Sonnet Thunderbolt Twin 10G User Manual

User’s Guide

for Twin

10

GBase-T

1

0

G

10

Gigabit Ethernet Thunderbolt™ 2 Adapter

Contents

1 Introduction, System Requirements, Driver Information 1

2 Twin 10G Description 2

Twin 10G Ports and Indicators
Power Adapter
Thunderbolt Cable

3 Software Installation 4

OS X Driver Download and Installation

4 Twin 10G Adapter Connection 5

5 Verifying Adapter Recognition Using System Report 6

Confirming Thunderbolt and the 10GbE Controller are Recognized

6 Basic Configuration Information 7

7 Tips, General Information, and Known Issues 8

Tips, General Information
Known Issues

8 Specifications, Precautions, FCC Compliance, and Support Information 9

Specifications
Safety Precautions
FCC Compliance
Contacting Customer Service
Visit Our Website

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Chapter 1 – Introduction, System Requirements, Driver Information

Introduction

Congratulations on your purchase! The Twin 10G is a
Thunderbolt 2-to-10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) adapter that
enables you to connect your Mac
10GbE infrastructure.

Connection of the Twin 10G adapter to your computer requires a
single Thunderbolt cable (included), while connection to 10GbE
infrastructure requires the use of CAT-6 or CAT-6A cables.

Support Note: For Mac users, this document was up to

date at the time of printing. However, changes to the
hardware or software may have occurred since then. For
Windows users, this document does not include driver
installation instructions and other information. In either case,
Please check the Sonnet website for the latest documentation.

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

2. Click the Thunderbolt Product link.

3. Click the Twin 10G link, and then click the Documentation

link.

5. Click the Twin 10G User’s Guide [English] link. For Mac users,

check the Document Version information. If the version listed
is later than this document, click the Download Now button
for the latest version. For Windows users, click the Download
Now button.

®

with a Thunderbolt port to

System Requirements

The Twin 10G adapter requires the following to operate:

• Mac computer with a Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt port

• OS X 10.9 or later

• Thunderbolt cable (included)

• CAT-6 (or CAT-6A) cables

Driver Information

The driver that enables the Twin 10G adapter to work with
your computer must be downloaded from Sonnet’s Website;
instructions follow.

1

Chapter 2 – Twin 10G Description

Twin 10G Ports and Indicators
1 – RJ45 (10GBase-T) Port 1

Connect a CAT-6 or CAT-6A cable between this port
and the switch’s RJ45 port.

2 – RJ45 (10GBase-T) Port 2

Connect a CAT-6 or CAT-6A cable between this port
and the switch’s RJ45 port.

3 – Link Speed Indicators

When a link is established between the Twin 10G
and the switch, these LEDs light to indicate the link
speed to the switch: green = 10Gb, yellow = 1Gb, off =
100Mb.

4 – Link/Activity Indicators

These LEDs light up green to indicate a link is
established between the Twin 10G and the switch, and
flash green when there is activity between the two.

5 – Security Slot

This slot works with Kensington

®

brand and similar
security locks to secure the Twin 10G enclosure and
deter theft.

6 – Thunderbolt Ports

Connect a Thunderbolt cable between either of these
ports and your computer’s (or intermediate device’s)
Thunderbolt port; the open port may be used to
connect another Thunderbolt device.

7 – 12VDC Socket

Connect the included DC power adapter between this
socket and the included power cord.

2

Chapter 2 – Twin 10G Description

Power Adapter
1 – Power Adapter

Connect this to the Twin 10G
adapter’s 12VDC socket. Note that the
power indicator on top lights when
the adapter is connected to AC power.

2 – Power Cord

Connect this between a power outlet
and the power adapter. Note that
the power cord included with your
product may appear different than
the one pictured here, depending on
where the product was purchased.

Thunderbolt Cable

Connect this cable between the Twin
10G adapter and your computer or other
Thunderbolt peripheral device.

3

Chapter 3 – Software Installation

You must install software in order for your computer to support
the Twin 10G adapter.

OS X Driver Download and Installation

This section describes the download and installation of the driver
required to support the Twin 10G adapter.

1. Launch a Web browser and go to www.sonnettech.
com/support, and then click the Downloads, Manual, &
Knowledgebase link.

2. On the Support Categories page, click the Thunderbolt
Product link, and then click the Twin 10G link.

3. On the Twin 10G page, click the Driver link, and then click
the Download Now button next to “Twin 10G Software
(OS X)”; the software will be downloaded.

4. Double-click the dskcd-twin10g-xxxx.dmg (xxxx is the
version) file; the file will expand and a new window will
open.

5. Double-click the Sonnet Twin-10G.pkg file to launch the
driver installer.

6. When the Welcome to the Sonnet Twin 10G Installer window
appears, click Continue.

7. When the Important Information window appears, read the
information, and then click Continue.

8. When the Software License Agreement window appears, read
the agreement, click Continue, and then click Agree.

9. When the Standard Install window appears, click Change
Installation Location to change the items installed if
necessary, change the location or accept the default
installation location, and then click Install.

10. When asked to do so, enter the Administrator password, and
then click Install Software; a warning dialogue appears.

11. Click Continue Installation; the software is installed.

12. When the next window appears, click Restart to restart your
system and finish the driver installation.

4

Chapter 4 – Twin 10G Adapter Connection

Support Note: To ensure the best performance possible when

connecting multiple Thunderbolt devices in a daisy chain, be sure to
connect 20Gbps Thunderbolt 2 devices such as the Twin 10G adapter
closest to the computer, with 10Gbps Thunderbolt devices at the end.

1. Connect one or two CAT-6 or CAT-6A cables between the ports on
the Twin 10G adapter and the ports on the switch or device
(Figure 1).

2. Connect the included Thunderbolt cable between either Thunderbolt
port on the Twin 10G adapter and a Thunderbolt port on your
computer (or other Thunderbolt device in the chain connected to the
computer). If you are daisy chaining additional Thunderbolt devices,
connect another Thunderbolt cable between the downstream device
and the open Thunderbolt port on the Twin 10G adapter (Figure 2).

3. Connect the included power cord between a wall outlet or
power strip and the power adapter; verify the connector
is plugged in securely. Note that the power adapter’s
power indicator will light at this time.

4. Connect the power adapter cable to the Twin 10G
adapter’s 12V power socket (Figure 2).

Figure 1

Figure 2

5

Chapter 5 – Verifying Adapter Recognition Using System Report

Confirming Thunderbolt and the 10GbE
Controllers are Recognized

1. With the Twin 10G adapter connected to a power
source and to the computer, turn on the computer.
Note that if there are any other Thunderbolt devices
connected between the Twin 10G adapter and your
computer, they must also be powered for you to
perform the following steps.

2. From the Apple menu, select About This Mac; the About
This Mac window will appear.

3. Click More Info; a summary of specifications will
appear.

4. Click System Report; the System Information application
will launch.

5. In the System Report window, click Thunderbolt under
the Hardware header in the left column (Figure 3).

6. In the top right column under the Thunderbolt Device
Tree header, you will see the Thunderbolt Bus, with
“Twin 10G” appearing below it (Figure 3).

Figure 3

Support Note: If you do not see “Twin 10G” listed,

disconnect and reconnect the Thunderbolt cable
between the computer and Twin 10G. Note that it is not
necessary to shut down the computer before disconnecting
and reconnecting the cable.

7. Click PCI Cards under the Hardware header in the left
column (Figure 4).

8. At the top of the right column, the Twin 10G’s Ethernet
Controllers are listed; detailed information appears
below. You will see “Yes” next to Driver Installed and
Tunnel Compatible (Figure 4).

Figure 4

6

Chapter 6 – Basic Configuration Information

Listed below are the basic steps necessary to configure the
Twin 10G adapter for use with your computer.

1. With the Twin 10G adapter connected to your
computer and 10GbE infrastructure, open System
Preferences, and then click Network.

2. In the Network system preferences panel, click one of the
Twin 10G’s ports (identified as Thunderbolt Ethernet Slot
x, Port 1, and Thunderbolt Ethernet Slot x, Port 2) in the
left panel, and then configure the settings, if necessary
(repeat for both ports). If your computer was already
connected to a network using built-in Ethernet, you may
not have to enter new settings (Figure 5).

3. When you’ve completed reviewing or changing the
settings, click Apply.

4. If you used existing settings and do not need to
combine Ethernet ports (link aggregation), your
installation is complete. For additional information
on combining Ethernet ports, open a browser and go
to support.apple.com; type “network, ethernet” and
“Manage Virtual interfaces” to display various articles.

Figure 5

7

Chapter 7 – Tips, General Information, and Known Issues

TIPS, GENERAL INFORMATION

Keeping the Twin 10G Adapter Cool
With its optimized airflow design and automatic, temperature­controlled fan providing cooling at all times, the Twin 10G
adapter provides adequate cooling for the components inside. Do
not block any of the vents while the adapter is operating! Otherwise,
the adapter may overheat.

Hot-Plugging the Twin 10G Adapter
You may connect and disconnect the Thunderbolt cable between
the Twin 10G adapter and your computer while your computer
is on.

Connecting Additional Thunderbolt Devices
You may connect up to six Thunderbolt devices total in a daisy
chain, including the Apple Thunderbolt Display.

There’s No Need to Unplug the Power Adapter
Because the Twin 10G adapter automatically powers on and off
with the computer to which it’s connected, there’s no power
switch, nor is there any need to disconnect the power cable
under normal use. When your computer is sleeping, the Twin
10G enters a low-power state; this allows it to wake with your
computer, or be ready to wake your computer if you’ve set the
Energy Saver control to wake for network access (Wake On LAN).

KNOWN ISSUES

Some Devices’ Performance May be Affected by Where They
Are Connected in a Thunderbolt Chain

However small, the Thunderbolt interface introduces latency to
a device chain. If you add additional Thunderbolt devices to the
chain, you may need to experiment with which device works
better closer or farther to the computer in the chain.

OS X Updates May Break Compatibility
Specific device drivers that work under one version of OS X
may not work under a later version. Before updating to the latest

OS, we recommend that you contact Sonnet to verify that the
existing Twin 10G drivers work. Note that other software updates
for the computer may also break compatibility.

Indicator Operation
Because the Twin 10G adapter powers on and off with the
computer to which it’s connected, its external indicators light
only when the computer is on, and turn off when the computer
is sleeping or powered off. Note that the power adapter’s power
indicator remains lit as long as it is connected to a live power
outlet.

8

Chapter 8 – Specifications, Precautions, FCC Compliance, and Support Information

Specifications

External Connectors • Two RJ45

• Two Thunderbolt

• 12V Power

Network 10GBase-T

Packets Maximum packet size: 9000 bytes

(jumbo packets)

Throughput ~9.9 Gb/s with 9KB MTU, ~ 9.5

Gb/s with 1500B MT

Cable Distances CAT-6 cable: up to 55m

CAT-6A cable: up to 100m

Stateless Offloads • IP and TCP checksum offload,

send and receive

• TSO (TCP Segmentation Offload,
AKA Large Send Offload)

• LRO (Large Receive Offload)

• RSS (Receive-Side Scaling)

• Interrupt Coalescing

• Multicast filtering

Power Adapter Universal 60W, 100–240V AC,

50– 60 Hz

Operating Temperatures +32˚ F to +95˚ F

(0˚ C to +35˚ C)

Dimensions WxDxH 4.9 x 6.3 x 2.7 in.

(12.45 x 16 x 6.86 cm)

Weight 3.3 lbs.

(1.5 kg)

RoHS Compliant Ye s

Package Contents • Twin 10G adapter

• Power adapter

• Power cord

• Thunderbolt cable

• User’s guide

• Follow the instructions in this manual carefully; contact your
reseller or local distributor for additional advice not covered in
this User’s Guide.

• If unusual smells, sounds, or smoke come from the device, or if
liquids enter it, switch it off immediately and unplug it from the
electrical outlet.

FCC Compliance

Twin 10G complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation
is subject to the following two conditions: This device may not
cause harmful interference, AND this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation.

Contacting Customer Service

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

When you call 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

• Operating system version

• Software/firmware versions

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

Service at:
Tel : [phone]

(Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–4 p.m. Pacific Time)
E-mail: [e-mail]

Warnings

Always follow the basic warnings listed here to avoid the risk of
serious injury or death from electrical shock, short-circuiting, fire,
and other hazards. These warnings include, but are not limited to:

• Do not open the Twin 10G adapter under any conditions.

There are no user serviceable parts inside.

• Do not attempt to modify the enclosure. If this device appears
to be malfunctioning, contact your reseller or local distributor.

• Do not drop the Twin 10G; dropping or mishandling the
Twin 10G may result in a malfunction leaving the product
inoperable.

• Do not expose the device to rain, use it near water or containers
that contain liquids which might spill into any openings, or in
damp or wet conditions.

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/support/.
Register your product online at http://registration.sonnettech.com
to be informed of future upgrades and product releases.

9

©2014 Sonnet Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved. Sonnet, the Sonnet logotype, Creativity Stored Here, Simply Fast, and the Simply Fast logotype, are trademarks of Sonnet
Technologies, Inc. Mac, the Mac logo, and OS X 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.
Printed in the USA. UG-TWIN10G-TB2-E-A-082814