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I own one also, while I do recommend them... I would also recommend some caution if planning to use Linux I'm not sure if this is a common/repeat thing, but fo

I own one also, while I do recommend them... I would also recommend some caution if planning to use Linux I'm not sure if this is a common/repeat thing, but for mine I need to maintain a build of the Realtek kernel modules out of tree If I try to use the discovered/automatic/inline driver... it'll drop out if I try to saturate the link. It's only when I blacklist this module and compile/use the one from Realtek that it works reliably edit: This has been consistent through about a year of Fedora kernel releases, for what it's worth -- rather leading edge.

djchen 4y ago
What distro and kernel version are you running on there? The Realtek 2.5G NICs should work natively with a recent kernel.
- bravetraveler 4y ago
  Funny you ask! I just edited this in, realizing it was relevant. It's quite odd, this is with Fedora -- the current/latest release for about the past year (34 through 36). It's seen quite a healthy number of 5.x kernels, but every time I try to go without I reluctantly have to build it again It'll work fine, for a time, but when I really put stress on that link it'll drop Edit: This is trained at multi-gig too -- going to a 10GbE Mikrotik switch. I haven't tried testing reliability at 1G -- it's probably better, but I'd like the speed... I still have yet to try a 6.y kernel on it
  - zerd 4y ago
    No guarantee that it'll fix it but for me it helped to disable ASPM, details in https://forum.odroid.com/viewtopic.php?t=39678 https://forum.odroid.com/viewtopic.php?t=39678
    - bravetraveler 4y ago
      Certainly worth a try, thank you! Seeing they have a kernel PPA makes me suspect too that there's some patchwork going on, where I'm using vanilla Fedora kernels
  - heavyset_go 4y ago
    You can use dkms to automatically compile your out of kernel driver for you whenever you install a new kernel.
    - bravetraveler 4y ago
      Indeed, I'm aware - that's what I typically use When I say build it, I really mean allow dkms to function
pizza234 4y ago
Based on the UK reseller, Ubuntu 20.04 supports the ethernet chipset out of the box, while 18.04 doesn't. I run on an unmodified 18.04 though (kernel v5.4), so I think that the support has been also added in a more recent 18.04 LTS patch version.
- bravetraveler 4y ago
  Interesting! I don't so much have an issue with support, but stability. I'd be curious to know if you're connected at 1 or 2.5G, and if 2.5, how it does if held at that level for about a minute An iperf3 test or two is usually enough to make it drop until I reboot Where with the compiled module it's rock solid
- alias_neo 4y ago
  Oof, speaking of the UK reseller; that £277 after tax ($320 US) is quite a markup from the $165 (presumably plus tax) on the hardkernel site.
reachableceo 4y ago
On all Linux distros on all hardware , one should use the (latest(stable)) vendor drivers. :) The distro drivers (and/or) kernel drivers, are almost always garbage. Also make sure the NIC firmware is up to date.
- eqvinox 4y ago
  > On all Linux distros on all hardware , one should use the (latest(stable)) vendor drivers. :) Care to provide any rationale? > The distro drivers (and/or) kernel drivers, are almost always garbage. My experience is the exact opposite, vendor drivers are almost always garbage, and the kernel drivers just work.
- Brian_K_White 4y ago
  I must say the exact opposite.
- bravetraveler 4y ago
  I appreciate you taking the time, but this isn't quite true For some vendors or kernels, certainly However, this completely disregards the work companies like Intel and AMD do to upstream their drivers, or the leagues of individual maintainers In many cases there is no difference, the driver in the kernel is the upstream one Nvidia has been a notable exception, but they're slowly improving by going (partially?) open source Realtek specifically has problems due to their shared driver core. For example, it often can't reliably tell the difference between an r8125 and r8169

djchen 4y ago

What distro and kernel version are you running on there? The Realtek 2.5G NICs should work natively with a recent kernel.

bravetraveler 4y ago
Funny you ask! I just edited this in, realizing it was relevant. It's quite odd, this is with Fedora -- the current/latest release for about the past year (34 through 36). It's seen quite a healthy number of 5.x kernels, but every time I try to go without I reluctantly have to build it again It'll work fine, for a time, but when I really put stress on that link it'll drop Edit: This is trained at multi-gig too -- going to a 10GbE Mikrotik switch. I haven't tried testing reliability at 1G -- it's probably better, but I'd like the speed... I still have yet to try a 6.y kernel on it
- zerd 4y ago
  No guarantee that it'll fix it but for me it helped to disable ASPM, details in https://forum.odroid.com/viewtopic.php?t=39678 https://forum.odroid.com/viewtopic.php?t=39678
  - bravetraveler 4y ago
    Certainly worth a try, thank you! Seeing they have a kernel PPA makes me suspect too that there's some patchwork going on, where I'm using vanilla Fedora kernels
- heavyset_go 4y ago
  You can use dkms to automatically compile your out of kernel driver for you whenever you install a new kernel.
  - bravetraveler 4y ago
    Indeed, I'm aware - that's what I typically use When I say build it, I really mean allow dkms to function

pizza234 4y ago

Based on the UK reseller, Ubuntu 20.04 supports the ethernet chipset out of the box, while 18.04 doesn't. I run on an unmodified 18.04 though (kernel v5.4), so I think that the support has been also added in a more recent 18.04 LTS patch version.

bravetraveler 4y ago
Interesting! I don't so much have an issue with support, but stability. I'd be curious to know if you're connected at 1 or 2.5G, and if 2.5, how it does if held at that level for about a minute An iperf3 test or two is usually enough to make it drop until I reboot Where with the compiled module it's rock solid
alias_neo 4y ago
Oof, speaking of the UK reseller; that £277 after tax ($320 US) is quite a markup from the $165 (presumably plus tax) on the hardkernel site.

reachableceo 4y ago

On all Linux distros on all hardware , one should use the (latest(stable)) vendor drivers. :) The distro drivers (and/or) kernel drivers, are almost always garbage. Also make sure the NIC firmware is up to date.

eqvinox 4y ago
> On all Linux distros on all hardware , one should use the (latest(stable)) vendor drivers. :) Care to provide any rationale? > The distro drivers (and/or) kernel drivers, are almost always garbage. My experience is the exact opposite, vendor drivers are almost always garbage, and the kernel drivers just work.
Brian_K_White 4y ago
I must say the exact opposite.
bravetraveler 4y ago
I appreciate you taking the time, but this isn't quite true For some vendors or kernels, certainly However, this completely disregards the work companies like Intel and AMD do to upstream their drivers, or the leagues of individual maintainers In many cases there is no difference, the driver in the kernel is the upstream one Nvidia has been a notable exception, but they're slowly improving by going (partially?) open source Realtek specifically has problems due to their shared driver core. For example, it often can't reliably tell the difference between an r8125 and r8169