10Gb SFP+ single port = cheaper than dirt

[MiniKnight]

Mellanox ConnectX-2 EN 671798 001 666172 001 HP 10GB Mellanox Connectx 2 PCIe 10GbE Ethernet NIC | eBay get this $19 OBO. Ha!

SFP+ about the best you'll find. 10gb hook up to a Mikrotik or somethin or the cheap SFP+ switches. nice.

 

[Chuckleb]

They keep dropping on price. When I got them for $32, was delighted. I still have about 40 unopened.

 

[neo]

I can't tell from that perspective, is that a full height or half height bracket?

 

[Chuckleb]

That looks full height

 

[acmcool]

How does this compare to intel X520?

 

[neo]

Yeah, my suspicions are correct - it is a low profile bracket. As it's written in the auction.

Unfortunately I can only use the full height, and matching full height brackets for these are seemingly impossible to find.

 

[Chuckleb]

Esiso sells them with both brackets for $32-34. That's what I usually buy. I may have some brackets from those available, but not sure.

 

[BackupProphet]

Just played around with these. I highly recommend a more recent Linux kernel. For example Ubuntu 14.04 had some issues where it refused to load the driver after reboot. But when they work, they SCREAM. 10Gbps wasn't a problem. However CPU power was, I tested these on a old dual core AMD XP5600+ and a single CPU thread couldn't deliver nor receive full 10Gbps for data (tested with iperf).

Next up is FreeBSD, I wonder how they work there.

 

[RTM]

Just played around with these. I highly recommend a more recent Linux kernel. For example Ubuntu 14.04 had some issues where it refused to load the driver after reboot.

There have been a few updates to the kernel of 14.04, if you install 14.04.3 LTS server you get a 3.19 kernel, how much time was it since you experienced trouble?

 

[BackupProphet]

You're right, I tested with the latest one fully updated yesterday.
It could be related to something else. Its just that I had the same problem on another computer and it went away after I tried Ubuntu 15.04 server

 

[slatfats]

Looks like they also have them with a full height bracket for the same price: Mellanox Connectx 2 10GbE Ethernet Network Server Adapter MNPA19 XTR | eBay

 

[Patrick]

Also vey easy to get working in Windows. I use one of these in my main desktop. $20 is great!

 

[acmcool]

Does this work in esxi? Any two port versions?

 

[PnoT]

Anyone know where the guide is to upgrading the firmware on these as I believe some people had severe speed issues?

 

[Aluminum]

Mellanox has pretty detailed guides on their site, what I used for all my connect-X flashing.

I wonder if these will work with the cheap $10 RJ45 SFPs (not SFP+ 10G RJ45 sadly, but understandable since none exist) if it does its almost worth throwing one in new builds that have shitty realtek nics.

I already put in $20 dual port intels just to have a real chipset/driver that doesn't fail under load. I really hate realtek and how OEMs use them even over the PCH controller!

$30 total would totally be worth getting a good chipset that does 1G now and be ready for 10G later.

 

[Rain]

I wonder if these will work with the cheap $10 RJ45 SFPs (not SFP+ 10G RJ45 sadly, but understandable since none exist) if it does its almost worth throwing one in new builds that have shitty realtek nics.

I really doubt those would work in Mellanox cards. You're much better off just getting cheap Intel 1GbE cards; keep doing that (or take the money you'd spend on an add-in NIC and buy a slightly better motherboard to begin with).

Anyone running one of these on a Windows 10 machine? Do the drivers play nice?

Edit: Also, in my dreams, 10GbE BASE-T cards are this price.

 

[neo]

Next up is FreeBSD, I wonder how they work there.

I tried using Mellanox cards in FreeBSD based systems such as pfSense and FreeNAS. Never got it to work, and found it easier to just go with the tested and tried Chelsio cards.

 

[Spartus]

I tried using Mellanox cards in FreeBSD based systems such as pfSense and FreeNAS. Never got it to work, and found it easier to just go with the tested and tried Chelsio cards.

Uh, I've been using these in my freebsd server since last year, with no problems. They are only supported in v10+. pfsense is using freebsd10, freenas is not, but will be soon.

I was actually too cheap to buy a switch so my freebsd NAS is also my 10gbe switch. The cards are so cheap, why not.

 

[abstractalgebra]

Uh, I've been using these in my freebsd server since last year, with no problems. They are only supported in v10+. pfsense is using freebsd10, freenas is not, but will be soon.

I was actually too cheap to buy a switch so my freebsd NAS is also my 10gbe switch. The cards are so cheap, why not.

Oh interesting how do you have your switch setup and routed? I've heard of some doing a three system ring with dual port cards to avoid buying a switch. Three System Infiniband ring with dual ports cards discussion

 

[Jeggs101]

I'd want to hear about this setup too.