Intel Working on mainstream Ethernet with 2.5G (Foxville ) controller

by Hilbert Hagedoorn on: 10/02/2019 08:46 AM | source: phoronix | 31 comment(s)

You've been hearing me mention that Multi-GigE has been stuck in the 1 Gbps era for much too long now in my articles. While there are some alternatives from Realtek and Aquantia, there was one name missing for the consumer market. And when intel implements it, it'll become a standard. Intel is outting a 2.5G chip for the mainstream market.

The new Intel 2.5G Ethernet Controller will be called Intel I225-LM/I225-V 2.5G, and already has been spotted in Linux kernels for support. The new controller works via a standard ethernet jack and you can use your existing CAT5E/CAT6 cable. "Foxville" 2.5G Ethernet support hasn't yet been officially released by Intel but 2500 Megabit per second will get you in that 300 MB/sec range performance wise, which is the new sweet spot especially with a compatible NAS in your household of SOHO.

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Clawedge
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#5716400 Posted on: 10/02/2019 11:29 AM

Might be a better idea if Ethernet is intergrated into the USB protocol.

Its time the industry consolidated some stuff.

fantaskarsef
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#5716415 Posted on: 10/02/2019 12:30 PM

This probably is mostly making sense for server farms etc., right? Can't really see this being immensely important for the end user, or am I wrong here?

Mda400
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#5716426 Posted on: 10/02/2019 01:18 PM

This probably is mostly making sense for server farms etc., right? Can't really see this being immensely important for the end user, or am I wrong here?

It sure makes imaging computers faster when someone spills coffee purposefully on their computer, with their sinister gaze at us IT people saying "i think it's time for an upgrade".

Reqruiz
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#5716441 Posted on: 10/02/2019 01:44 PM

This probably is mostly making sense for server farms etc., right? Can't really see this being immensely important for the end user, or am I wrong here?

Imagine NAS with SSD on board and 2,5gbps ethernet. If you need that kind of speed it would be perfect without investing in server grade hardware. There is really wide spectrum of needs in "end user" term.

Venix
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#5716444 Posted on: 10/02/2019 01:49 PM

Working with cat5e is really what is nice for the most part you just change your gear plugging your old cables on and you are good to go ! I think i have to see anything lower than cat5e for year's , i mean getting sold in a store, i am not going around checking friends cables :p

fantaskarsef
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#5716445 Posted on: 10/02/2019 01:49 PM

Numbers wise, of course, but what to do with all that bandwidth? This is only for commercial use, or what sense would it make? Or do you plan on having that NAS with SSDs for a whole building of people watching at the same time?

Reqruiz
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#5716448 Posted on: 10/02/2019 01:55 PM

I don't know, backups, sending there and back uncompressed video or other stuff? If you can send some files for example in 10 minutes instead of 25 and it doesn't cost too much, question is: why not? I bet you would say same thing 20 years ago - "why we need 1gbps in homes if 100mbps is more than enough". Just progress, nothing wrong in it.

fantaskarsef
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#5716450 Posted on: 10/02/2019 01:58 PM

Never said there's anything wrong with it. Only that I don't see the real world use now. Sure, in 20 years we shall still use this or better. Doesn't mean I have to buy it as soon as it's out, for now. Just like with many other technologies which are faster in advancing than our making use of it. Like 8K TVs etc.

Reqruiz
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#5716458 Posted on: 10/02/2019 02:20 PM

Yeah, I get your point, 8K TV's are really pointless right now as even 4K is not so popular but I think default ethernet in the end of 2019 should be faster than 1gbps. I can rent 1gbps connection from my ISP for only 50 bucks, I can buy SSD with 3GB/s transfers, new games are 100GB+ etc. There is need for greater speeds IMO.

wavetrex
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#5716467 Posted on: 10/02/2019 02:36 PM

Imagine NAS with SSD on board and 2,5gbps ethernet.

I have 2.5gbps network in my home using a Trendnet TEG-30102WS switch and network cards and dongles based on Realtek RTL8125. It wasn't exactly cheap but not very expensive either.

All I can say is that's it's Won-Der-Ful ! Lower latency, much higher throughput than the 1gbps bottleneck which lasted for way, way too long.
Basically when accessing a file on the local computer or over the network... it's the same. I can even launch games over the network (Steamapps folder on a remote computer) and it works just as fast as if it was on my own gaming machine.

The most awesome part ? - It works on the same Cat 5 cables which existed in the walls, no infrastructure work whatsoever. Zero costs for rewiring !

wavetrex
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#5716471 Posted on: 10/02/2019 02:39 PM

.delete please

schmidtbag
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#5716505 Posted on: 10/02/2019 04:08 PM

Might be a better idea if Ethernet is intergrated into the USB protocol.

Its time the industry consolidated some stuff.
I disagree. That idea might be fine for a typical home network but beyond that, you're going to cause more problems than you hope to fix:
* USB has too much CPU overhead
* Most systems only have 1-2 XHCIs, where all of the USB ports you use are accessed via an internal hub. A USB-operated Ethernet is prone to either losing bandwidth, or, will soak up bandwidth from other devices. This isn't good if you care about consistent and reliable performance. This is only made worse since USB 3.2 and 4.0 can be used for so many other purposes like daisy-chaining and carrying video signals.
* If something brings down the host controller, you bring down the network with it. Seeing as USB is supposed to be easily accessible (from both hardware and software perspectives), that's not difficult to do.

I utterly hate the direction USB has been taking. It's trying so hard to be universal that it inadvertently ends up with compatibility issues.

JJayzX
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#5716555 Posted on: 10/02/2019 07:09 PM

I see this as a money grab as higher speeds have been around for a while. Just doing increments to a tech that's already easily accessible.

SweenJM
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#5716575 Posted on: 10/02/2019 08:36 PM

Working with cat5e is really what is nice

This is the real issue as i see it. Let's face it, most of the cabling in this old world is Cat5 and Cat5e. Replacing network infrastructure is expensive, prohibitively so for many people and businesses. Any time you are adding higher bandwidth capability to existing infrastructure, you are adding value in the form of extended service life and increased capacity. Most businesses would much rather replace some switches and transceivers than run fiber or Cat 7. I think that 2.5gig and 5 gig over Cat5e is going to be very popular for those very reasons. Let's not forget, Aquantia already got bought out by a bigger company (Marvell) because the industry tends to agree. I look forward to 2.5GBASE-T and 5GBASE-T replacing 1000BASE-T as the norm.

EspHack
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#5716655 Posted on: 10/03/2019 06:20 AM

what annoys me most is how we have had multiple 5gbps usb ports for almost a decade now but reserving half a usb3 port for ethernet is just too much apparently

i mean even phones are getting over 1gbps and close to 2gbps with 5g now, this is crazy

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