Problem with tp-link TX401 10Gb NIC card recognized as 1Gb

[Unr3d]

Hi there,

I just set up my first Unraid server and I have a problem with my tp-link TX401 AQC107 NIC that I just bought on Amazon. I can't get it to be recognized as 10GB. It appears in the dashboard and in info but only as "eth0: 1000 Mbps, full duplex, mtu 1500".

 

I've disabled the motherboard's built-in ethernet in the bios but to no avail. In Settings-Network Settings I have the eth0 interface configured as follows

Enable bonding: No

Enable bridging:Yes

Bridging members of br0: eth0

 

I looked for solutions on reddit and the Unraid forum, I saw the same problem on the forum in 2019 but the solution was to update Unraid to the new version but my version is the latest "Version: 6.12.6" and the drivers should therefore be present.

I also tried to delete the network.cfg file as indicated in another forum post.

 

My problem is still there and I wonder if you can help me or if I should send the card back and get a refund and buy another one? Merci et desolé pour la traduction je suis Français

 

Edited December 31, 2023 by Unr3d

[trurl]

Have you tried another cable? 

[Unr3d]

Yes i tried with a Cat 6a and Cat 7 in the bundle. My apartment is only 1 year old and has Cat 6a wiring.

[MAM59]

The cables might be misleading.

For a long period they have sold "raw cables" (read the infos printed on the cable) which means "the cable is ok for CAT.x, but the plug is not!) They do not work well or at all.

Sadly it is hard to tell if you have a correct one. The only way I know of is the "wobble test". Try to move the plug in the card or the wallet back and forth. If it moves for 1mm or more, its a wrong cable. The real ones are a bit a longer than before and sit absolutely tight.

(buying "real ones" was a hard job for a long time, they first showed up in mid 2022, so I guess the shops now may contain good cables, but still it needs luck to order one)

 

Also, this Aquatic card is not the strongest one, it is meant for client computers connected with very short cables to a switch (usually on the same desk). It may have serious problems with lengths >10m and surely will give up if >30m.

 

Some drivers do not advertise properly. check with "ethtool eth0", the output should be like:

Quote

Settings for eth0:
        Supported ports: [ FIBRE ]
        Supported link modes:   1000baseX/Full
                                10000baseCR/Full
                                10000baseSR/Full
        Supported pause frame use: Symmetric Receive-only
        Supports auto-negotiation: No
        Supported FEC modes: Not reported
        Advertised link modes:  1000baseX/Full
                                10000baseCR/Full
                                10000baseSR/Full
        Advertised pause frame use: Symmetric
        Advertised auto-negotiation: No
        Advertised FEC modes: Not reported
        Speed: 10000Mb/s
        Duplex: Full
        Auto-negotiation: off
        Port: FIBRE
        PHYAD: 0
        Transceiver: internal
        Supports Wake-on: d
        Wake-on: d
        Current message level: 0x00000014 (20)
                               link ifdown
        Link detected: yes

 

[Unr3d]

I may sound silly, but I think I'm misunderstanding the way my network works.

I made this shema to understand it better.

 

I have a freebox provided by my ISP which is capable of 5Gb spread over 1x2.5Gb, 1x1Gb, 1xGb poe and wifi at 500mb. This router is obligatiore and can not be replaced by another router if my research on the internet is good.

 

Each port of this router is connected by Cat7 rj45 to the rj45 panel with Cat 6a connector in my communications cabinet.

One cable goes to my computer which is 10gb capable, another cable goes to a 1gb switch and the last cable goes to my Unraid nas.

 

I thought that with my cables, connectors and network cards I could communicate between my Nas Unraid and my computer in 10Gb but I think I'm making a mistake. As the data goes back through my router and my nas is connected to my router on a 1gb port then this same port limits the speed to 1gb between my Nas and my PC? Is that it?

If so, how can I get a 10gb connection between my Nas and my PC?

 

[itimpi]

You would need a 10GB compatible swich instead of the 1Gb one so that the router can be bypassed, or alternatively have a direct 10GB connection between the Unraid server and the Mac.   In a multi-hop link the slowest part always determines the max attainable speed.

 

[MAM59]

ok, with this router you cannot expect more than 1G on that port. Buy a switch like https://www.amazon.de/VIMIN-Ethernet-Base-T-Ports-Switching-Kapazität-Kompatibel/dp/B0C5D2Y4FH/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2AFG1LIF0Y4E4&keywords=switch%2B2.5gbit%2B8%2Bport&qid=1704015991&sprefix=switch%2B2%2Caps%2C129&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

Put it on the 2,5G port of your router (instead of the Mac), add Mac, Unraid and maybe more to that switch, Throw away that tplink 105 switch (not needed anymore, the new 2.5g switch has enough ports for all devices)

 

(PS: with the supposed switch you could even buy a SFP+ 10G RJ45 module,plug it in, and attach your mac to it to get full 10G on this connection, but it will not speed up things very much, so it is more a hypothetical addon. It would allow you to get full (2.5) speed to your router AND to unraid at the same time, without it, 2.5 speed would be spread among them. So before you buy the module ask yourself how often you will use both connections concurrently)

Edited December 31, 2023 by MAM59

[Unr3d]

Thank you very much for your 2 answers, it's much clearer now thanks to you. I'm really very bad at networking

 

So I need to put a switch after my router, thanks for the switch reference. One last question: is it possible (and useful) to connect the 3 ports of my router to the switch to use the maximum 4.5gb that my router has?

[MAM59]

No. This would require a special protocol named bonding (or trunking, or some other names).
this is not implemented in such cheap devices like the propose switch or your router.
but you also do not need it. Be happy with your 2.5 everywhere.

[Unr3d]

Okay, thank you very much, your answers really helped me a lot. Happy New Year's Eve!