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    Which Network Card Should I Use

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Hardware
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    • E
      EddieA
      last edited by

      In my pfSense box, I currently have a US Robotics Gigabit card, which uses the RealTek 8169 chipset.  While researching something else, I've come across a few reports that either the hardware, or the driver, for this, is somewhat buggy.

      I also have, lying around, a couple of 10/100 cards.  a Linksys LNE100TX V2, and a D-Link DFE-530TX.  I don't need the Gigabit capability of the USR card, so would I be better off replacing it with one of the 10/100's, and if so, which is the better one to use.

      Update
      And a Netgear FA311.

      Why was I hoarding all of these.  Jeez.

      Cheers.

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      • J
        jonnytabpni
        last edited by

        Get some Intel NICS cheap off eBay. They work very well with FreeBSD and pfsense :)

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        • E
          EddieA
          last edited by

          @jonnytabpni:

          Get some Intel NICS cheap off eBay.

          I wasn't looking to buy any more cards.  I was trying to get an opinion about which of the ones I have, would be the best one to use.

          Cheers.

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          • B
            bendsley
            last edited by

            If they're on the accepted hardware list for BSD, it really won't matter too much.  The chipset of the card is what's going to make the difference though.  If any of them have a Broadcom or Intel chipset, then use that card(s).

            Still remember that those brands are consumer based cards and not "server" cards.  So really, for your environment, you probably wouldn't be pushing the card's limitations anyway to notice any sort of a difference.  If you plan to use this in a production environment, then by all means, spend the money for Intel cards.

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