CWWK/Topton/... Nxxx quad NIC router

[mcfly9]

Hi, I wanted to get another aliexpress/topton minipc for a new site, but noted they are currently all sold out. I am on the lookout for a quad NIC, N150 or better machine with large cooling fins.
Any hints, why are they sold out? New generation incoming? AI craze? Any suggestions for alternatives?

 

[Mike9474593]

This one is in stock. Ordered several times at cwwk.net (and also on Aliexpress from them). All went smooth. But the unit is about $90 more expensive than a few months ago.

 

[slybunda]

Hi, I wanted to get another aliexpress/topton minipc for a new site, but noted they are currently all sold out. I am on the lookout for a quad NIC, N150 or better machine with large cooling fins.
Any hints, why are they sold out? New generation incoming? AI craze? Any suggestions for alternatives?

with the banning of many other brands of routers in the usa lot of people are turning to custom route for long term support and futureproofing. so they are all selling out.

 

[alkersan]

Any hints, why are they sold out? New generation incoming? AI craze? Any suggestions for alternatives?

I've asked cwwk few month ago (before the new year), if higher core count models will appear again (like n305, n355) - they replied it's near impossible to get any AlderLake-N/TwinLake chips. Probably because Intel winds down the production of this architecture, and shifts to newer panther/wildcat lake.
Anyway, I still see they have few 4-core variants in stock, which should be enough for some routing and filtering

 

[sal0]

PS I think I found the answer

How to update NVM firmware for Intel i225 and i226 Ethernet controllers?

A step-by-step guide on updating the NVM firmware for Intel i225 and i226 Ethernet controllers to ensure optimal performance and compatibility.

hungvu.tech

Find some details for each version here:

[Problem] How to flash upgraded Intel I225-V Firmware?

Hi, I have an I225-V chip on an MSI X670E motherboard. The problem is that this 2.5G network adapter is junk and has a history all over the internet with others and myself experiencing disconnects on and off. So this forces me to use the 10G Realtek network adapter but was wondering is there a...

winraid.level1techs.com

Thanks for the links. I updated n100 quad i-226V BK-1264NP Ver 1.2 from windows11. Nic version flashed was 2mb 2.13 to:

FXVL_125C_V_2MB_2.32.bin

2.32

80000422

OPNsense link with better instructions for multi nic flash:

[solved] Intel i226 Firmware (see post #39) - Page 3

[solved] Intel i226 Firmware (see post #39) - Page 3

forum.opnsense.org

Few notes:
-Multi nic boxes need MAC address to select NIC with command from OPNsense thread:
nvmupdate64e -b -l nvm.log -m 00E0B468DCBC -f -u -c nvm.cfg

-Make log1-4 files to individual nic flashes so you can check them later.

-DO NOT CONNECT ANYTHING TO NIC WHILE FLASHING. I forgot cable in one port and flash failed in Error: couldn't backup .bin

-Reboot 2 - 3 times and refresh inventory.txt if nics dont wake up from flash instantly.

 

[jauling]

Does anyone here have the CW-AT-2L-10G variant?


I was just looking at a product description, particularly the one with dual 10G SFP+, and it looks to have a fan incorporated into the NIC, is this true?


I was initially interested in picking up a N305 with dual SFP+ and limit the wattage via BIOS.

 

[blunden]

Does anyone here have the CW-AT-2L-10G variant?
View attachment 48702

I was just looking at a product description, particularly the one with dual 10G SFP+, and it looks to have a fan incorporated into the NIC, is this true?
View attachment 48703

I was initially interested in picking up a N305 with dual SFP+ and limit the wattage via BIOS.

Just keep in mind that the N305 doesn't have enough PCI-E lanes for the dual SFP+ slots using the old Intel 82599ES. That's a PCI-E 2.0 NIC, meaning that it needs 8 lanes for full performance while the N305 only has 9 lanes in total, with some of them taken up by the 2.5G NICs, etc.

It's also a 17 year old NIC, so it naturally isn't nearly as power efficient as something more modern. Active cooling of some sort is fairly common for that chip.

You really need a PCI-E 3.0 NIC for dual 10G with that CPU range.