Intel X550-T2 - Nothing above 1Gb

[Keeop]

Hi,

Hope you can help. I have an Intel X550-T2 PCIe NIC which I have put in to a Dell Poweredge R730 running Windows Server 2019. I have updated the NVM firmware and drivers to the latest I can find on your website.

However, I can't for the life of me get above 1Gb on this card. In fact, when using the ProSet utility, it was often siting 100Mb as the speed on one of the ports and 1Gb on the other! Now, I have a Unifi switch capable of 2.5gbe so I have both ports of the NIC connected in to this. If I leave the switch and NICs on Autosense, I will end up with 1Gb speeds only. If I manually configure the switch ports to 2.5Gbe, then the NICs will just show as 'disconnected' in Windows and on the switch. 

I'm a bit gutted that I can't get this to work as I have also bought a Dell 4 port daughter board version of this card but don't want to fit it until I can get the PCIe one working at the correct speeds. 

Please can you advise on what might be happening here or what else I can do to get this card running at 2.5Gb?

Cheers.

Keeop

[Irwan_Intel]

Hi Keeop,

Thank you for posting in Intel Ethernet Communities. 

For us to further check the issue, please provide the following details.

1. Please send photos on the unit on both sides focusing on the markings for us to validate if the unit is an OEM unit or not.
2. Please share the link of your latest driver.

There is also some related articles for your reference below:

https://www.intel.sg/content/www/xa/en/support/articles/000091032/ethernet-products.html

If you have questions, please let us know. In case we do not hear from you, we will make a follow up after 3 workings days. Thank you.

Best regards,

Irwan_Intel

Intel® Customer Support 

[Irwan_Intel]

Hi Keeop,

Some further information; X550-T2 NBASE-T support in Linux only, but Since your system running Windows 2019, the Windows drivers do support NBASE-T but only with auto-negotiation. Auto-negotiation mode means it will negotiate with the speed of the linking partner, e.g. if your switch is configured to run at 2.5 Gbps then the X550-T2 connects to the switch will run at 2.5 Gbps adapting the switch speed. 

However, if you connect both X550-T2 in back to back connection mode, it is unknown what is the current speed configured in both X550-T2 in auto-negotiation mode, this depends on the linking partner.

In case you already have the infrastructure (the switch that supports 2.5Gbe), please try the latest X550-T2 Windows driver available from the link below:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/88209/Intel-Ethernet-Converged-Network-Adapter-X550-T2

Regards,

Irwan_Intel

[Keeop]

Hi,

I can confirm that the driver in the link you posted is the driver that I am using.

As for photos, will take a while as I need to find suitable down time for the server.

Please refer to my initial post. I am plugging the cable from the NIC to a Unifi switch that supports 2.5Gb. When the switch port and NIC are set on 'auto' the speed is only 1Gb. If I set the switch port to be 2.5Gb, the NIC just comes up as 'disconnected' which tends to suggest it is not supporting that 2.5Gb speed at all. 

What is also interesting is that the PROSet software doesn't seem to work 100% - always comes up 'Error Occurred Loading Diagnostics' if that means much or possibly points to something. This is the matching PROSet software to the above driver version.

Cheers.

Keeop

[Irwan_Intel]

Hi Keeop,

Intel® PROSet/Wireless Software supported adapter works only in Windows 10,11, 7/8.1. 

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000046918/wireless.html

Your system manufacturer may have pre-installed the Intel® PROSet/Wireless Software on your system to enable OEM-specific features. 

Since you already tried our driver , it is best to contact Dell to check if you could get driver update from OEM site.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact-intel.html?tab=system-manufacturers

https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/poweredge-r730/drivers

Please find X550-T2 datasheet link below.

Please also check if the cable type meet the requirement speed : 10GBASE-T: 100 m using CAT6A, 55 m using CAT6

If you have questions, please let us know. In case we do not hear from you, we will make a follow up after 3 workings days. Thank you.

Best Regards,

Irwan_Intel

[Keeop]

Hi Irwan,

OK, I get the PROSet software - will just uninstall this.

The NIC is not a Dell part - it is just badged Intel from memory but will still get photos when possible.

Cable is CAT 6 and is approx. 1.5m long. Have tried with different cables, same result.

Cheers.

Keeop

[Irwan_Intel]

Hi Keeop,

The X550-T2 adapter specifications only support NBASE-T in Linux driver and not on Windows version.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000030131/ethernet-products.html

You could also can do clean driver installation, refer to the instructions below:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000058304/ethernet-products.html

And Windows server 2019 driver from this link 

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/19372/intel-network-adapter-driver-for-windows-server-2019.html?wapkw=X550-T2

If you have questions, please let us know. In case we do not hear from you, we will make a follow up after 3 workings days. Thank you.

Best Regards,

Irwan_Intel

[Keeop]

Hi Irwan,

Er, no, it says the Windows drivers do support NBASE-T it's just you have to use Autosense on the NIC. I have Autosense set on the NIC and get no connection to my 2.5Gb switch port, as already stated.

However, the article you link to specifically states the X550-T1. Now, does this mean the article also applies to the dual/quad port versions of this card or does it mean that NBASE-T only works on the single port T1 version of this card? Could you please confirm that for me?

I can try uninstalling and reinstalling drivers, but again, this will require a reboot so I need to find a good time to do this.

While you are on the case here, could you possibly please list all Intel NICs that support NBASE-T under Windows Server 2019 in case I have to give up on the X550 and go with something else?

Cheers.

Keeop

[Irwan_Intel]

Hi Keeop,

Yes, the articles should also applies to the dual/quad port version as well.

Please refer to the link here:

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/compare.html?productIds=88208,88209

Would you also be able to provide the full picture of the card, front and back for us to further check and validate the cards.

Additionally, please provide the System Support Utility (SSU) log of your system. This will allow us to check your Adapter details and configuration. Kindly refer to the steps below.

a- Go to https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/18377/intel-system-support-utility-for-windows.html

b- Open SSU.exe

c- Mark the box "Everything" and then click "Scan".

d- When finished scanning, click "Next".

e- Click on "Save" and attach the file to a post.

Please find the list of compatible Ethernet product here:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005612/ethernet-products/gigabit-ethernet-adapters-up-to-2-5gbe.html

Best regards,

Irwan_Intel

Intel® Customer Support

[Keeop]

Hi Irwan,

Took the card out today so pictures enclosed. Will run that utility at some point too. Was going to try it in a desktop but forgot it's a low profile card so won't fit!

As for that list you supplied, is there any way to distinguish which of those cards supports NBASE-T? That information is not specified in the table.

Cheers.

Chris

[Keeop]

Hi,

So, I just took the low profile bracket off the card and put it in a Windows 10 machine. Installed the latest drivers and PROSet utility.

If I set the switch port manually to 2.5Gb and left the X550 on Auto, it ended up the same as on my server with the port showing as inactive and the cable as disconnected.  However, if I manually changed the speed of the NIC to 2.5Gb, then it re-connected and then showed as 2.5Gb on Windows and the switch port. 

So, does this suggest the issue is with the Windows Server 2019 driver? The behaviour is also the complete opposite of what is stated by Intel on this - the documentation for the Windows driver states that the NBASE-T speeds can only be achieved by leaving the NIC to Auto Negotiate and NOT set the speed manually! 

I'm therefore at a bit of a loss. At least the NIC hardware is OK I guess. But, why is the actual behaviour the opposite of the stated behaviour, and why is this working in my Win 10 machine but not on my Windows 2019 server?

Still need some help here please.

Cheers.

Keeop

[Irwan_Intel]

Hi Keeop,

Thanks for the information. I've escalate the case to our Engineering team and the responsed as follow:

The autonegotiation for 2.5 and 5Gb speeds for the X550 was changed in 2020.

Default autonegotiation excludes the 2.5 and 5Gb speeds.

If 2.5 or 5Gb is chosen in the dropdown, it will change autonegotiation to only advertise that speed. So it is not forcing to 2.5Gb or 5Gb when those options are chosen, it changes the advertised speed.

That may be an issue if the switch is configured as forced to 2.5Gb instead of autonegotiate.

If that still does not help, please make sure the ethernet updated to the latest NVM and drivers.

If you have questions, please let us know. In case we do not hear from you, we will make a follow up on February 13th 2023. 

Thank you.

Irwan_Intel

Intel Customer Support

[Irwan_Intel]

Hello Keeop,

I hope this message finds you well. I am just sending a follow up if you have any questions from the previous post. If so, please let us know.

In case we do not hear from you, I will make a follow up on February 17th 2023 . Thank you.

Best regards,

Irwan_Intel

Intel® Customer Support

[Irwan_Intel]

Hi Keeop,

Please be informed that we will now close this request since we haven't received any response from our previous follow ups. Just feel free to post a new question if you may have any other inquiry in the future as this thread will no longer be monitored.

Best regards,

Irwan_Intel

Intel® Customer Support