Q
What is the main controller chip of the IO-M2F113-GLAN network card? What are its advantages?
A
It uses the Marvell AQC113 10G Ethernet controller. This chip is a proven 10GBASE-T solution that supports NBASE‑T and is backward compatible with 5G/2.5G/1G/100M speeds. It features low power consumption and high stability, and is widely deployed in enterprise and high‑end consumer networking equipment.
Q
What is the interface bandwidth of this product? Will it limit 10G performance?
A
The card uses a PCIe 3.0 x2 link, providing theoretical bandwidth of about 16Gbps – ample to fully support 10Gbps (around 9.4Gbps real‑world throughput). Compared to older PCIe 2.0 x1 or USB adapters, PCIe 3.0 x2 ensures there is no bottleneck for 10G speeds.
Q
What network speeds are supported? Is it compatible with ordinary Gigabit routers?
A
It supports 10G/5G/2.5G/1G/100M auto‑negotiation. When connected to a Gigabit switch or router, it automatically downshifts to 1Gbps, ensuring full backward compatibility. You can use it with your existing equipment now and seamlessly upgrade to 10G later without changing the card.
Q
What are the advantages of the RJ45 copper port over an SFP+ fibre port?
A
The RJ45 port can be directly connected using standard Cat6a/Cat7 Ethernet cables, eliminating the need for separate optical modules and fibre patch cords – lower deployment cost. It also offers greater cabling flexibility and is fully compatible with existing copper infrastructure, making it ideal for both data centre retrofits and home 10G upgrades.
Q
What are the M.2 slot requirements for this network card?
A
The motherboard must have a M.2 NVMe slot (Key M) that is wired for PCIe (not SATA). We recommend using a slot that is directly connected to the CPU or PCH native PCIe lanes, and avoiding slots that go through third‑party hubs for better stability.
Q
Is it compatible with all major operating systems?
A
Yes. It supports Windows 10/11 (64‑bit), Windows Server 2016/2019/2022, Linux (kernel 4.x and above), and VMware ESXi. Marvell provides official driver packages, and newer Linux kernels include open‑source drivers for plug‑and‑play operation.
Q
Can it be used in a laptop's M.2 slot?
A
Theoretically, if the laptop has a PCIe NVMe M.2 slot and enough physical space, the card will be recognised. However, laptops have tight internal spaces and the card draws about 3‑4W under load, which may cause thermal throttling or overheating. We strongly recommend using it only in desktops, industrial PCs, NAS, or servers. Laptop users should carefully evaluate their cooling conditions.
Q
Do I need to manually install drivers after installation?
A
Yes, Windows 10 and 11 require manual driver installation. We recommend downloading the latest AQC113 dedicated driver from the Marvell website or our support page to achieve the best performance.
Q
Does the 10G copper port generate a lot of heat? How does this product handle cooling?
A
10GBASE-T chips do produce noticeable heat. This product has been specifically designed for the compact M.2 form factor: it uses a low‑profile metal shield that doubles as a heatsink, with thermal pads transferring heat from the chip to the shield, which is then cooled by chassis airflow. Under normal ventilation, the junction temperature stays within safe limits.
Q
Will it throttle due to overheating during prolonged full‑load operation?
A
As long as the ambient temperature is ≤45°C and there is adequate airflow in the chassis, continuous full‑load transfers will not trigger thermal protection. If installed in a confined, fanless space (e.g., the bottom of a mini‑ITX case), we recommend adding a small M.2 heatsink or improving case intake airflow to ensure long‑term stability.
Q
Does it support VLAN and Jumbo Frames?
A
Yes to both. IEEE 802.1Q VLAN tagging can be configured through the driver control panel for multi‑segment isolation. It also supports Jumbo Frames up to 16KB, which significantly reduces CPU interrupt overhead and improves throughput in NAS transfers, virtualised storage, and other large‑file workloads.
Q
Can it be used for Link Aggregation (LACP) with other NICs?
A
Yes, it supports IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation. You can team it with an onboard NIC or another AQC113 card to achieve bandwidth stacking and redundancy. This is ideal for soft routers, all‑in‑one hosts, and any scenario requiring high‑availability network access.
Q
What are the best use cases for this product?
A
① Upgrading NAS or home servers to 10G using spare NVMe slots; ② Low‑cost 10G upgrades for older motherboards without built‑in 10G ports; ③ Adding high‑speed wired networking to industrial PCs or edge devices; ④ Direct‑attached 10G storage arrays for video editing workstations; ⑤ Rapidly deploying 10G copper nodes in lab or test environments.
Q
Does this network card support PXE boot and Wake‑on‑LAN (WOL)?
A
This M.2 version supports PXE but does not support WOL. The PCIe version of the AQC113 supports both PXE and WOL.
