As the Retina Macbook Pro required an Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter, anyone know where to get it cheaper than the £25 in the Apple store?
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Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter
- Thread starter Superman041
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Unless you need full gigabit Ethernet speeds (you really don't... Unless you have google fiber or are doing network backups...) you'll be fine with a USB Ethernet adapter. Up here's a random amazon one, all you need is a mac compatible Ethernet USB adapter. This one is under 10 USD shipped in the USA.
http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Ethe...92255232&sr=1-5&keywords=usb+ethernet+adapter
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Are you serious? That's a 10/100 adapter, the speeds will be atrocious. It's not even worth buying.
OP, pay the extra and get decent speeds and something that's Apple certified. Sometimes you get a better deal if you buy third-party and cheaper. In this case, it's just not true.
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Additionally, Amazon occasionally have it for a little cheaper. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B008ALA6DW
You'll be hard pressed to find it less than £20 though. If you've paid for a £1000+ machine there's no point in crippling it with a cheap, crappy adapter.
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That's not exactly an expensive price.
If you're looking for a USB powered one, I suggest this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/StarTech-RJ45-Ethernet-Network-Adapter/dp/B0095EFXMC/
Though it's not any cheaper than the Thunderbolt adapter.
I also have the one that gives me a 3-port USB 3.0 hub with an integrated Gigabit Ethernet port for my ThinkPad if you're looking for other options.
If you're looking for a USB powered one, I suggest this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/StarTech-RJ45-Ethernet-Network-Adapter/dp/B0095EFXMC/
Though it's not any cheaper than the Thunderbolt adapter.
I also have the one that gives me a 3-port USB 3.0 hub with an integrated Gigabit Ethernet port for my ThinkPad if you're looking for other options.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Are you serious? That's a 10/100 adapter, the speeds will be atrocious. It's not even worth buying.
OP, pay the extra and get decent speeds and something that's Apple certified. Sometimes you get a better deal if you buy third-party and cheaper. In this case, it's just not true.
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Additionally, Amazon occasionally have it for a little cheaper. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B008ALA6DW
You'll be hard pressed to find it less than £20 though. If you've paid for a £1000+ machine there's no point in crippling it with a cheap, crappy adapter.
Just out of interest, why do you think Apple did not include an Ethernet port, I know Wifi is used mostly now, but still. Just seems a money making method to be honest!
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Good question. I suppose if Apple really wanted to include an Ethernet port, they could have found a way. But there are a few reasons, IMHO.
Ethernet port is too large: it'll be difficult to fit one into the thin shell of the rMBP. Other UltraBook manufacturers have a weird flappy thing that reveals the full size of the Ethernet port. However, that isn't a particularly elegant or sturdy solution.
Justification: I'd estimate that the majority of people who purchase a rMBP would never use the Ethernet port -- others would use it rarely. I suppose as the rMBP has two Thunderbolt ports, you've got the option of buying an Ethernet adapter if you need to use it. Similarly, if you need an optical drive, you'd purchase an external one. Same again with a USB floppy drive.
Ultimately I think Apple are trying to get to an ultra-thin notebook future. Although it's difficult to see why in the immediacy, forcing themselves to innovate better thermal solutions affects their entire product line. I'd be willing to bet that advances with the thinness/thermals in the PowerBook/MacBook lines and in the iPhones really helped to make things like the nMP and rMBP possible.
They've always had a quest for thinness, and always haven't had a quarrel with disregarding peripherals/other tech that are still being widely used. It's not a case of arguing their mentality, it's more a case of going along with the ride. Apple will screw you, no doubt about it -- but they've been screwing with customers all the time, and I'd rather they're a company with a clear pipeline and vision, than a company who tries to please all their customers and end up making sub-standard crap (think almost all PC OEMs).
TL;DR: I have no idea.
10/100 is fine for a lot of uses. Many times the wired infrastructure (ethernet cables, routers or switches) are older and don't even support 1000gbps speeds. OP, check your hardware and your uses. If you have internet faster than 100mbps, or you do a lot of intra-network file transfers (e.g. to a server), and your current hardware supports it, definitely be sure to get the 10/100/1000mbps version of this adapter, or your wireless network may well be faster.
oh, how I wish people would learn what they're talking about before speaking/insulting me.
:roll eyes:Is your internet faster than 100Megabits per second? Are YOU kidding me??
oh, how I wish people would learn what they're talking about before speaking/insulting me.
Is your internet faster than 100Megabits per second? Are YOU kidding me??
Yeah, I have a 120Mb/s connection, soon to be upgraded to 156Mb/s.
Also, Ethernet isn't just for internet, it's for general networking. To have a network card that has a theoretical maximum transfer speed of around 12MB is a joke.
Take a 10/100 adapter to a LAN party and you'll be way behind. Use it to connect to a campus or business network and it's too slow. Use it to image systems, and you might as well be using a 28.8 modem. It's far too limiting.
My point was that for the sake of saving a few quid, it's not worth the severe drop in quality.
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I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk down to me. I'm aware of what networks are used for.
I highly, highly doubt OP was planning on taking his MB to a LAN party or to image systems. For saving a few bucks, a USB ethernet device is fine. I use one every day. I'm happy that you have incredible network speeds, but most people don't. I'm in the 98th percentile of american connections and my max is 85Mbit.
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Also notice I said -
And what about connecting to a University/work network via Ethernet? That's not exactly imaging systems.
My initial point was simply -- why buy a $2000 laptop and skimp out on a considerably slower adapter for a few dollars? We're not talking $100 for an adapter here. We're talking about something the price of a crate of beer.
Sorry if you felt I was talking down to you; you did begin by saying I didn't know what I was talking about, and took a sarcastic tone when you rolled your eyes with your first reply so I got a little riled up. We're both a little better than that and I know you didn't mean to incite any anger.
I genuinely didn't mean to start an argument either. You're absolutely right that the adapter should be fine for most uses, I shouldn't have patronised you and I hope we both have valid points for the OP to consider.
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Maybe the finally understood that the Retina lineup wasn't worth of the "Pro" moniker?
Where there's a will, there's a way. The original Air had a decently-designed flap with a folding Ethernet port inside, as well as USB.
I'd disagree with you here. People who want an Apple laptop currently have no choice side of Retina, as classical ones aren't displayed in store, and may even not be available at all, except for repairs.
Floppy disk is a bad example: it has been dead for the past 10 years at best. However the lack of an optical drive is still an issue, for example when dealing with language-learning methods. My Spanish book edited last year came with a CD inside, as do the vast majority of language-learning methods.
Huh, no. Most users with more than just one computer connected to their modem have outgrown 100Mbps a decade ago. Of course most Internet connections don't reach up 100Mbps, but any decent spinner will go above that, and some will gladly saturate 1Gbps.
Apple has recognized it, and since years their machines come with a Gigabit port. What's the point is settling for a much inferior speed? Only very, very cheap OEM PCs have no gigabit inside, or when they do, it's actually a USB-Ethernet bridge, giving only 400Mbps of actual bandwidth, USB being the limiting factor. AFAIK, Apple machines have a true Gigabit chip inside.
What's the point in saving just a few bucks on an adapter that will severely limit you for the machine's lifetime?
Still consider yourself lucky to have a 85Mbit max, mine, in a supposedly developed country, in the city's core, only reaches 25, and it is very expensive, too.
Minor nitpick, the flappy door consisted of 1 audio out port, 1 USB 2.0 port and 1 MicroDVI port, in 2008 the MicroDVI port was replaced with a Mini DisplayPort.
No Ethernet port was present, which created another kind of uproar.
Apple however has a patent or so on some kind of folding Ethernet port mechanism.
Opps gross factual error on my part.
Nevertheless Apple also has a nasty habit of frequently changing its external ports for no good technical reason, such as this micro-DVI, not used on any other Apple machine.
As it has a patent on it, why not integrate it? I guess the Air was never targeted at pro's audiences, but then again, neither is the rMBP line?
Agreed
My point is - why pay more for an accessory that the cheaper alternative (in this case like 1/3 the price) will do you just fine for?
Your point is very valid, too. Mine's just from the perspective of a broke high school student!
When you're poor, you can't afford to buy cheap.Your point is very valid, too. Mine's just from the perspective of a broke high school student!
It goes without saying you can't have something that's both cheap and will perform satisfactorily for a few years or even a few months, that will need a replacement sooner while you're still broke, plus the headaches and hassle associated with replacing a mysteriously-failed device.
Actually... I've been using a cheap ethernet adapter for years... no headaches. Don't skimp on the big stuff I agree, but there's no need to loose it over an ethernet accessory.
At least try to factor in time lost by not being able to transfer large files, which would be best used on other tasks. Granted, that's one more difficult calculation.
Otherwise you may be an exception rather than the rule. Cheap devices usually come with a cheap build quality and QC, and tend to fail sooner. Cf. many ppl buying consumer-level HP laptops.
it's. a. usb. ethernet. adapter.
It's not like I'm buying a car, for christ's sake. If you're just using it for email in a corporate environment (70% of the people looking for something like this) it's fine.
If you stay in cheap hotels and need internet, it's fine. (20% I'd say)
If you're part of that 10% that are trying to find a cheaper way than the 30 bucks apple charges for mission-critical data transfers, then I guess you're SOL.
Even though I suggested alternatives, I think you should get the Thunderbolt adapter. Odds are you'll have two USB devices connected whereas don't really two Thunderbolt ports connected.
My connection in China is 100Mbps now and my place back in NY is 500Mbps
My connection in China is 100Mbps now and my place back in NY is 500Mbps
Granted, USB ethernet adapters usually have crappy performance, having all of USB's defects, namely big overhead, CPU load, poor transfer reliability, and overall low performance.
For emails it may do just fine. But so will do simple Wifi. In fact, there's no reason to use a wired connection besides large data transfers, and these ones need high-quality connection.
Even though I suggested alternatives, I think you should get the Thunderbolt adapter. Odds are you'll have two USB devices connected whereas don't really two Thunderbolt ports connected.
My connection in China is 100Mbps now and my place back in NY is 500Mbps
500mbps in the US? who do you have. Im guessing not Google Fiber since I don't think they are in NY yet. Verizon FiOS go that high?
I'm stuck with comcast if I want faster than 12mbps DSL and I am trying to fight them on lowering my bill to something more reasonable.
oh, how I wish people would learn what they're talking about before speaking/insulting me.
Is your internet faster than 100Megabits per second? Are YOU kidding me??
Yah I'm also gonna disagree with you. You may never download or move data more than a few MB at a time, but I just transferred 67GB of video files to a NAS, and doing so over 10/100 would've taken literally 10x longer than it did with my Gigabit adapter.
Don't cheap out. I had a place try and sell me a 3rd party USB adapter non-gigabit because it was $5 cheaper. I went to Apple and got the Gigabit one.