RealTek RTL8126 5Gbps Ethernet Card Costs $12 and more

The Realtek RTL8126 is a 5Gbps Ethernet controller IC designed for high-speed networking applications. It’s designed to be a low-power, cost-effective product that brings 5Gbps Ethernet connectivity to devices like desktops, laptops, and servers. The IC was first unveiled at Computex 2023 last year and at the time of writing, there are some M.2 modules and PCIe cards available at competitive prices.

There is not much information available about the specific product but, you can purchase it from Amazon for around $12. The module is a 5000Mbps Networking Card B+M Key to a PCIe Adapter. The module is an M.2 PCIe card with a ribbon cable coming out, and with the cable, the RJ45 jack is attached to a PCIe bracket. The card was added recently and there is not much information about it.

It’s very common knowledge that the 10GbE ICs get very hot without adequate cooling but the RealTek RTL8126 chip used here tops at about 82°C under heavy load. There are also divers available for the board and on Windows 11 the drivers are installed automatically. But if you are in Linux you need to install the drivers manually. The drivers are provided by RealTek for this chip, and it will not work seamlessly the new 5GbE controller has not made it to most Linux distributions.

RealTek RTL8126 5Gbps Ethernet Card Specifications

• Interface: PCIe 3.0 x1
• Speed: 5 Gbps
• Compatibility: Cat5e and Cat6 cables
• Form Factors:
  • M.2 PCIe module with PCIe bracket adapter
  • PCIe x1 card
• Drivers:
  • Windows: Automatic installation
  • Linux: Requires manual driver installation (available from Realtek)
• Price:
  • M.2 module: Starting at $12
  • PCIe card: Starting at $12

While choice is limited now, expect a surge in RTL8126 PCIe cards and M.2 modules due to their affordability. The RTL8126 is likely to replace the RTL8125 in upcoming mini PCs. For a 5GbE USB dongle, we’ll need to wait for the RTL8157 controller. Finding a dedicated 5GbE switch might be tricky, as current searches often yield 2.5GbE options. For now, a 10GbE switch might be the best bet.

by cnx-software.

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