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network adapter X550-T2, driver no support 2.5GbE

BBara1
Beginner
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Is there a driver for windows that supports 2.5GbE ?

When do you intend to release 2.5GbE driver?

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idata
Employee
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Hi Barak_mod1552,

 

 

Thank you for posting in Wired Communities. Your inquiry will be forwarded to the relevant department.

 

 

Regards,

 

Sharon T
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BBara1
Beginner
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idata
Employee
5,096 Views

Hi Barak_mod1552,

 

 

Thank you for the follow up. X550-T2 is capable of NBASE-T (2.5 GbE \ 5 GbE) available only in Linux system with driver version 4.3.9. Please refer to the driver link below: https://sourceforge.net/projects/e1000/files/ixgbe%20stable/4.3.9/ https://sourceforge.net/projects/e1000/files/ixgbe%20stable/4.3.9/

 

 

We will further check about the Windows driver.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Sharon T
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idata
Employee
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Hi Barak_mod1552,

 

 

The windows drivers do support NBASE-T but only with auto-negotiation, you cannot set it manually. In case you already have the infrastructure (the switch that supports 2.5Gbe), please try the latest X550-T2 Windows driver available at our website

 

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

 

 

Regards,

 

Sharon T

 

 

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BBara1
Beginner
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you stated that I must have a 2.5Gbe switch to test this capability.

1.As I have X500-T2 I have 2 Ehternet slots, is it possible to form a loopback to the same computer using the windows10 driver?

2. Is it possible to connect to computers using X500-T2 to perform 2.5Gbe connection?

Thanks ,

Barak

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idata
Employee
5,096 Views

Hi Barak_mode1552,

 

 

Let me double check for you.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Sharon T

 

 

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idata
Employee
5,096 Views

Hi Barak_mode1552,

 

 

Further checking, this is not supported to connect X550-T2 to test the 2.5Gb speed without a switch. The speed can only be setup to 2.5 Gbps if the hardware (or the linking partner) auto-negotiation allows it.Hope this information clarified.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Sharon T

 

 

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BBara1
Beginner
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Hi,

Please clarify your answer.

-If I install X550-T2 cards on two computers, in a point-to-point connection, it seems that the hardware does support 2.5GbE as the card supports it.

1. If I'm using Windows is it possible to create a 2.5GbE link between 2 computers in via the point-to-point connection?

2. If I'm using Linux is it possible to create a 2.5GbE link between 2 computers in via the point-to-point connection?

I don't have a 2.5GbE switch in my system...I bought X550-T2 to get this kind of connection between 2 PCs.

If you have support via telephone number \ EMAIL in Israel, I'd appreciate if you can post it here.

Regards,

Barak

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idata
Employee
5,096 Views

Hi Barak_mod1552,

 

 

Thank you for the reply. Are you saying you already tried to install two X550-T2 in back to back connection via an RJ45 cable and getting 2.5Gbps? What is the operating system used?

 

 

As mentioned you need to use a switch to attain 2.5 Gbps, 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.

 

 

I hope the above information clarified. If you prefer to contact our support via phone or email, you may visit below website for the support phone number of the country that is nearer to your location. https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact-support/emea-contact.html

 

 

Please let me know if further assistance needed.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Sharon T
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BBara1
Beginner
5,096 Views

Got it, Thank you so much.

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blogthis
New Contributor I
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Sorry to reply to such an old post, but -

I was just cited this link by Intel support as if its still fact (which it is NOT), and I wanted to update this outdated information.

 

Update:

The Windows limitations discussion in this thread based on old docs is now different/fixed.

For Microsoft Windows 10 and 11, tested as of Intel X550-T2 Windows Driver v26.x and NVM firmware v3.6, you CAN now manually set the X550's wired LINK SPEED to 2.5g or 5.0g by manually setting the option in the Windows advanced settings driver page.

In some posts, Intel is saying X550-T2 only supports Manual or only supports Automatic setting of physical link speed, although in our testing, it works either way now in Windows 10/11 with the exception of certain random switches in which case Manual link speed must be set.

We've found a lot of seemingly contradictory information about the X550-T2 features, but this is only because Intel has updated its Firmware and Drivers to add more features to more OS over the years, but has NOT updated some of its documentation.

 

This means, you CAN now manually set Windows link speeds for crossover cable back-to-back operations at 2.5g or 5.0g WITHOUT a switch connected to the X550, provided both sides of link are set the same.

Here is a more updated post on this topic:

https://community.intel.com/t5/Ethernet-Products/Intel-X550-T2-where-is-firmware-update-for-promised-802-3bz/m-p/1488707

Hope this helps.

 

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