[GTALUG] LAN speed and USB ethernet dongles that go faster than 1 gigabit

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

2.5 and 5 gigabit USB ethernet dongles are available. They are not even 
too expensive.

Does anyone have experience with these?  Are they engineered in a way that 
doesn't put too much load on the host?  Are they reliable?

Background:

I don't actually need anything faster than 1 gigabit yet, but the time to 
start migrating is always yesterday.  Some ordinary motherboards come with 
2.5 gigabit ports already.

I don't know what the world will settle on as the new standard LAN speed.  
But it sure looks like we'll all want to be doing 2.5, 5, or 10 gigabits 
on our wired LANs in a few years.

Does anyone have an inkling about what the next consensus will be?

2.5 gigabit hardware is cheap but might not be enough better than 1 
gigabit to be worth the transition.  So it might not become the consensus 
speed.

10 gigabit hardware is still quite expensive.  More than I'm willing to 
pay right now.

It is possible that 5 gigabits is a good compromise.


Some example fast USB ethernet dongles:

<https://www.servethehome.com/ugreen-usb-type-c-to-2-5gbe-cheap-network-adapter-review/>
This cost the authors about US$20 from Amazon but in Canada, right now, it 
is $50.

The least expensive 2.5 that I found is generic, of unknown quality, for 
$33:
<https://www.primecables.ca/p-390236-cab-pc-08159-usb-30-to-25-gigabit-lan-ethernet-cable-adapter-primecables>
Canada Computers has a few at $35:
<https://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=5_3598_3616&item_id=198719>

5 gigabit is available, but more expensive.  Here's a review (it contains 
links to reviews of other 5 gigabit units):
<https://www.servethehome.com/sabrent-nt-ss5g-review-usb-to-5gbe-nic/>
I don't see it on Amazon.ca even though it is on amazon.com.