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

I’ve set myself a challenge to improve my home network speeds and give it all a bit of an update. I have a home server set up and decided to hardwire it in a little. I have my trusty MacMini M1 set up as the server and my MacBook is docked via Caldigit TS4, which had a 2.5Gb Ethernet port already. I have purchased Anker on many an occasion and after checking the speed of the wired network connection and data transfer to the server at around 105mbs from my MacBook, I decided that a dongle into my MacMini was a simple upgrade. So a quick search and for the cost, a brand I had confidence in for a relatively low cost seemed a no brainer. Delivered the next day, plugged it into the MacMini thunderbolt 3 port, Ethernet cable plugged in, lights working, fed into my 2.5Gb port of my network switch…. Checked the system details, did not identify the dongle! Did a data transfer speed check, no change! Used my extensive IT knowledge, switched the MacMini off and on again, and the dongle was connected. Did another data speed check and was getting transfer speed to the server from the remote to a SATA HDD at around 210, which has doubled the speed, so I’m happy with that, and data speed to SSD is a lot quicker than previously. The Anker did as was expected, good build quality, solid connection into ports and after a reboot, worked with minimal set up and provided a doubling of speed, which is what I wanted, so I would recommend this if you are in the market to increase network speed and I can confirm, works great on my MacMini M1, just reboot if not recognised!

Unboxing the unit the braided cable feels of good quality and the housing is made of metal. I did expect this to work straight out of the box, however Windows on 2 laptops (Win10 and Win11) both assigned an automatic Realtek driver dated from 2016. Although I had throughput on both machines the performance was erratic and dropping to a crawl when under load. Buy this product if you are comfortable updating your driver's. The Realtek main website has a Windows Auto Installation program that will install the correct driver. Since then this product has performed as advertised. I have not yet taxed it under sustained load but so far so good. To be fair anyone interested in a 2.5Gb ethernet adaptor is likely going to already know this.

I’ve been using the Anker PowerExpand USB-C to 2.5 Gbps Ethernet Adapter for a few weeks now, and it’s been flawless. The speed boost from my regular Gigabit Ethernet is noticeable, especially for large file transfers and streaming high-res content without any lag. Setup was super easy—just plug and play with no driver headaches. The build quality feels solid and premium, and the compact design means it fits nicely with my laptop setup without adding bulk. I appreciate the stable, low-latency connection it provides, which makes it perfect for remote work, gaming, or any situation where Wi-Fi just doesn’t cut it. If you need a fast, reliable Ethernet adapter that supports 2.5 Gbps speeds, this Anker model is a great choice. Highly recommended.

What a disaster of a product this is! It doesn’t even do what the label expressly says it does. It says 2.5 Gbps but doesn’t deliver. Using an established 10 Gbps capable network other brands fly along easily and consistently at their labelled 2.5 Gbps speed between my laptop and NAS while this one stutters at 1 Gbps occasionally stilting up to 2.5 following a restart of the computer, but shortly thereafter falling back to 1. None of the usual software updates and tweaks could rescue this hunk of junk. It’s such low value I wish I hadn’t spent the time even trying. My adapter is outside of warranty now, so I can’t return it and the manufacturer has declined even a goodwill replacement. If its failure were due to hard wear and tear I’d say fair enough, but a new-looking lightly used electronic component should be ripe for that. It’s school fees though - and I’ll avoid Anker in future. You might choose to do so too. (My Cable Matters branded adapter (also with a Realtek Chipset) is humming along at rated speed all day long.)

I'm a fan of Anker hardware. Generally performs well and this hub is no exception. Very nicely made too. On top of all that Anker really do live by their warranty terms. I have had a device fail after 18 months (it is inevitable in the world of electronics that there will be some faulty items) and got an immediate replacement. That makes the somewhat higher than average price good value.

Used it with my Proxmox server, but no matter what settings i tweaked it would only negotiate a 1GB connections. Solved it by downloading the newest drivers, building them and installing the drivers. Also had to run a cron job, to run a command that would put the dongle into 2.5GB mode. It now works a treat and i have verified i get full speed with iperf3 and other commands.

Bought to upgrade a mini-PC being used as a home server to 2.5Gbps to fall in line with upgrading the rest of the network in the house. The server is running Proxmox VE, and I was expecting to have to fight a little with Linux to get the adapter working at full speed. But I was pleasantly surprised when it was not only picked up correctly with the right drivers, but running at full duplex. Running iperf3 between machines showed network saturation and speeds just below 2.4Gbps. I'd happily buy more of this particular adapter to upgrade devices if it installs and works this well.

Much better than the Apple power brick adapters as this is 2.5gbe! Great little device to bring high speed networking to your Mac! I use this 100% of the time in my M1 24" iMac and recieve the full 2.5gbe bandwidth. I have also used this in my M1 MacBook Air and M3 16" MacBook Pro at full 2.5gbe speeds without fault.

Fantastic Results! Really lives up to the 2.5 Gig branding!!! Performance is amazing and blows my mind!! I used it with my iPhone 15 Pro 10Gig USB-C Port I have from Apple for testing this NIC!! I am so happy with it! Love it! Highly Recommend this to anyone who wants full 2.5 gig speeds all the time and makes the most sense when buying from a reputable brand like Anker! Gotta be ANKER!! Superb Quality and Well-Designed NIC!

Corresponde às expectativas.

Adaptateur usb c vers ethernet 2,5 Gbps pour un MacBook Air M1 connecté à la fibre optique 2 Gbps. Débit constaté de 1,8 Gbps constant/stable, en plug and play sans installation logicielle préalable. Bonne qualité d’assemblage et des matériaux. Je recommande

有線接続なのにWI-FI接続について評価せいとは此如何に？(WI-FI接続は未評価) 他社の3K未満なRealtek系2.5Gbpsはインストールに四苦八苦した挙げ句、2ヶ月ちょっとで相次いで御臨終を迎えました。 これはWindows10がさっくりと認識してくれたので、残るは耐久性ですね…。(暫定的に★3) Ankerの他製品(モバイルバッテリーとかケーブルとか)は問題無く使用出来ているのと、今のところ通信速度も2Gbps近く安定して出ているので評価も★5で良いと思います。(安定性★5)

I picked up this Anker USB-C to 2.5 Gbps Ethernet Adapter to bridge my laptop and portable work systems into my upgraded multi-gig workshop network backbone. Standard 1G Gigabit adapters completely bottleneck modern high-speed local data transfers. This compact aluminum adapter operates flawlessly, unleashing the full speed of my local server and high-speed internet tier without any connection stability issues. Why this 2.5G adapter is a top-tier networking tool: Legitimate 2.5Gbps Network Throughput: The performance jump over standard gigabit hardware is immediate and massive. Plugged into my 2.5G unmanaged switch, local file transfers between my laptop and Network Attached Storage (NAS) anchored perfectly at 280+ MB/s. It copies multi-gigabyte files and G-code folders in just seconds. Premium Aluminum Heat Dissipation: Pushing multi-gigabit data streams can cause cheap plastic network adapters to overheat, throttle speeds, or drop connections entirely. This Anker unit features a rugged aluminum shell that acts as a highly efficient heatsink, staying cool to the touch even during massive, multi-hour backup runs. True Plug-and-Play Driver Stability: On modern laptops and OS environments, this adapter requires zero manual driver installations or finicky software updates. The network handshake is instantaneous, and the built-in link lights give clear visual feedback of a successful multi-gig connection. Network Setup & Deployment Tips: Check Your Link Path: To successfully hit full 2.5Gbps speeds, remember that every link in your chain must support it. Ensure your router or switch has a dedicated 2.5G port, and use at least a Cat5e or Cat6 copper cable. If you use a legacy 1G port or an old Cat5 cable, the adapter will automatically throttle down to legacy speeds. Secure Storage: The thick, braided cable design is highly flexible but incredibly rugged. It resists fraying and kinking when tossed into a laptop travel bag, making it a highly dependable asset for mobile workspaces. The big takeaway: Anker has delivered a flawless, pocket-sized hardware solution for anyone needing to maximize their network connectivity. It cuts out file transfer bottlenecks, offers premium metallic build quality, and runs cool under continuous loads. It is a fantastic value buy that completely modernizes a local workflow.