Pete's Picks

USB 3.0 Ethernet

Objective:

Ethernet connectivity via USB 3.0 adapter

Pete's Pick

$29 Plugable USBC-E2500 USB 3.0 2.5Gb Ethernet Adapter ($29)

USB 3.0 2.5GbE / Gigagbit adapter. Supported on MacOS, Windows and Linux.

Discussion

This device offers 2.5GbE (for future use) and 1.0GbE for use today.

Where possible, buy newer USB Ethernet devices, they are better, especially with respect to drivers. Avoid 3rd party network drivers wherever possible -- MacOS and Windows provide drivers out of the box. Pretty sure this contains the RTL8156B chip.

Why not something cheaper or a multi-port usb dock with Ethernet? Sadly the chipset inside a USB Ethernet device matters a lot and directly impacts the stability of your connection. Naturally its near-impossible discover which chipsets is inside prior to purchase. Most cheap USB Gigabit Ethernet and USB mobile dock devices contain the awful Realtak RTL-XXXXX chipset. I have owned half a dozen devices and they have caused frequent network failures including regular broadcast floods by devices left plugged for too long.

Just avoid all that noise and buy the best card you can.

Sources

RTL8156