Has anyone found a working USB-C to Ethernet adapter for the MacBook Air M2?

[Britaniola]

I really want a multi-port adapter with ethernet but, at this point, I'll take a working ethernet adapter for my new MBA M2 base model. Just want to be able to connect to my company ethernet (No Wi-Fi for security reasons). So far I've tried, Anker 5-Port USB-C Multimedia Hub (A8338HA1-5), Belkin CONNECT 6-in-1 USB-C Hub with Power Delivery (AVC008BTSGY), and, UGREEN USB C Hub 7 in 1. I've called Apple support and the various companies but I cannot get any recommendations as to what will work.

 

[BorderingOn]

I have the Anker one you linked and it works fine on both a M1 MBP and the last Intel Air.

Have you tried an Ethernet connection other than your company’s?

 

[Ruggy]

There's something not right there. I have 3 different hub adaptors, all cheap ones and they all work on the Macbook pro and the M1 mac.
Can you take the machine into an Apple store and see if they can get it t work?
Just another thought about the ethernet cable: You need a short one - a couple of meters. If you are by chance trying to connect over a really long ethernet cable-5Mtrs+ it causes
problems- I have seen that. I don't think there's enough power or something?

 

[Yebubbleman]

There's a standard Belkin USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet adapter that is all but first party. Like, it might as well be made by Apple given that there is full native support for it out of the box in both Intel and Apple Silicon versions of macOS. If that doesn't work with your machine, my guess is that your machine has another issue. I'd suggest that it could be an M2 thing, but that would be highly unlikely given (a) how close to first party this accessory is and (b) how not at all of a change M2 is over M1/M1 Pro/M1 Max/M1 Ultra in terms of accessory compatibility.

 

[Furby2005]

I bought this one, https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08Q36HB3G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and my M1 MacBook Pro sees it and connects to the network at 1 Gbs without issue. The problem I have with mine is with the device itself. Even when the Mac is NOT connected and it's just sitting there with just the ethernet, power and HDMI cables attached, the unit seems to generate frenetic ethernet activity and, basically, brings my whole network down. The activity lights on the unit and on the switch it's connected to flash continually and devices on the network start disappearing from view. As soon as I disconnect it, everything else immediately returns to normal. I've been debating buying a more expensive known-brand model such as this one from Anker, https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08CK...colid=3OCK63BSHZ0E&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it to see if it solves the problem or is there an inherent problem with the conversion of ethernet to USB-C?

 

[Carlson-online]

I have just been through this pain.
Kanex ones top out at 480Mb (realtek chip - driver issue )
Aukey ones no good either!

Bought one of these ( I don't need 2.5 yet, but will next year ) and works perfectly, I get 980Mb out of my virgin connection:

Anker USB C to 2.5 Gbps Ethernet Adapter, PowerExpand USB C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter, Aluminum Portable USB C Adapter, for MacBook Pro, MacBook Air 2018 and Later, iPad Pro 2018 and Later, XPS

PowerExpand USB-C to 2.5 Gbps Ethernet Adapter

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[HDFan]

I really want a multi-port adapter with ethernet but, at this point, I'll take a working ethernet adapter for my new MBA M2 base model. Just want to be able to connect to my company ethernet (No Wi-Fi for security reasons). So far I've tried, Anker 5-Port USB-C Multimedia Hub (A8338HA1-5), Belkin CONNECT 6-in-1 USB-C Hub with Power Delivery (AVC008BTSGY), and, UGREEN USB C Hub 7 in 1. I've called Apple support and the various companies but I cannot get any recommendations as to what will work.

How do they fail?

 

[rocketbuc]

Maybe someone has a suggestion for an hub with a longer or detachable cable. I would like to keep the hub with all other cables hidden under my desk…but I can’t seem to find a suitable one with 4k/60Hz HDMI and gigabit Ethernet.
Any ideas are welcome.

 

[Britaniola]

How do they fail?

The Ethernet port is never recognized. I cannot connect to wired networks. I’ve tried LANs at work and at home.

 

[Britaniola]

I have the Anker one you linked and it works fine on both a M1 MBP and the last Intel Air.

Have you tried an Ethernet connection other than your company’s?

Mine, at home and at my in-laws. Different cables & routers.

 

[Britaniola]

There's something not right there. I have 3 different hub adaptors, all cheap ones and they all work on the Macbook pro and the M1 mac.
Can you take the machine into an Apple store and see if they can get it t work?
Just another thought about the ethernet cable: You need a short one - a couple of meters. If you are by chance trying to connect over a really long ethernet cable-5Mtrs+ it causes
problems- I have seen that. I don't think there's enough power or something?

I’ve used both short and long connections directly to home routers. It doesn’t seem to make a difference.

 

[Beefbowl]

So this is kind of way off in left field, especially on a MacBook Air. I've usually seen it on Mac Studios.

My day job is working with a piece of security software that includes a firewall, but this behavior could also be seen if you had a VPN installed.

It turns out that there is a limit in MacOS to the number of network interfaces a program can bind to. If there are more network interfaces in the system than the limit, and you have a program that tries to bind to all of them, network functionality has a tendency to die.

There are a lot of things on a Mac that are treated as network interfaces. Every individual thunderbolt port, for one, which is why this typically affects Mac Studios with 4 or 6 TB ports. The MBA only has two so it doesn't seem super likely.

However, it's possible your normal configuration is right at the threshold, and adding an additional network interface is going over it.

Apple increased this internal limit with 12.4 and then doubled it again with 13. So if you're already on 12.4 or 13 then this probably isn't the issue and you can ignore this entire post. But if you aren't, maybe try upgrading the OS.

If you run these two commands from a terminal, what do you get?

networksetup -listallhardwareports

ifconfig

You'll probably need to run both of these with sudo.

 

[beansbaxter]

I really want a multi-port adapter with ethernet but, at this point, I'll take a working ethernet adapter for my new MBA M2 base model.

I have a 2022 MBA M2 and it works great with this all in one hub, which includes a hard wired Ethernet port:

HyperDrive Slim 8-in-1 USB-C Hub

The Universal USB-C hub is a versatile docking station compatible with MacBook, Chromebook, and PC. It expands your connectivity with 8 ports, including gigabit ethernet, 4K HDMI, UHS-I MicroSD, SD, 2 USB-A, 60W USB-C power delivery, and Mini DisplayPort. Enjoy crystal clear 4K HDR video output...

www.hypershop.com

I purchased it with my 2019 MBP 16” and continued using it when I got my MBA M2. Use it all the time. No problems.

Hope that helps.

 

[Choco Taco]

I have a 2022 MBA M2 and it works great with this all in one hub, which includes a hard wired Ethernet port:

HyperDrive Slim 8-in-1 USB-C Hub

The Universal USB-C hub is a versatile docking station compatible with MacBook, Chromebook, and PC. It expands your connectivity with 8 ports, including gigabit ethernet, 4K HDMI, UHS-I MicroSD, SD, 2 USB-A, 60W USB-C power delivery, and Mini DisplayPort. Enjoy crystal clear 4K HDR video output...

www.hypershop.com

I purchased it with my 2019 MBP 16” and continued using it when I got my MBA M2. Use it all the time. No problems.

Hope that helps.

I'm currently using one of their hubs on my M1 Air and it's extremely good quality. Better than everything else I've tried so far.

 

[Ruggy]

My mistake that doesn't have an ethernet port.
This is the only one that they say is compatible.

CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 Mini Dock

The CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 Mini Dock is a bus-powered dock that lets you connect your Thunderbolt 3 equipped Mac to two HDMI-enabled TVs or displays. Buy online now at apple.com.

www.apple.com

Sorry for that.
I have checked the compatibility for some of the adaptors sold on the Apple site and interestingly they don't include the M2 air. Hmm.
This one does however.

USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter

USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter lets you connect your USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) enabled Mac to a HDMI display, standard USB device, and charging cable. Buy now at apple.com.

www.apple.com

 

[beansbaxter]

I'm currently using one of their hubs on my M1 Air and it's extremely good quality. Better than everything else I've tried so far.

I only purchased mine because I was severely limited by available options, at the time of my MacBook purchase. Fast forward a few years now, and I have no complaints. Works great. And I use the Ethernet port a few times a month, which has been very convenient.

Only issue I had was at the time of purchase, the HDMI port wasn't working. And the store flashed it to the newest firmware, which required a Windows machine, and the HDMI port has worked great ever since. From what I can tell, firmware updates can only be made on Windows machines, but I haven't had to update again so it's been a nonissue.

 

[Choco Taco]

I only purchased mine because I was severely limited by available options, at the time of my MacBook purchase. Fast forward a few years now, and I have no complaints. Works great. And I use the Ethernet port a few times a month, which has been very convenient.

Only issue I had was at the time of purchase, the HDMI port wasn't working. And the store flashed it to the newest firmware, which required a Windows machine, and the HDMI port has worked great ever since. From what I can tell, firmware updates can only be made on Windows machines, but I haven't had to update again so it's been a nonissue.

You can upgrade them in Windows via Parallels as well.

 

[Amazon Rainforest]

I upgraded my internet service to 1Gbps but strangely the most I could get out of a speed test was 5-600Mbps. I have a 2016 MBP with an OWC Thunderbolt 4 dock (w/ethernet). I called the ISP and they sent a tech to check the line. Their equipment registered nearly 1Gbps speed. After further checking, I found out that most most computers use a 1Gbps ethernet chip made by Realtek. The Mac driver for this chip is flawed and won't give you anywhere near 1Gbps. So, I bought a $30 USB-C -> 2.5Gb ethernet dongle. I now get 940Mbps! And that is with the dongle plugged into the T4 dock. I recommend going with a 2.5Gbps ethernet port even if you don't need it yet. It still uses a Realtek chip but it is different and so is the driver.

 

[jdb8167]

I use this D-Link 2.5 Gbps ethernet adapter. It doesn't use the Realtek chip and is much better on battery.

 

[wardie]

I'm using one of these UGREEN ones (Ethernet+USB) and it works fine, even via my 4K LG Monitor's USB-C hub...

UGREEN USB C Hub Ethernet, Gigabit USB C Network Adapter with an RJ45 LAN Internet Port & 3 5Gbps USB 3.0 Ports Compatible with Thunderbolt 3 Mac, iPhone 15 Pro, Steam Deck, Switch, Hard Drive, Mouse

UGREEN USB C Hub Ethernet, Gigabit USB C Network Adapter with an RJ45 LAN Internet Port & 3 5Gbps USB 3.0 Ports Compatible with Thunderbolt 3 Mac, iPhone 15 Pro, Steam Deck, Switch, Hard Drive, Mouse 4-in-1 USB C Hub with Ethernet: UGREEN USB C ethernet adapter equipped with 3 USB 3.0 ports and 1...

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[StoneJack]

I have such Ugreen, only with HDMI, works well

 

[Emmadw]

I'm using one of these UGREEN ones (Ethernet+USB) and it works fine, even via my 4K LG Monitor's USB-C hub...

UGREEN USB C Hub Ethernet, Gigabit USB C Network Adapter with an RJ45 LAN Internet Port & 3 5Gbps USB 3.0 Ports Compatible with Thunderbolt 3 Mac, iPhone 15 Pro, Steam Deck, Switch, Hard Drive, Mouse

UGREEN USB C Hub Ethernet, Gigabit USB C Network Adapter with an RJ45 LAN Internet Port & 3 5Gbps USB 3.0 Ports Compatible with Thunderbolt 3 Mac, iPhone 15 Pro, Steam Deck, Switch, Hard Drive, Mouse 4-in-1 USB C Hub with Ethernet: UGREEN USB C ethernet adapter equipped with 3 USB 3.0 ports and 1...

www.amazon.co.uk

Can you confirm that this definitely works with a 2022 M2 Macbook? I've seen some similar ones noting that they don't work with M2, due to the chipset.

 

[wardie]

Can you confirm that this definitely works with a 2022 M2 Macbook? I've seen some similar ones noting that they don't work with M2, due to the chipset.

Yes although its worth noting it’s plugged into my LG monitor’s USBC hub, which then plugs into/powers the MBA.

 

[furioe]

I also purchased a UGREEN hub (model "7-in-1", also with HDMI 4K/60 Hz, SKU 60515, EAN 6957303865154) for my MB Air M2, it connected immediately and it works flawlessly at 1Gbps. The Mac said it is a "GenesysLogic USB3.1 Hub" device.
It costs about 40 Euros in Europe.

 

[neo_cs193p]

I use the Apple USB-A-to-Ethernet adapter connected through an Apple USB-A-to-USB-C adapter. Works great.