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Dell Precision T7400 needs a new Network Interface Controller Card
Hello,
I have an older Dell Precision T7400 Tower.
It has dual Intel Xeon X5482 CPUs @ 3.20GHz, 12GB RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti in one of the PCIe 2.0 x16 slots. I have a 1TB SATA Hard Drive running Windows 10 Pro. The Motherboard has an integrated Broadcom NetXtreme 57xx Gigabit Controller that cannot get Gigabit Internet speeds. It seems to be capped at ~200Mbps downloads, typically getting ~160Mbps, and often down to ~120Mbps or less. My uploads are between 20Mbps and 35Mbps, and I only use CAT5E Wired connections, as I don't think I'd benefit much from CAT6 or CAT7.
New PCs and Laptops can get near-Gigabit speeds on my home network in a range from ~820Mbps to 900+Mbps. I suspect it's the integrated NIC that's the bottleneck, unless the BUS speeds are a bottleneck somewhere else. I was able to get the ISP to replace the whole Cable TV/Internet/Landline Phone feed line down the whole street replaced recently, but that didn't help. Everything is new except the PC.
I did a Google search for "better configuration for gigabit nic," but almost none of the tweakable items were listed, and the ones that were didn't help my Internet speeds. So I started researching "Best Gigabit NIC cards 2020." Some reviewers said that Intel was the best, so I found the I210-AT, the I210-IS, the I210-IT, and the I210-T1. I called Intel to ask if their PCIe 2.1, 1GbE, PCIe v2.1 (2.5 GT/s), Jumbo Frame cards would work in my remaining PCIe 2.0 x16 slot, or maybe the PCIe x8 (wired x4) slot. He also mentioned the I350 Series, but all of them I've seen have more than 1 RJ45 Port, and, from what I've read, the I350 Series is older than I210. But he said that I would need to check with Dell (you) to see if they would be compatible.
NOTE: In case you don't know, that's a leading capital letter "i" in I210 and I350.
As far as I know, these I210 numbers are Intel Chip part numbers, so if you are aware of any PCIe 2.0 x16 compatible NIC Cards that use them (except for the I210-AT, as I've seen too many complaints from buyers on eBay, Amazon, and NewEgg about it), I would appreciate knowing about them. If possible, I'd like to stay with Intel brand cards. There were too many complaints about Startech, which surprised me. I've had good luck with SIIG in the past, but I need to know some good card part numbers, whether PCIe 2.0 or PCIe 2.1.
I have a new 10Gbps Netgear AC3200 WiFi Cable Modem Router model C7800, so if there's a compatible 10Gb NIC for the remaining PCIe 2.0 x16 slot or PCIe x8 (wired x4) slot, that would be great as well.
Thanks in advance,
Craig
@Anonymous
I am tagging people whom I have seen Helpful with Answers/Solutions in 2020, hoping to get some help here, please.
Since you don't seem to be getting my PM replies with the Service Tag and Express Service Code, I am providing them here in a way that, hopefully, they won't be removed by the system.
Service Tag:
Express Service Code:
Just remove the spaces and you'll have them.
I don't have the Order Number.
Thanks
Really? Still nothing after all of this time? I never had this trouble before the forum changes. What Gives?
Trying this again. It's all in my first reply question. Please give me some help. I live in Louisiana, was impacted by Hurricane Laura, and was without Internet since then, but I was really hoping for some help by now.
On your tower the PCI-e ports are standard ports. Your PCI-e 2.0 4x slot has a theoretical maximum transfer speed of 2GB (16Gb) per second. There is no reason to stick with any particular brand or chipset for your replacement Ethernet card.
You could also consider getting a Wireless AC PCI-e card as it may have less issues with connection speeds to the Netgear router. (btw, Make sure you update the firmware on your Router and download the WiFi and Ethernet drivers directly from the chipset manufacturer.)
Thank you so much, @JamesJAB1!!!
I've been relying on CAT5E for years, because a wired connection is always faster than any wireless to date. Please excuse my ignorance, but if I may ask, are you saying, suggesting, or implying that a Wired Gb (or 10Gb) Ethernet card could have issues with the Cable Modem Router, or just mentioning an AC card as another option? Since the Cable ISP claims that if I get 50% (or above) of the Gb Internet speeds that I'm supposed to (up to 1Gb downloads and I think up to 50Mbps uploads), I am skeptical that any wireless could/would be even slower than whatever wired I would actually able to get otherwise.
This Cable Modem Router has been tested twice now by the ISP with new Laptops connected by CAT5E and both of them got between 820Mbps up to 900Mbps, so I'm thinking a wired card should be best. And by me once with a new PC with much the same results. I don't have access to that PC anymore, so I'm trying to make this older one last me a bit longer.
And do you have any favorite Gb (or 10Gb) Ethernet card brands and maybe even part numbers or model numbers that you are fairly confident will work in this PCIe 2.0 x16 slot or the PCIe x8 (wired x4) slot, which I guess is what you mean by PCIe x4? The PCIe x8 (wired x4) slot doesn't specifically say v2.0 or anything else on the motherboard or in the manual that I can find, so I'm thinking the PCIe 2.0 x16 slot might be a better solution for whatever wired card I get. The single PCIe x8 (wired x4) slot has a dual USB 3.0 card in it now, and I'm good with leaving it there. There's a second PCIe 2.0 x16 slot that's still unused, unless there's a reason not to use it that you know of.
Like I said before, the Intel I210-AT chipset has issues reported by customers, and so do the Startech brands that I saw, so I'm trying to save hunting and pecking, and maybe getting another brand or part number/model number or two or three with issues, only to having to return them and start over again, and maybe have issues multiple times before finding something that finally works.
Thanks in advance and Thanks again.
CBCC01
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Posted August 12th, 2020 20:00
@jackshack
@Dell-Martin S
@DELL-Martin W
Hello guys,
Jack had helped me a long time ago so I tagged him, and I included Martin S and Martin W because I'm looking for help on my questions above. If either you can help me or you know of someone who can and you can tag them in or PM them, I'd really appreciate it. I'm trying to squeeze more life out of my older Precision T7400. She's been a reliable and faithful machine all these years and she just needs some help with the Internet.
I think something about the Internet standards used during transmission to and from the Nodes and Hubs to and from me has changed over time because I couldn't get the same 220Mbps downloads and 20+Mbps uploads that I used to get when I had my IPS's 200Mbps package just 8 miles away across town. Customer Retention upgraded me to their 400Mbps package for free, but I still only got ~160Mbps, so later, they upgraded to their Gigabit package for free, again, yet I still only get ~160Mbps, no matter if it's their 200Mbps, 400, or Gigabit.
I am hopeful that a new PCIe NIC Card will do the trick in my remaining PCIe v2.0 x16 slot, or even the PCIe x8 (wired x4) slot. I doubt that 1 of the 4 PCI-X slots would be helpful here. I just need to find a PCIe NIC Card that should work, as almost everything has to be ordered online these days. I would much rather buy something I know should work rather than playing the "try this and see" game. The details I have to offer are above, so thanks in advance,
Craig