Antmicro unveils open-source Thunderbolt adapter with dual 10GbE ports

Antmicro has introduced an open-hardware adapter that connects to a computer via Thunderbolt 3 and delivers two 10GbE ports. The device is positioned as a reference design for high-speed Ethernet accessories, targeting applications such as smart terminals, point-of-sale systems, cameras, and IoT gateways.

The board relies on an Intel X710-AT2 controller to drive two copper RJ45 ports at 10 Gbps each. Host connectivity is handled by an Intel JHL6340SLLSQ Thunderbolt 3 controller with a PCIe Gen3 x4 interface. Cooling is provided by a passive heatsink, with an additional 4-pin PWM fan header available. Power is supplied through a USB-C port or a separate DC jack at 5 V. The PCB measures 110 × 70 mm and includes three LED indicators.

Antmicro has a track record of publishing open designs: previously, the company released a KiCad-based carrier board for the Quectel SA800U-WF module with Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and a development board built around the AMD Xilinx Kintex-7 K410T FPGA. The new adapter continues this series. According to the developers, testing was carried out using the iperf utility, though specific performance figures were not disclosed.

The project is available for review and modification, allowing engineers to tailor the circuitry to their needs. Open documentation simplifies integration of the adapter into commercial products that require high-speed networking over Thunderbolt. Pricing has not been announced, but the open nature of the design means the board can be manufactured independently.