StarTech PR210B-NETWORK-CARD Dual-Port 10GbE PCIe Network Adapter

Overview

The StarTech PR210B-NETWORK-CARD is a dual-port 10 Gigabit Ethernet network interface card built on the Broadcom BCM57416 chipset and designed for servers, workstations, and NVR appliances that need high-throughput LAN connectivity without swapping out existing Cat6/Cat6A cabling infrastructure. Where SFP+ fiber cards demand new cable runs, this card drops into a standard PCIe x8 slot and connects directly to copper RJ-45 at up to 10Gbps per port — keeping upgrade costs predictable. If you're building or upgrading a video surveillance backend, a virtualization host, or a high-density storage node, the PR210B-NETWORK-CARD (often searched as PR210B NETWORK CARD) gives you 20Gbps of aggregate throughput in a standard-profile bracket that fits most 1U and 2U rack servers.

For a broader look at the StarTech networking lineup, including switches and cabling accessories that pair well with this card, the full catalog covers most structured cabling scenarios.

Key Features

• Broadcom BCM57416 Chipset: Broadcom's BCM57416 is a proven, widely supported 10GBase-T controller with mature driver stacks across all three supported OS families. In practice, this means fewer compatibility surprises at commissioning time compared to lesser-known silicon — driver support in Windows, Linux kernel, and VMware ESXi is well-established.
• Dual RJ-45 Ports at 10Gbps Each: Two independent 10GbE ports deliver up to 20Gbps aggregate throughput, which is the right headroom for NVR servers ingesting dozens of high-resolution camera streams simultaneously, or for hypervisors running multiple VMs that share the NIC through SR-IOV or teaming. Running both ports also gives you a natural path to link aggregation (802.3ad/LACP) for a single logical 20Gbps pipe or active-passive failover without adding hardware.
• PCIe x8 Interface — Standard Profile: The card installs in any PCIe x8 or larger slot (x16 slots are electrically compatible). The standard-profile bracket fits full-height server and workstation chassis directly out of the box — no bracket swap needed for 1U/2U rack servers. At 5.8 in × 4.8 in × 0.9 in and 4.3 oz, it physically clears most adjacent expansion cards without a fight.
• Auto-Negotiating 1GbE / 10GbE: Both ports auto-negotiate between 1Gbps and 10Gbps, so you can connect this card to an existing 1GbE switch during a phased migration and step up to 10GbE when your switching infrastructure catches up — no card swap required.
• Jumbo Frame Support up to 9K MTU: A 9,000-byte jumbo frame setting reduces CPU overhead on large data transfers by packing more payload per frame. For iSCSI storage targets, NFS mounts, or bulk video archive transfers, enabling jumbo frames (end-to-end — switch and target must also support 9K) measurably reduces CPU utilization on busy servers.
• IEEE 802.1Q VLAN Tagging: Hardware-level 802.1Q support lets you segment traffic at the NIC without a managed switch enforcing all the rules. In a surveillance deployment, this means camera ingestion traffic and management traffic can share the same physical link while staying logically isolated — useful when cabling constraints limit port count.
• Windows, Linux, ESXi Compatibility: Driver support spans Windows Server and desktop editions, mainstream Linux distributions (kernel drivers), and VMware ESXi — the three OS environments that cover the vast majority of NVR servers, storage appliances, and virtualization hosts in commercial deployments. No obscure driver hunting on day one.
• Operating Range 0°C to 55°C, Storage to 70°C: The 0–55°C operating envelope covers standard data center and server room environments. If you're deploying in an unconditioned space that regularly exceeds 55°C, plan for active cooling — the card's thermal ceiling is firm. Storage at up to 70°C with 5–90% RH means typical warehouse or shipping environments won't damage a spare unit on the shelf.

Integration & Compatibility

The PR210B-NETWORK-CARD installs in any PCIe x8 or x16 slot running Windows, Linux, or VMware ESXi. For 10GbE network switches to fully utilize both ports at line rate, confirm the upstream switch supports 10GBase-T on its copper ports — some budget 10GbE switches only offer SFP+ uplinks. If you're pairing this card with a network video recorder or storage server handling sustained 24/7 camera streams, verify your server's PCIe slot power delivery and airflow, since 10GBase-T NICs generate more heat than SFP+ equivalents at sustained load. For virtualization hosts, the BCM57416 supports SR-IOV partitioning, allowing multiple VMs to share the physical NIC with dedicated bandwidth allocation — check your hypervisor version for SR-IOV enablement steps. Link aggregation across both ports follows standard LACP (802.3ad) configuration on the switch side; consult your structured cabling and switch documentation to confirm LACP group support before enabling teaming.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What PCIe slot does the PR210B-NETWORK-CARD require?

A: The card uses a PCIe x8 connector and installs in any PCIe x8 or x16 slot. It will not fit in x1 or x4 slots. The standard-profile bracket fits full-height chassis without modification.

Q: Does the PR210B-NETWORK-CARD support both 1GbE and 10GbE speeds?

A: Yes. Both RJ-45 ports auto-negotiate between 1Gbps and 10Gbps, allowing the card to operate on existing 1GbE switches and step up to 10GbE when connected to a 10GBase-T switch — no configuration change required.

Q: Is the PR210B-NETWORK-CARD compatible with VMware ESXi?

A: Yes. The card supports Windows, Linux, and VMware ESXi. The Broadcom BCM57416 chipset has mature driver support across all three platforms, which simplifies deployment on hypervisor hosts and virtualized NVR environments.

Q: What is the maximum frame size supported?

A: The card supports jumbo frames up to 9,000 bytes (9K MTU). To realize the CPU-overhead benefits of jumbo frames, all devices in the path — including the upstream switch and any NAS or storage target — must also be configured for 9K MTU.

Q: What is the warranty on the PR210B-NETWORK-CARD?

A: StarTech provides a 2-year manufacturer warranty on the PR210B-NETWORK-CARD.

Q: Will this card fit in a low-profile server chassis?

A: The PR210B-NETWORK-CARD ships with a standard (full-height) profile bracket. Low-profile/half-height chassis compatibility depends on whether a low-profile bracket is included or separately available — verify with the retailer or StarTech directly before ordering for a low-profile application.

James Everett

The PR210B-NETWORK-CARD is the card I recommend when an integrator needs to upgrade a surveillance server's network throughput without re-cabling to fiber. The Broadcom BCM57416 chipset's 20Gbps aggregate copper throughput — split across two auto-negotiating RJ-45 ports — is the practical differentiator here: you keep your Cat6A runs, skip the SFP+ transceiver cost, and get a mature driver stack that won't fight you on ESXi or Linux NVR appliances.

Technical Highlights:

• Broadcom BCM57416 Chipset: Broadcom's BCM57416 is on VMware's HCL and has been in production Linux kernels for years — significantly lower driver risk than generic 10GBase-T controllers at commissioning time.
• 20Gbps Aggregate Throughput: With both ports active, you have enough headroom to run link aggregation (LACP 802.3ad) for a single 20Gbps logical pipe or maintain active-passive failover without adding a second card — important on servers with limited PCIe slots.
• 9K Jumbo Frame Support: Enabling 9,000-byte MTU end-to-end on iSCSI or NFS storage paths reduces per-packet CPU overhead noticeably on servers managing continuous 24/7 video ingest from large camera counts.

Deployment Considerations:

• 10GBase-T draws meaningfully more power and generates more heat than SFP+ at sustained load — confirm your server chassis has adequate airflow across the PCIe expansion area before deploying in a dense rack configuration near the 55°C operating ceiling.
• The card ships standard-profile only. Confirm your chassis before ordering if you're working with low-profile 1U servers — a missing bracket is a common day-of-install problem that stalls a rack build.

For a high-density NVR server or virtualization host ingesting 40+ camera streams at 4K, the PR210B-NETWORK-CARD's dual copper 10GbE ports and proven Broadcom silicon make it the right fit where fiber is not already in place and switch-side 10GBase-T ports are available.