[Answered] Issue getting the X9DRH-iTF onboard 10gb interface working at full speed

[DCN]

Hello whoever finds this,

I am standing up my first 10Gb server and I'm encountering some issues. According to the manual and the bios this motherboard has an Intel x540-AT2 nic built in but I cannot get speeds beyond 1Gb to my 2.5Gb capable switch. I have dug into the BIOS and cannot set the link speed manually, it remains stubbornly on AutoNeg. Checking the interface with ethtool verifies that it does have the capability to do 10000baseT/Full on both ports. I have tried manually setting the speed via ethtools but this results in the interface either disabling itself or downgrading itself into limp mode at 100baseT/Full. I have it plugged in with a 6' CAT6 cable to my 2.5Gb switch (I know that I should use CAT6a but I don't have any at the moment and from my reading CAT6 should work for this short of a run).

Any assistance would be appreciated!

 

[LodeRunner]

Hello whoever finds this,

I am standing up my first 10Gb server and I'm encountering some issues. According to the manual and the bios this motherboard has an Intel x540-AT2 nic built in but I cannot get speeds beyond 1Gb to my 2.5Gb capable switch. I have dug into the BIOS and cannot set the link speed manually, it remains stubbornly on AutoNeg. Checking the interface with ethtool verifies that it does have the capability to do 10000baseT/Full on both ports. I have tried manually setting the speed via ethtools but this results in the interface either disabling itself or downgrading itself into limp mode at 100baseT/Full. I have it plugged in with a 6' CAT6 cable to my 2.5Gb switch (I know that I should use CAT6a but I don't have any at the moment and from my reading CAT6 should work for this short of a run).

Any assistance would be appreciated!

The X540-AT2 is not multigigabit aware. It runs at 100/1000/10000. It will not sync or negotiate 2.5 or 5g speeds and you can't pick those speeds as the ASIC/transceiver has no awareness of them.
Intel® Ethernet Controller X540-AT2

 

[DCN]

Ding ding ding! I just stumbled onto a similar answer on reddit (facepalm) and you confirmed it. Guess it's time to get a 10g switch so I don't lose out on this feature. Thank you for replying/answering my question @LodeRunner.