550-T2 network card is indeed not compatible with OPNsense v25.7.3 FreeBSD v14.3." and that they would update the amazon page and you can see they did just that. I'm really unhappy with 10Gtek as they should have tested newer stuff with that old intel firmware. I can say for sure I will never buy anything from 10Gtek again.