topic Re: 10gbase-t x520 t2 pci card on a apple mac osx in Ethernet Products

10gbase-t x520 t2 pci card on a apple mac osx

idata — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 07:45:06 GMT

Dear Intel

I bought a x520-t2 adapter to connect my mac via 10gigE to my synology. Now I find out that there is no driver existing for apple computers. Respectively there is one from small tree, but only for small tree branded cards. Why is that? Given the fact that intel provides even processors to apple, it should be able to deliver a driver for the only rj45-10gigE-card there is on the market?

Does anyone know of a solution to get the card running on a mac?

Thanks for any advice. And please, please intel, provide a driver for mac!!!

Re: 10gbase-t x520 t2 pci card on a apple mac osx

Mark_H_Intel — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:36:06 GMT

I appreciate that you want to use Intel® Ethernet adapters in your Mac. We want all our customers to have the best experience with our products. We believe that the combination of our Ethernet hardware expertise combined with Small Tree Communications' expertise in Mac networking delivers the best possible experience. As Small Tree says on their welcome page, "Here at Small Tree, we are The Mac Networking Experts." Intel adapters from Small Tree Communications are uniquely designed and validated on Apple platforms with OS-X drivers.

Mark H

Re: 10gbase-t x520 t2 pci card on a apple mac osx

idata — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:34:20 GMT

Thanks Mark, for the reply. But I don't understand, why I have to buy a massively more expensive card from small tree, if all I need is a driver for the same x520 t2 card from intel without small tree branding? Especially if I already bought such a card, cause someone on the apple forum told me, that it would work.

Isn't there any chance, I will get a driver for my card?

Re: 10gbase-t x520 t2 pci card on a apple mac osx

Mark_H_Intel — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:49:55 GMT

Unfortunately I have to say there is no chance of getting the driver you need from Intel. Intel does not develop any Ethernet drivers for OS-X, and I am not expecting to see any Ethernet drivers for Mac in the forseeable future. Small Tree is the only solution that I am familiar with that develops and tests solutions for using Intel-based adapters on Macs.

Mark H

Re: 10gbase-t x520 t2 pci card on a apple mac osx

CDuff3 — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:56:53 GMT

Hi guys,

Small Tree writes all the drivers for Intel PCI-e/x cards

for Mac OS......that was and is still part of our business.

We flash the Intel cards we sell so that our driver

will find the cards and support them on Mac OS.

Intel writes the drivers for the cards for Linux

and Window's OS's.

Intel as well as Apple and any other website that

sell Intel cards for Mac OS, should state clearly

that if they want the card to work on Mac OS,

then buy the card from us.

Regards

chris duffy

Re: 10gbase-t x520 t2 pci card on a apple mac osx

CDuff3 — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:18:08 GMT

I may have missed this piece when I spoke above....

I work for Small Tree Communications

as one of the Support and Performance folks.

If you have any questions for us, feel free to

send email to:

mailto:support@small-tree.com support@small-tree.com

or call us at 866-782-4622.

Thx

chris

Re: 10gbase-t x520 t2 pci card on a apple mac osx

idata — Fri, 25 May 2012 10:48:54 GMT

Hello every one,

Given that Mac OS has the EFI framework, would it be possible to get the NIC to work using the EFI drivers provided by Intel?

Kind regards.

Re: 10gbase-t x520 t2 pci card on a apple mac osx

Mark_H_Intel — Fri, 25 May 2012 15:37:28 GMT

Drivers are operating system specific. You need a Mac OS X driver to communicate between the hardware and the OS.

Mark H

Re: 10gbase-t x520 t2 pci card on a apple mac osx

idata — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 15:11:41 GMT

Thank you Mark.

I have two subsequent questions :

1. As far as I know, EFI is a framework, not an OS; what are EFI drivers for? why are they listed as "OS independent" on the download page?

2. Why is there only one company making 10GbE drivers for OSX and why do they come with a NIC twice as expensive?

Kind regards.

Re: 10gbase-t x520 t2 pci card on a apple mac osx

Mark_H_Intel — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 16:28:32 GMT

I do not have any experience using the UEFI framework, but I do know where you can find at least some answers on using those drivers, and I can answer your question about Download Center.

For help using Intel UEFI drivers refer to the http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?DwnldID=11848 Intel® Network Connections User Guides and follow the link to the "UEFI Network Device Driver for Intel® Ethernet Network Connections" listed under Other guides.

The OS Independent listing in Download Center means that the driver is not for a specific OS. The UEFI drivers will be able to communicate with the UEFI framework. The UEFI drivers will not be able to communicate directly to any OS.

As to question 2, I do not know the answer. I only know that Intel does not develop drivers for Mac OS-X*. Other companies make their own decisions about what to develop and what to charge.

Mark H