by Mat Dirjish
Sonnet Technologies believes its Solo10G T5 is the industry’s first bus-powered Thunderbolt 5 to 10GBASE-T 10 Gbit Ethernet adapter with NBASE-T (multi-Gbit) support. The latest member of its family of Thunderbolt, USB-C, and PCIe Ethernet network adapters, the Solo10G T5 adapter adds a 10 Gbit Ethernet (10GbE) port to Mac, Windows, and Linux computers with Thunderbolt or USB4 ports, and M series iPad Pro tablets.
The adapter connects compatible laptop, mini desktop, and all-in-one computers, plus iPad Pro tablets to 10GbE networks over standard Cat 6 or Cat 6A copper cabling. For users without access to a 10GbE network, the adapter also supports 5-, 2.5-, and 1-Gbit Ethernet link speeds over Cat 5e or better cabling when paired with a multi-gigabit compatible switch, router, or network attached storage (NAS).
Requiring no power adapter, the Solo10G T5 consumes just 7.5W of bus power. Reportedly, this leaves the connected computer enough power to operate another bus-powered Thunderbolt or USB device, such as an external SSD.
As per Sonnet, the Solo10G T5 underwent rigorous electrical and interoperability testing to achieve Thunderbolt certification, ensuring consistent performance and broad compatibility across certified host systems. Certification also verifies the adapter’s cryptographically authenticated firmware, allowing only manufacturer-authorized firmware updates.
The Solo10G T5 (part number SOLO10G-TB5) is available now at a suggested retail price of $199.99. For deeper details, peruse the Solo10G T5 overview.
