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10Gtek Gigabit Ethernet PCIe‌ RJ45 Network Card, Compare to Intel E1G42ET
10Gtek

10Gtek Gigabit Ethernet PCIe‌ RJ45 Network Card, Compare to Intel E1G42ET

Bottom line: The 10Gtek Gigabit Ethernet PCIe‌ RJ45 Network Card: Genuine Intel 82576 controller, not a rebadge; behaves like an E1G42ET to drivers; main trade-off: no VMware ESXi 7.0 or newer support, ruling out current vSphere hosts.

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Mike Perry — Hardware researcher since 2014. For retro PC hardware and period-correct parts, synthesises manufacturer documentation, community compatibility lists and marketplace listings rather than first-hand lab testing. Core beat: GPU performance across gaming, rendering, and local-LLM inference.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • ✓ Genuine Intel 82576 controller, not a rebadge; behaves like an E1G42ET to drivers
  • ✓ Dual RJ45 gigabit ports on one PCIe x4 card for routing, VLANs, or link aggregation
  • ✓ Runs up to 100m over Cat-5 copper, so no media converters for long in-wall drops
  • ✓ Ships with both standard and low-profile brackets for 1U/2U and SFF chassis
  • ✓ 3-year warranty plus 30-day free returns and lifetime tech support from 10Gtek

Cons

  • ✗ No VMware ESXi 7.0 or newer support, ruling out current vSphere hosts
  • ✗ No hot-swap support; the host must be powered down to install or remove the card
  • ✗ Gigabit-only at 1.25GbE per port, so it will not feed 2.5G or 10G uplinks
  • ✗ Needs a free PCIe x4 slot at 2.5 GT/s, a tight fit in slot-starved retro boards

SpecPicks Verdict

SpecPicks scored 10Gtek Gigabit Ethernet PCIe‌ RJ45 Network Card using a rating × review-volume × price-fit model applied to published specs and reviews across the retro networking cards category. 10Gtek's retro networking cards lineup sits within the broader category mid-tier; price and specs are the deciding factors over brand loyalty here. Judge it on the specification table and the price rather than on sentiment: check the figures that decide your use case, then put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives in the Compare tool before clicking through.

Common buyer scenarios for retro networking cards of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the retailer's listing before purchase. Prices and stock are set by the retailer and may have moved since this page was last updated.

Key Features

  • Equipped with original Intel 82576 controller chip which supports Intelligent Offloads and make the servers more stable. Compare to Intel E1G42ET.
  • Compatible with Windows Server 2008/2012/2016/2019, Windows 7/8/10/11/Visa/XP, Linux, VMware ESX. (Does not support VMware ESXi 7.0 or above.)
  • Dual copper RJ45 ports let you connect to Category-5 and up to 100m for meeting the demands of data center environments. PCI Express* 2.0. 2.5 GT/s X4 Lane.
  • You also can download it from Intel website. With profile bracket and additional low profile bracket that makes it easy to install the card in a small form factor/low profile computer case/server.NOT support hot swaping.
  • What You Get: 10Gtek 82576-2T-X4 1.25GbE PCI-E X4 Network Card (compare to Intel E1G42ET) x1, Low-profile Bracket x1. Backed by 10Gtek 30 Days Free-returned, 3 Year Free Warranty and Lifetime Technology Support.

Full Specifications

Brand10Gtek
ColorX1
Unit Count1 Count
Model Number82576-2T-X4(E1G42ET)-(Intel-1pc)
CompatibilityLinux
Item Highlightwith Intel 82576 Chip, PCIe 2.0 X4, 100/1000Mbps Ethernet PCI Express Converged Network Adapter, Dual RJ45 Copper Ports
Mfr Part Numberlancard-1g-1
Number of Items1
Compatible DevicesServer, Desktop
Data Link ProtocolEthernet
Data Transfer Rate1000 megabytes_per_second
Hardware InterfacePCIE x 4

Ready to buy?

10Gtek Gigabit Ethernet PCIe‌ RJ45 Network Card, Compare to Intel E1G42ET is listed on Amazon. Price, availability, shipping and returns are set by Amazon and its sellers — check the listing for current terms. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.

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