TP-Link 2.5GB PCIe Network Card (TX201) – PCIe to 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet Network Adapter, Supports Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7, Win Server 2022/2019/2016, Linux

I picked this card up to upgrade an Unraid server built on an older gaming motherboard. The onboard NIC was limited to 1Gb, and since my new internet service provides 2Gb, I needed a reliable 2.5Gb card to take full advantage of the speed. It was recognized instantly by Unraid with zero configuration required. I installed it in a lower PCIe slot to give it plenty of breathing room, which should help with airflow and keeping it cool. Performance has been solid. Using a speed‑test Docker container, I consistently see results just under 2Gb, with most tests landing between 1.8 and 2.1Gb. For a simple drop‑in upgrade, this card delivers exactly what I needed at a very reasonable price.

Works like it should and gets good and stable speeds. Very easy to install and I would highly recommend.

The integrated NIC circuit failed on a 7YO Dell Studio PC that I infrequently use but do keep the s/w updated. Without a network interface, updating the s/w was difficult. I found an empty PCIe slot on the MoBo and gave this TP-Link 2.5GB NIC card a try. It worked perfectly. Win11 recognized it and loaded the necessary driver and I was up and running in a matter of minutes. I did update the driver after I confirmed everything worked, using the supplied mini cd but in hindsight, I’m not sure that was necessary. I would recommend this card to a relative or friend if they needed a NIC card.

This card is a beast. Installation was plug‑and‑play, and my network speeds instantly jumped to full 2.5Gb performance. Zero driver issues, rock‑solid stability, and no heat problems. Perfect for NAS setups, gaming rigs, or high‑speed home networks. This saves time in setup and maintenance like nothing else.

The original purpose of this purchase was to replace my onboard Ethernet connection, which seemed a bit slow at 1GB. Since my network infrastructure is 1GB, I really didn't need a 2.5GB card, but the price wasn't too much, so I bought it. I did not notice any improvement after upgrading it. I kind of expected that. After running it for a year, it stopped working. I tried different slots, but it didn't work. As a result, I had to switch back to the onboard Ethernet from Intel. I later discovered that the network issues I was experiencing were caused by anti-virus software. Once I removed that, my network speed was way faster. I liked the features of the card, and some people stated that it performed well for them. I assume I got a card from a bad batch, so I half-heartedly only recommend it because it failed on me in about a year but with the price point being low didn't bother me too much. I'd buy it again. Pros Affordable way to upgrade from 1GbE to 2.5GbE. Works in virtually any available PCIe x1 slot. Generally plug-and-play in Windows 10/11. Low-profile bracket included for small form factor PCs. Things to Consider To achieve 2.5 Gbps speeds, you'll also need: A 2.5GbE-capable router, switch, or NAS. Cat5e, Cat6, or better Ethernet cabling. Some users report that installing the latest Realtek drivers can improve performance over the default drivers in certain situations.

Used this on my home server and never a problem. Excellent Network Card.

This is exactly what we were looking for, as we were running on Wi-Fi, and it kept dropping out. I love that this also came with a low-profile bracket, which we needed for our HP computer. Changed out the bracket, plugged it in, and upon rebooting the computer, it found the card right away. We didn't need to download any drivers or do any fancy install shenanigans.

I ran into a weird POST/boot hang after switching to an ASRock Z490 Phantom Gaming 4/ac and adding a TP-Link TX201 2.5GbE PCIe NIC. With the TX201 installed, the machine would sometimes refuse to boot / hang during POST. What fixed it I put a small piece of tape over PCIe edge connector pins B5 (and even B6) on the NIC. After that, the system booted normally and the card worked fine in the OS. Why this works (the reasoning) PCIe has some “old-school” pins that the motherboard uses before the OS ever loads: B5 = PRSNT2# (presence detect) This is part of the hardware “card present / lane width” detection logic. If a motherboard BIOS/UEFI is picky (or buggy) during PCIe enumeration, a device can cause the firmware to stall while it’s trying to validate presence/configuration. By isolating B5, you’re basically forcing the board to be less strict about that early presence-detect logic and letting PCIe link training/device enumeration complete in a different code path. In plain English: you’re bypassing a firmware edge case that can hang POST. “But the TX201 says PCIe 2.1… why would this happen?” “PCIe 2.1” on many add-in cards is largely a compatibility claim, not a guarantee the device behaves like a 2008-era card electrically/firmware-wise. The TX201 is an Intel 2.5Gb controller-based NIC (varies by revision), and modern PCIe devices can still trigger weird BIOS timing/initialization issues on certain boards/BIOS versions. This is usually a UEFI enumeration bug, not the NIC being “too new” or “too high-end.” Why it still worked even when I taped B6 (+12V) B6 is +12V slot power. I taped B5 and B6 and the NIC still worked, which tells you something useful: Many low-power PCIe cards (NICs, USB cards, etc.) run entirely from the 3.3V rail provided by the slot and barely (or never) use slot 12V. So disconnecting B6 (+12V) didn’t matter for this NIC because it’s likely 3.3V-powered internally. That also reinforces that the original issue wasn’t “power” — it was detection/initialization during POST. Why this matters (and why it can save you money) If your system won’t boot with a NIC installed, it’s easy to assume: “My motherboard won’t support high-end / 2.5Gb / newer NICs.” But this kind of hang can be a firmware edge case during PCIe enumeration, not true incompatibility. A simple presence-detect workaround (taping B5) can get you booting and running normally without buying a different motherboard or NIC. Note / caution This is obviously a DIY hack: Prefer taping B5 only long-term (leaving power pins alone is cleaner). Also worth trying BIOS updates, toggling PCIe Gen settings (Gen3/Gen2), or disabling fast boot, but the tape fix can confirm it’s an enumeration/presence-detect problem quickly.

works great on my truenas scale with nuc 9 extreme

I picked this up to finally get the most out of my high-speed internet plan. Most motherboards are still stuck with standard 1G ports, and this card is a very affordable way to bridge that gap. The Setup: Installation was a breeze. It’s a small card that fits easily into a PCIe x1 slot, and it even includes a low-profile bracket if you’re working with a slim desktop case. It’s built well and feels like a quality piece of hardware that should last. One Important Tip: When I first plugged it in, Windows recognized it immediately, but I noticed a weird issue: my download speeds were great, but my upload speeds were stuck and wouldn't hit that 2.5G mark. I found that the "standard" drivers Windows installs automatically aren't quite enough. To fix this and truly unlock the full 2.5G upload speed, go directly to the Realtek website and download the latest drivers for the RTL8125 chipset. As soon as I installed the official drivers from the source, the upload cap vanished and everything worked perfectly. Final Verdict: It’s a fantastic, reliable card for the price. Just save yourself the troubleshooting time and grab the drivers from Realtek right away

Mi internet no es muy rápido pero se siente más estable con este adaptador de 2.5GB.

excellent product, onboard nics cant handle jitter as these do!

A beast network card from a reputable network brand! This was needed to upgrade my slow motherboard LAN, which caps out at only 980 Mbps, and my modem has a 2 Gbps plan where a faster card can make use of my bandwidth. The installation was very easy as it just plugs into the smaller PCIEX1_1 slot with no problems. As soon as you boot into Windows 11, the drivers will automatically get installed, so the internet will work a few minutes after reboot. It’s plug and play! It works so well, and I’m getting very fast 2 Gbps speeds. Faster downloads hooray!