Good gigabit network card

[Migelo]

This thread continues the discussion started here, since I got my cable and found it was the network card all along.

So please suggest me a good network card that is reliable and will do gigabit connection without a problem.

 

[00Roush]

Generally the Intel NICs are your best bet. Good consistent performance with good driver support. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833106033

00Roush

 

[Migelo]

So you are sure I'll get gigabit speeds with this card?

 

[Jesse B]

You will never achieve full gigabit speeds. There will always be some overhead due to protocols. Assuming your connected computers have Intel NIC's, and your router/switch is up to the task bandwidth wise, you should be able to achieve speeds close to (or even exceeding if you're VERY lucky) 100MB/s. Hard drive read/write speed is also a huge player.

 

[claykin]

In reading your other thread you are running through a 100Mb/s switch. This is why you are getting no more than 12.5MB/s transfer. You need a Gigabit switch for higher transfer rates.

What NIC is in your PC and Home Server? Check in Device Manager and report back. If its a NIC baked on the motherboard, please advise the motherboard model #.

 

[Migelo]

@Jesse B: I know that and since I'm aiming for something around 70-80MB/s it's not a problem.

@claykin: It seems you made a mistake reading my other thread (or is it so badly written?), I have 100Mbits router and all testing is done on 2 PCs directly connected via 10G cat6 cable.

And yes, the NIC is baked to the motherboard. GIGABYTE GA-M68M-S2P it has Onboard Realtek RTL8211CL (10/100/1000Mbit).

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Intel NICs are superior. I used to love 3COM also..but they've dipped out. Broadcom makes some some half decent "server grade" NICs...but they're more often integrated in the motherboard, not stand alone...so you won't find Broadcom NICs at online stores.

You can find many Intel NICs at NewEgg.

"Guarantee" to negotiate at gigabit speeds? Nope...there's no guarantee. There are other factors that are not the NICs fault. Cables (and any interference you may give them by improperly locating them..like up across a drop down ceiling across a fluorescent light where the ballast will cause problems). And your switch! Yes, I've seen a gigabit switch not allow even Intel gigavit NICs to negotiate gigabit....full blown server grade Intel NICs. I replaced that clients cheap bargain brand gigabit switch with a nice HP ProCurve...and the couple of Dell Poweredge servers with onboard Intel gigabit NICs that couldn't run gigabit reliably suddenly have no problem running gigabit all day long.

 

[claykin]

@claykin: It seems you made a mistake reading my other thread (or is it so badly written?), I have 100Mbits router and all testing is done on 2 PCs directly connected via 10G cat6 cable.

And yes, the NIC is baked to the motherboard. GIGABYTE GA-M68M-S2P it has Onboard Realtek RTL8211CL (10/100/1000Mbit).

Directly connected via what?

RTL8211CL? I can hardly find any info on that NIC. visit www.realtek.com.tw and see what you can find. I type that into Realtek's search tool and am presented with a login box. Weird to say the least.

 

[00Roush]

Directly connected via what?

RTL8211CL? I can hardly find any info on that NIC. visit www.realtek.com.tw and see what you can find. I type that into Realtek's search tool and am presented with a login box. Weird to say the least.

Probably this http://www.realtek.com/products/productsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=16&PFid=14&Level=5&Conn=4&ProdID=220

00Roush

 

[claykin]

@claykin: It seems you made a mistake reading my other thread (or is it so badly written?), I have 100Mbits router and all testing is done on 2 PCs directly connected via 10G cat6 cable.

And yes, the NIC is baked to the motherboard. GIGABYTE GA-M68M-S2P it has Onboard Realtek RTL8211CL (10/100/1000Mbit).

I still don't understand what you are doing. Did you connect the two PC's using a crossover cable (no other switch, router, etc in place)?

Unimportant for the sake of this discussion, but you would be connecting at 1Gb/s (not 10G)

You have an Nvidia Nforce630a chipset on that Gigabyte board. This chipset has built-in Nvidia ethernet. The Realtek 8211CL is the transceiver only. You should obtain latest NForce drivers from Gigabyte or Nvidia website. Realtek drivers will not work in this case.

 

[Migelo]

Thx for your answers, now let me first clear some things up.

@YeOldeStonecat:

There are other factors that are not the NICs fault.

Yes, but I was thinking just about the NICs, if they, given perfect conditions can negotiate at gigabit speeds.

@claykin: Directly connected via a network cable (1.NIC<cable>2.NIC), nothing in between.
Yes, I would be connecting 1Gbits, I just got 10G cables so I can safely say it's not the cable's fault.
All drivers are up to date.


I'm going to order new NICs monday.

 

[claykin]

Thx for your answers, now let me first clear some things up.

@YeOldeStonecat: Yes, but I was thinking just about the NICs, if they, given perfect conditions can negotiate at gigabit speeds.

@claykin: Directly connected via a network cable (1.NIC<cable>2.NIC), nothing in between.
Yes, I would be connecting 1Gbits, I just got 10G cables so I can safely say it's not the cable's fault.
All drivers are up to date.


I'm going to order new NICs monday.

 

[stevech]

I reasoned using Intel's NIC as they embed their drivers in MIcrosoft's driver databases. The one I just bought was price-competitive (Newegg) and was a low profile card for a small box. Win 7, plug and play, not CDs or searching for drivers, no warnings about uncertified.

 

[Migelo]

@claykin: This is your third post where you don't understand what I'm saying. Since others can understand me, it seems you are the problem. And don't Just quote my whole post and add a at the end. If you don't understand something, explain what is unclear and I'll be happy to clear it out for you.

 

[Migelo]

What do you think about http://www.mimovrste.com/artikel/2530019424/gigabitna-mrezna-kartica-intel-ct-desktop

 

[claykin]

@claykin: This is your third post where you don't understand what I'm saying. Since others can understand me, it seems you are the problem. And don't Just quote my whole post and add a at the end. If you don't understand something, explain what is unclear and I'll be happy to clear it out for you.

Yo, try to be nice. And while you're at it, answer the questions asked of you. It helps during troubleshooting. Can only help if you entertain others advice. I'm trying to help you determine if you really need new NIC's.

I'll drive on. Good luck to ya.

 

[Migelo]

Which question, I already answered every question asked.

 

[Migelo]

Ok, increased my TCP window size to 70KB and iperf shows speeds around 910Mbits/s. The problem remains when I try to copy files, speeds are still around 240Mbits/s.

HDD tests show that HDDs shouldn't be a problem. Up to 100MB/s.

 

[00Roush]

Your network speeds and hard drive speeds sound like they are good so the last component would be software configuration.

Need more info... What OS is on client and server? What method are you using to measure your file copy performance? You mentioned copying files so I assume you mean a standard drag and drop file copy in Windows but I figured I would ask anyway.

00Roush

 

[Migelo]

Win 7 is both on server and client PC. I'm using iperf which benefits from increased tcp window size (230Mbits with 8KB window and 920Mbits with 70KB window) and standard drag and drop copy of a 8 GB HD movie.