10Gtek 10Gb/s SFP+ RJ45 Copper Ethernet Transceiver Review – A SFP+ to 10GBase-T converter

Thanks to the Mikrotik Cloud Smart Switch I upgraded the connection between my PC and Server to 10Gbe for under £200 while also adding 24-gigabit ethernet ports to my network.

It is a fantastic switch, and it turns out SFP is no more confusing than copper ethernet.

However, 10GbE over copper is becoming more popular and I was recently sent a TRENDnet USB-C 3.1 to 2.5GBASE-T Ethernet Adapter to review. As I didn’t have a 10GbE RJ45 switch to test this with, I decided to try one of the 10Gtek 10Gb/s SFP+ RJ45 Copper Transceivers that are available on Amazon.

At £80, these are not exactly cheap, but if you require one device with RJ45, such as one of the new X570 motherboards, or a Wi-Fi 6 router, then it a logical option.

An alternative option that I have found as I write this is the 6COM 10GBase-T SFP+ 10 Gigabit RJ45 Copper Transceiver which is more affordable at         £65.99.

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Installation is straightforward, it is the same as an SFP transceiver, but you plug a Cat 6/5e cable into it.

I did find I needed to wobble it in a little as if the connection didn’t immediately register, but once in properly, the switch lit up with a 10G connection.

Plugging this into the TRENDnet the 2.5G light lit up on that and Windows register a 2.5Gbps connection. So far so good.

Sadly, from here things didn’t go so well. At first, the connection was only able to transfer at around 50MB/s per second, less than gigabit. Updating the drivers rebooting devices, and swapping cables I eventually managed to achieve 120MB/s when transferring large files, I tried both the SSD drive in the server and the shucked mechanical WD 10TB drives.

Nothing went above 120MB/s which would indicate something was capping the connection at gigabit.

I then tried the Acer Predator 900 which has a 2.5Gbs Killer ethernet port and this suffered from the same issues, therefore ruling out problems with the USB adaptor.

Overall

I can’t rule out that it was the switch that is not compatible with the transceiver but for me, at least the 10Gtek 10Gb/s SFP+ RJ45 transceiver does not achieve the claimed speeds.

In defence of 10Gtek, they don’t state Mikrotik compatibility, so it is possible this will work on the Cisco SFP-10G-T-S and Ubiquiti UF-RJ45-10G which they explicitly state does work.

They also have an option for the Dell Force10, Intel and Juniper. I also have had no issues with 10Gtek as I have used their SFP transceivers and also one of their SFP cables.

On the bright side, I have saved myself £80 sending this back to Amazon. I am tempted to order the 6COM alternative and see how I get on from there. At £65 it is much more affordable.

James Smythe( Editor-in-chief )

I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.

As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.

In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.