2.5Gbps Ethernet -> USB-C Adapter, Are Drivers Needed for a MacBook Pro

USB Network Adapters USBC-E2500
1

I am using a 2021 MacBook Pro with an M1 Max Chip running macOS Sonoma 14.4.1.

I will be running the ethernet connection as follows: router → switch → Plugable 2.5 Gbps adapter → Studio Display → MacBook Pro.

Question:

  1. Do I need to install drivers to get the adapter working to its fullest? If yes, then where can I download the drivers and how do I install them?

  2. What version of the RealTek chip is used as there is a lot of information that reads anything less than 8156 V31.04 will not work reliably with Apple silicon?

Thank you.

2

Hello,

Thank you for contacting us at Plugable. As for drivers for our USBC-E2500 on macOS Sonoma our ethernet adapter uses the Apple built-in NCM ethernet drivers and functions as a plug-and-play device.

I hope this information helps and if you have any follow up questions please let me know.

Thanks,
Alberto
Plugable Technologies
Product Owner

3

Alberto, much thanks for the response.

Kindly answer my other questions which was What version of the RealTek chip is used as there is a lot of information that reads anything less than 8156 V31.04 will not work reliably with Apple silicon?

I look forward to your response.

Thank you.

4

Hello Joel,

The chipset on our USBC-E2500 is a RTL8156B and this adapter is compatible with the latest version of macOS Sonoma including Apple Silicon based Macs. We regularly test our ethernet adapters and products with the latest version of compatible operating systems. I hope this information helps and please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,
Alberto
Plugable Technologies
Product Owner

5

Alberto. this very helpful.

In reviewing the adapter specs through System Report it appears to be a RTL8156B Version 31.04 which I believe makes it a RTL8156B(S)G. which is the latest and greatest (and what I am after).

Would you be able to confirm this for me?

Thank you.

6

Hello Joel,

The chipset in our adapter is the RTL8156B, which is one of the variants for this chipset. There are other variants of this chipset made by Realtek. I don’t have a specific version of it to share. As a reference I will leave a link to the Realtek chipset product page, to my understanding this is a shared specifications page for all the chipset variants.

https://www.realtek.com/Product/Index?id=3967

I hope this information helps and please let me know if you have any follow up questions.

Thanks,
Alberto
Plugable Technologies
Product Owner

7

Alberto, much thanks for the response and the link.

I visited the link and noted that the link is for the RTL8156BG-CG/RTL8156BSG-CG, Is it therefore one of these chips (as opposed to the more vanilla RTL8156B) that is in teh adapter.

In advance, apologies for pushing on this point but the chip is very important to my application.

Thank you.

Joel

8

Hello Joel,

Ours would be just the RTL8156B chipset. I have seen other 3rd party adapters that use RTL8156BG-CG/RTL8156BSG-CG, but our USBC-E2500 does not use that specific variant. I hope this answers your question, let me know if I can further clarify.

Thanks,
Alberto
Plugable Technologies
Product Owner

9

Alberto, again, much appreciated and very helpful!

Your support is wonderful and, as a result, Plugable has a loyal customer so long as this level of support remains!

Thank you!!