10GB Card Truenas - Macos (Hackintosh)

[Dave Hob]

I am about to pull the trigger on this 2 cards but I wanted to run this you guys make sure I am not missing anything.

Want to connect with a 10GB connection my Macos (Hackintosh) and Truenas machine.

A few things to consider:
- macos & truenas are in separate buildings about 100feet apart or more
- there is an existing cat6 cable that I ran a while back that I will try to test (and if any issues will replace with cat6a, just in case)

Considering the following 2 cards:

- for macos (hackintosh) - ASUS XG-C100C 10G Network Adapter Pci-E X4 Card with Single RJ-45 Port - looks like this is supported OOTB
- for Truenas (T420 or R730xd or maybe I will get something new) - Intel X540-T2 10Gb Dual Port Low Profile Adapter X540T2BLK W/ Blue Sticker - from what I read I should look for the blue sticker to make sure it's not a fake

For truenas, if I was to go the X520 route, and use an adapter for SFP+ to RJ45 or a cable with SFP+ on one end and RJ45 on another it's not clear to me which vs to get SR or DA.

Thank you in advance

 

[VioletDragon]

I am about to pull the trigger on this 2 cards but I wanted to run this you guys make sure I am not missing anything.

Want to connect with a 10GB connection my Macos (Hackintosh) and Truenas machine.

A few things to consider:
- macos & truenas are in separate buildings about 100feet apart or more
- there is an existing cat6 cable that I ran a while back that I will try to test (and if any issues will replace with cat6a, just in case)

Considering the following 2 cards:

- for macos (hackintosh) - ASUS XG-C100C 10G Network Adapter Pci-E X4 Card with Single RJ-45 Port - looks like this is supported OOTB
- for Truenas (T420 or R730xd or maybe I will get something new) - Intel X540-T2 10Gb Dual Port Low Profile Adapter X540T2BLK W/ Blue Sticker - from what I read I should look for the blue sticker to make sure it's not a fake

For truenas, if I was to go the X520 route, and use an adapter for SFP+ to RJ45 or a cable with SFP+ on one end and RJ45 on another it's not clear to me which vs to get SR or DA.

Thank you in advance

Make sure that the Controller on that ASUS card is supported with macOS. Ive had the Chelsio T3 working on macOS on a hack i use to run, You will also need a SFP+ to RJ45 transceiver issues with that is distance, if the Server is not that far then a SR/ Short Range Transceiver will work.

 

[Dave Hob]

The Asus card seems to be supported on Macos, based on some youtube and hackintosh forums I've read. Card has good reviews so probably worth giving it a try.

Inclined to go with X540 for Truenas and in that case there will be no need for SFP+ probably.

 

[VioletDragon]

The Asus card seems to be supported on Macos, based on some youtube and hackintosh forums I've read. Card has good reviews so probably worth giving it a try.

Inclined to go with X540 for Truenas and in that case there will be no need for SFP+ probably.

I have used both Chelsio T3 and Intel X540 in both FreeNAS and TrueNAS both works fine although i would recommend Intel over 3rd party controllers. If it works then give it ago.

 

[Etorix]

Chelsio makes drivers for MacOS. I use T520 10G cards (first 10 GbE, and now SFP+) in my hackintoshes.
If you can find a pair of Chelsio cards for a fair price, you could use these at both ends!

 

[Dave Hob]

The Intel X520 or X540 seems to be cheaper (many cases under $100) when Chelsio looks to average $135 - 150.

Is there a reason to go Chelsio vs Intel?

Also since I have the Cat6 cable between the buildings, any reason to go SFP+ vs T (RJ45)?

Thank you

 

[Etorix]

Chelsio cards run with no further trouble than installing the official driver. Dortania's Anti-Buyers Guide advises against Intel server NICs for hackintoshes, though it is apparently possible to mod X520 and X540 to get some support. Sonnet has a driver for X550.

SFP+ would use a LOT less power to run a 10G signal over a long cable, but as you already have the cable go ahead. Just make sure that the cards are well-ventilated; they will run hot.

 

[Dave Hob]

Chelsio cards run with no further trouble than installing the official driver. Dortania's Anti-Buyers Guide advises against Intel server NICs for hackintoshes, though it is apparently possible to mod X520 and X540 to get some support. Sonnet has a driver for X550.

For macOS was thinking ASUS XG-C100C which seams be to support out of the box. I will consider the chelsio for the mac anyway since it has the dual port.

SFP+ would use a LOT less power to run a 10G signal over a long cable, but as you already have the cable go ahead. Just make sure that the cards are well-ventilated; they will run hot.

Since I have the cat6 ran between both buildings, coming up to the wall on both sides, if I was to use the SFP+ cards with transceiver. Will they still be using less power (assuming less power also means less hot?)?

Can you DIY run fiber cable on this distance +100feet between the buildings and make end connections?

If I make use of the existing cat6 cable, and I want to use the SFP+ cards, there's no other way I assume, then you use the transceivers to convert right? which are not cheap and add considerably to the end cost.

 

[Etorix]

Correct. The high power of 10G over 10Base-T comes from the voltage used to ensure high-rate data transmission over a long cable. So SFP+ with transcievers would not help: Heat would come from the transcievers rather than, or in addition to, the 10G NICs.

 

[JaimieV]

I'm using X540-T2's in my FreeNAS boxes, steady as a rock. They do indeed run hot so good airflow and a working fan on the card is essesntial.

If it's any use, the 10gigE in my iMac Pro shows itself as:

Apple AQC107-AFW:
Name: ethernet
Type: Ethernet Controller
Bus: PCI
Vendor ID: 0x1d6a
Device ID: 0x07b1
Subsystem Vendor ID: 0x106b
Subsystem ID: 0x0187
Revision ID: 0x0002
Link Width: x4
BSD name: en0
Kext name: AppleEthernetAquantiaAqtion.kext
Location: /System/Library/Extensions/IONetworkingFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleEthernetAquantiaAqtion.kext

but I haven't looked into hackintoshing for a decade so don't know what that maps to in 'available PCIe cards' terms.

 

[Dave Hob]

got it, thank you all

 

[JaimieV]

Although I saw afterwards while browsing the forum that jgreco did recently post along the lines of 'X540s do come up a lot in networking problems' so I may have been lucky so far.
And indeed I did have a very peculiar problem with my networking that was solved by moving the X540 from one PCIe socket to another, so... Anyway, good luck!

 

[Dave Hob]

Although I saw afterwards while browsing the forum that jgreco did recently post along the lines of 'X540s do come up a lot in networking problems' so I may have been lucky so far.

I guess that needs to be considered too. Though going that route I will end up paying considerably more, maybe +$70/per card with the transceiver

 

[Dave Hob]

I purchased 2 chelsio T520 in the end. I am experiencing that these cards run very hot even when not in use. Is that normal?

Do all 10gb sfp+ cards run so hot? This is without the transceiver installed or being used, just plugged in.

Thank you

 

[jgreco]

"Not in use"? If you are providing power to it, it is "in use."

Generally, 10G cards are data center / server cards that are intended to be used in systems with high front-to-rear airflow. Most of them dissipiate 6-15 watts of power, so you will need to make sure that they are adequately cooled. Being in the bottom slot of a standard ATX chassis with no fans forcing air over them and no baffling to guide air over them is a common cause of problems for both ethernet and HBA cards.

 

[Dave Hob]

"Not in use"? If you are providing power to it, it is "in use."

Generally, 10G cards are data center / server cards that are intended to be used in systems with high front-to-rear airflow. Most of them dissipiate 6-15 watts of power, so you will need to make sure that they are adequately cooled. Being in the bottom slot of a standard ATX chassis with no fans forcing air over them and no baffling to guide air over them is a common cause of problems for both ethernet and HBA cards.

First time using a 10gb sfp+ card, learning as I go.

One of them will go in a R730xd so cooling should be fine.

I guess my main concern was if Chelsio T520 is known to run hotter than other similar cards. I have a HPE SFP+ card from a Proliant DL360 G9 that doesn't seem to run as hot.

Can you give me an idea how to cool this card in an ATX case?

Thank you

 

[jgreco]

Although I saw afterwards while browsing the forum that jgreco did recently post along the lines of 'X540s do come up a lot in networking problems'

It's not clear to me what the issue is. Normally, Intel has great support for their cards. However, from time to time, fake cards enter the supply chain. I have some mid-2000's Intel Pro/1000 MT Dual cards, purchased from NewEgg, that turned out to be fakes (but not until they caused a significant amount of annoyance).

https://www.truenas.com/community/threads/new-intel-nic-no-connection-what-next.8424/#post-36646

So I've kinda suspected that there may be X540 knock-off cards out there.

 

[Dave Hob]

It's not clear to me what the issue is. Normally, Intel has great support for their cards. However, from time to time, fake cards enter the supply chain. I have some mid-2000's Intel Pro/1000 MT Dual cards, purchased from NewEgg, that turned out to be fakes (but not until they caused a significant amount of annoyance).

https://www.truenas.com/community/threads/new-intel-nic-no-connection-what-next.8424/#post-36646

So I've kinda suspected that there may be X540 knock-off cards out there.

Just to make sure there's no miss understanding. I did get the Chelsio T520 not the intel card.

 

[Dave Hob]

This is the card that I bought (just came in a set of 2 from the same seller)

Chelsio T520-LL-CR 110-1167-50 10GbE 2-Port PCIe Unified Wire Adapter Card GREAT | eBay

Get it Now! Happy Sales!

www.ebay.com

 

[jgreco]

First time using a 10gb sfp+ card, learning as I go.

Hope you stopped by the 10 Gig Networking Primer, located somewhere around the forums. Lotsa "good to know".

One of them will go in a R730xd so cooling should be fine.

I guess my main concern was if Chelsio T520 is known to run hotter than other similar cards. I have a HPE SFP+ card from a Proliant DL360 G9 that doesn't seem to run as hot.

Can you give me an idea how to cool this card in an ATX case?

Thank you

The newer cards tend to run a bit less hot than the older cards. I am *guessing* that the T520 runs a bit cooler than Intel's X520, but both are rated in the ~10-12W range IIRC (you can look for yourself, I just don't have time right now).

I have one customer who insists on servers built in ATX cases. What I typically do is to mount hot cards with a vented slot blank

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-LOT-N68...-Blank-Slot-Bracket-Vented-Plate/132389609064

underneath it, so that there is a good bit of space around the card's heatsink, and a place for the air to exit the chassis. You then also need to make sure that there's a fan blowing air towards the card, or you need to modify the exhaust from other points, so that there is at least a moderate amount of air blowing out that slot blank, which means that there is air cooling the card.

In one case I managed to arrange a PSU with a built-in fan such that it was blowing on the card.

There is a huge amount of variables in the ATX chassis out there, so no one magic answer.