Sonnet Solo 5G USB User Manual

Solo5G

™

USB-C to 5G Ethernet Adapter

Quick Start Guide

Mac® Compatibility

• Mac with USB 3.0, 3.1 Gen 1, or 3.1 Gen 2 ports

• Mac with Thunderbolt 3 ports

• macOS

®

10.13.6+

• macOS Catalina compatible

Windows® Compatibility

• Windows computer with USB 3.0, 3.1 Gen 1, or 3.1 Gen 2 ports

• Windows computer with Thunderbolt 3 ports

• Windows 10 (Version 1809 or greater)

Linux® Compatibility

• Linux computer with USB 3.0, 3.1 Gen 1, or 3.1 Gen 2 ports

• Linux computer with Thunderbolt 3 ports

• Linux Kernel 5.0 or later

Support Note: This document was up to date at the time of

printing. However, changes to the hardware or software
may have occurred since then. Please check the Sonnet website for
the latest documentation.

1. Go to www.sonnettech.com/support/kb/kb.php

2. Click the Accessories link.

3. Locate and click the Solo5G link, and then click the Manual link.

4. Click the Solo5G Quick Start Guide [English] link, and then check

the Document Version information. If the version listed is later than
this document (revision A), click the Download Now button for the
latest version.

©2019 Sonnet Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved. Sonnet, the Sonnet logotype, and Solo5G are
trademarks of Sonnet Technologies, Inc. Mac, the Mac logo, and macOS are trademarks of Apple
Inc., registered in the United States and other countries. Thunderbolt and the Thunderbolt logo
are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other product names are
trademarks of their respective owners. Product specifications subject to change without notice.
QS-SOLO5G-USB3-E-A-103019

Solo5G Description

1 – Activity Indicator

This LED lights green to indicate a link is established between
the adapter and the switch, but there is no traffic; the LED flashes
to indicate a link is established and there is traffic.

2 – RJ45 (5G/NBASE-T) Port

Connect a Cat 5e or better cable between this port and the
switch’s or device’s RJ45 port.

3 – Link Speed Indicator

When a link is established between the adapter and the switch,
this LED lights to indicate the link speed to the switch:
orange = 5 Gb/s; green = 2.5 Gb/s, 1 Gb/s, or 100 Mb/s.

4 – USB-C Port

Connect one of the included USB cables between this connector
and a USB 3.0, 3.1 Gen 1, or 3.1 Gen 2 port; or a Thunderbolt 3
port on your computer.

Driver Download and Installation Steps—Mac

1. Go to www.sonnettech.com/support/kb/kb.php, and then click
the Accessories link. Click the Solo5G link, and then click the
Solo5G Software (macOS) link. Read the description, click the
Download Now button, and save the file to your computer.

2. Open macOS System Preferences, and then click Security &
Privacy. In the Security and Privacy panel click the General tab.
Under “Allow apps downloaded from” select “App Store and
identified developers” if it is not already selected.

3. Locate and open the .dmg you downloaded; the file will
expand and a new window will appear.

4. Double-click the SonnetSolo5G-Installer.pkg file to launch the
installer. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the software.

5. If a System Extension Blocked window appears, click Open
Security Preferences. Otherwise, go to the next step. Back in the
System Preferences Security and Privacy panel, click Allow, and
then click the Solo5G installer window.

6. When the window appears indicating the software installation
is complete, click Restart to restart your system and finish the
driver installation.

7. If the driver doesn't load after a restart, you may need to go back
into System Preferences, manually authorize the driver, and
then restart your system again.

5 Gb/s and 2.5 Gb/s link speeds suppor t require connection to an NBASE -T (multi-

*

Gigabit) compatible switch.

Driver Download and Installation Steps—Windows

1. Go to www.sonnettech.com/support/kb/kb.php, and then click
the Accessories link. Click the Solo5G link, and then click the
Solo5G Software (Windows) link. Read the description, click the
Download Now button, and save the file to your computer.

Configuration Information—macOS

With the Solo5G adapter connected to your computer and network
infrastructure, configure the adapter’s settings in the System
Preferences’ Network preferences panel. The adapter will be identified
as “Aquantia…Adapter” in the left pane.

2. Locate and open the .zip file you downloaded; the file will
expand and a new window will appear.

3. Open the Installers folder, and then double-click the installer
appropriate for your computer; the Aquantia(R) AQtion USB
Network Adapter Drivers Setup window will open.

4. Read the license agreement, click the “I accept the terms in
this license agreement” checkbox, and then click Install. If you
haven’t disabled User Access Control (UAC) on your computer,
another window will appear asking you to allow the program to
run; click Yes; the drivers will be installed.

5. Click Finish to complete the driver installation.

Driver Information—Linux

The drivers required to support the Solo5G adapter are installed as part
of Linux Kernel 5.0 and later.

For the latest drivers, go to www.sonnettech.com/support/kb/kb.php,
and then click the Accessories link. Click the Solo5G link, and then
click the Solo5G Software (Linux) link. Read the description, and
then click the Download Now button and save the file to your
computer.

Basic Configuration Information—Windows

With the Solo5G adapter connected to your computer and
network infrastructure, configure the Solo5G adapter’s settings
using Windows Device Manager. You may locate the device in the
Network adapters category, listed as Aquantia AQtion USB to 5Gb
Ethernet Adapter.

Basic Confiruration Information—Linux

The steps necessary to configure the Sonnet adapter with your
computer may vary based on the version of Linux running. Sonnet
recommends using ethto ol, or whatever method or tools you would
normally use for configuring any onboard ports.

TIPS, GENERAL INFORMATION

5 Gb/s and 2.5 Gb/s Link Speed Support

The Solo5G supports 5 Gb/s and 2.5 Gb/s link speeds when used
with NBASE-T compatible (multi-Gigabit) switches, and connected
via CAT 5e (or better) cabling.

Solo5G May Become Very Warm While Operating
At times, the Solo5G may become very warm during operation;
this is normal and does not indicate a malfunction. Due to the
adapter’s design, its case may become very warm to the touch while
transferring very large files or transferring a large amount of data
over an extended period of time. The adapter may also operate at a
higher than expected temperature when connected to a long cable
run to the switch or storage system. Sonnet designed the Solo5G
so that its case radiates heat away from the electronic components
inside, ensuring they operate within a safe temperature range.

Solo5G Performance May Drop When Used With a Notebook
Running on Battery Power

When a MacBook’s, MacBook Air’s, or MacBook Pro’s battery level
drops below 20%, macOS will decrease Ethernet performance in
order to conserve battery life.

Contacting Customer Service

The Sonnet Web site located at www.sonnettech.com has the
most current support information and technical updates. Before
contacting Customer Service, please check our Web site for the latest
updates and online support files, and check this Quick Start Guide
for helpful information.

Email support requests generally receive the fastest responses, and are
usually processed within a 24-hour period during normal business
hours, excluding holidays. When you contact Customer Service,
have the following information available so the customer service
staff can better assist you:

Product name • Date and place of purchase • Computer model

• OS version • A System Report (macOS) or a Microsoft System
Information MSINFO32 (Windows) report (Windows), along with a
description of the issue(s) you are encountering with your device

USA Customers
If further assistance is needed, please contact Sonnet Customer

Service at:
E-mail: [e-mail]
Tel : [phone]

(Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Pacific Time)

For Customers Outside the USA

For support on this product, contact your reseller or local distributor.

Visit Our Web Site

For the most current product information and online support files,
visit the Sonnet web site at www.sonnettech.com. Remember to
register your product online at https://registration.sonnettech.com to
be informed of future upgrades and product releases.