Need Nic advice for 2.5GbE Pfsense plus box.
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As my subject states, I am planning a build for a 2.5GbE Pfsense box for Pfsense plus. The issue I am running into is that everyone mentions all kinds of problems with Intel 2.5 nics, but then everyone constantly says only get intel nics. What am I actually supposed to do, to ensure the box will be a solid router without nic issues?
Thank you for any enlightenment you all can toss my way :)
Edit**
Thoughts on Marvell, or Realtek NICs? or other brands?
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@spossis83 Based on what I have been reading about it, SG-6100 uses the Intel I225-V chip, but you need to 3rd revision of it.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong about this, but I think SG-8200 is using Intel I226-V chip.No problems reported with those chips in those devices, at least none that I found so far.
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@mcury Thanks for the reply! Yes they do use those chips, but I cannot seem to find an i226v based nic card, and guaranteeing an i225v r.3 card I don't know how I would ensure that either. Those seem to be controller chipsets that are bought and used on those mini Chinese router boxes on aliexpress, and netgate's pfsense official hardware, but as far as a physical nic to put in a custom computer box, it's not so cut and dry.
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@spossis83 This guy here is suggesting the use of a mini PCI-E nic card that you can plug into the m.2 slot.
I didn't test, so I can't tell for sure if its going to work, but they are cheap and you can find them easily, maybe Ebay ? -
@mcury I watch Level1Techs all the time haha that's Wendell. He is doing that for a minipc or Nuc PC. But I am building a mini ITX so I have a full size PCIE Slot I can use. Though I can in fact do the m.2 to ethernet also, I will look into that thanks. I wonder if they make it as I226v. I could buy an X550-T2 Nic, but those are pricey as hell, and seem subject to fakes, that concerns me.
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@spossis83 said in Need Nic advice for 2.5GbE Pfsense plus box.:
I watch Level1Techs all the time haha that's Wendell.
He is very good :)
@spossis83 said in Need Nic advice for 2.5GbE Pfsense plus box.:
Though I can in fact do the m.2 to ethernet also, I will look into that thanks.
If you follow that route, please let me know how that worked.
@spossis83 said in Need Nic advice for 2.5GbE Pfsense plus box.:
I wonder if they make it as I226v.
Not sure.. You would need to search, but I225-V B3 seems to work fine too.
@spossis83 said in Need Nic advice for 2.5GbE Pfsense plus box.:
eem subject to fakes, that concerns me.
I would choose carefully where you buy them..
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Does anyone use non intel nic's for their 2.5GbE Pfsense boxes? realtek, Marvell, or others? Thoughts, experiences?
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@spossis83 said in Need Nic advice for 2.5GbE Pfsense plus box.:
Does anyone use non intel nic's for their 2.5GbE Pfsense boxes? realtek, Marvell, or others? Thoughts, experiences?
pfSense 2.6 and pfSense+ 23.01
Single LAN port- Intel i225-V3 or i225 V B3 (problems solved)
- Intel i225-IT or i225-AT (never had problems)
One to many LAN ports
- Intel i225-LM
-- (QNAP QXG-2G4T-I225 LAN-Adapter, 4x RJ-45, PCIe 2.0 x4 - 2,5Gbit QUAD NIC) - Quad Port NIC
-- (QNAP QXG-2G2T-I225 - Netzwerkadapter - PCIe 2.0 x2 Low-Profile - 2.5GBase-T x 2) - Dual Port NIC
-- (QNAP QXG-2G1T-I225) - Single Port NIC
pfSense 2.7
The same as pfSense 2.6 but on top of that;- Intel Ethernet-Controller I226-IT (all ok)
- Intel Ethernet-Controller I226-LM (all ok)
- Intel Ethernet-Controller I226-V (not sure)
Please don´t get me not wrong, but support and not having or causing problems may be not the same!
I225-V Rev. 1: Spec-Code SLN9D und SLN9C
I225-V Rev 2: Spec-Code SLNJY und SLNJX
I225-V Rev 3: Spec-Code SLNMH und SLMNG
I226-V Spec-Codes SRKTV und SRKTU -
