USB to Ethernet Adaptor - Retina MacBook Pro

[nikguitar]

I really want to keep my 2 TB ports free so that I can plug my 2 external monitors. Do you know of any usb to ethernet adaptor that would work with the Retina Macbook Pro? I'm fine if not a gigabit adaptor as we don't go that fast here in my workplace.

Cheers!

 

[miles01110]

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=103&cp_id=10311#1031102

 

[maflynn]

Any USB to ethernet adapter will work. I'm not sure about if the USB port can deliver the sustained bandwidth you may want for an ethernet port but to be honest I've not looked into it

 

[808?]

I don't see any reason the USB - Ethernet adapter that is in use with the MBA shouldn't work.

Why not ask Apple to be 100% sure before buying?

 

[nikguitar]

Thanks guys for your replies - I'm checking how fast I can go now with current 2009 gigabit macbook pro

Write ~5 MB/sec

Read ~11MB/sec

Would I get similar performance with a usb 2 to ethernet adaptor?

Very many thanks again for all your thoughts.

 

[jamesr19]

If you're using gigabit routing (router -> cable -> computer) then you're likely to see 0.1 of the speed as USB ethernet is 100Mbit.

Your performance is less than gigabit anyway because although your laptop is gigabit, your router isn't - it's 100Mbit (11MB*8 = 88Mbit <- there are 8 bits in a byte). On most modern routers they have wireless N at 150Mbit so you're actually better off using Wifi than ethernet. If you didn't want to use wifi then you should expect the same speeds as you have at present because you're limited by your router not the ethernet port. If you want ethernet but don't want to upgrade your router then go USB as the thunderbolt one won't be an improvement

 

[theSeb]

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=103&cp_id=10311#1031102

Or the slightly more expensive Apple one.

----------

Thanks guys for your replies - I'm checking how fast I can go now with current 2009 gigabit macbook pro

Write ~5 MB/sec

Read ~11MB/sec

Would I get similar performance with a usb 2 to ethernet adaptor?

Very many thanks again for all your thoughts.

Your network is running 100 mbps routers/switches. 11 MB/sec is what I get using the USB to 100 mbps adaptor so you're not taking advantage of the gigabit ethernet in your MBP anyway.

 

[nikguitar]

Thanks all for your help.

Cheers!

 

[aaronw1986]

I really want to keep my 2 TB ports free so that I can plug my 2 external monitors. Do you know of any usb to ethernet adaptor that would work with the Retina Macbook Pro? I'm fine if not a gigabit adaptor as we don't go that fast here in my workplace.

Cheers!

You could also just connect 2 monitors to one Thunderbolt port? The bandwidth should support that, and daisy chaining is possible.

 

[nikguitar]

You could also just connect 2 monitors to one Thunderbolt port? The bandwidth should support that, and daisy chaining is possible.

Interesting! Could you elaborate on this please. I have two of these http://tiny.cc/sd4tfw . How can I chain them?

Cheers!

 

[drsox]

You will get better results with a Belkin USB/GbLAN adaptor than the Apple one.
See : http://www.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=281799

It looks crap but goes 50% faster. I managed 18MBps or so from my 2011 MBA with it.

 

[Benni-chan]

Interesting! Could you elaborate on this please. I have two of these http://tiny.cc/sd4tfw . How can I chain them?

Cheers!

I believe that only works with Apple's Thunderbolt Display.
But you should be able to use a HDMI to DVI Adapter to use one Display on the HDMI Port and the other on one of the Thunderbolt Ports...

 

[jamesr19]

you should be able to use a HDMI to DVI Adapter to use one Display on the HDMI Port and the other on one of the Thunderbolt Ports...

Please keep us updated if this is actually the case as that would be a great reason to buy a RMBP!