Network card chipset supported for Ethercat (twincat 3)

I. How to View the Network Card List Supported by TwinCAT 3

During TwinCAT installation, the network card driver information files are automatically copied to the Windows system directory. Users can directly view the driver configuration files to confirm the officially supported chip models:

• TwinCAT 2 Path: C:/Windows/INF/TCI8255x.inf (100M network card) or TCI8254x.inf (Gigabit network card)
• TwinCAT 3 Path: C:/TwinCAT/3.1/Driver/System/TCI8255x.inf (100M network card) or TCI8254x.inf (Gigabit network card)

If the corresponding files cannot be found in the directory, the system may be hiding files. You need to enable "Show hidden files, folders, and drives" in Folder Options.

Viewing method: Open the above INF file with Notepad, search for the PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_ field. The four-digit hexadecimal number following it is the network card Device ID, corresponding to a specific chip model.

II. Industrial-Grade Network Cards Recommended for TwinCAT 3

In actual industrial field applications, the following Intel network card chips have become the preferred recommendations for EtherCAT master stations due to their high stability and excellent real-time performance:

III. Complete List of Supported Gigabit Ethernet Controllers

The following are all Intel Gigabit (Gigabit) Ethernet controller chips listed in the TCI8254x.inf driver, covering classic early models to modern industrial-grade models:

3.1 Classic Gigabit Series (8254x, 8257x Series)

3.2 Onboard and Chipset Integrated Gigabit Series (ICHx Series)

3.3 Modern Industrial-Grade and Onboard Gigabit Series (I21x/I350 Series)

IV. Complete List of Supported 100M Ethernet Controllers

The following are Intel 100M (Fast Ethernet, 10/100Mbps) Ethernet controllers listed in the TCI8255x.inf driver:

V. Network Card Compatibility Check and Driver Installation Method

5.1 Check if Your Network Card is Compatible

1. Open the TwinCAT 3 development environment
2. Click the menu bar TwinCAT → Show Realtime Ethernet Compatible Devices...
3. In the pop-up window:
   • Compatible devices: Network cards in the list can install the real-time driver
   • Incompatible devices: Network card chip is not supported, or the network card is disabled
   • Installed and ready to use devices (realtime capable): Driver has been successfully installed and can be used for EtherCAT real-time communication

5.2 Install EtherCAT Real-Time Driver

1. Make sure to run TwinCAT 3 as an administrator
2. Select the network card to be used for EtherCAT from the compatible device list
3. Click the Install button on the right
4. After installation is complete, the network card will appear in the "Installed and ready to use" list

VI. Selection Suggestions and Common Issues

6.1 EtherCAT Master Station Network Card Selection Suggestions

• First choice: Intel I210-T1 (single-port PCIe x1 industrial network card)
• Multi-port requirement: Intel I350-T2/T4 (dual-port/quad-port PCIe x4 industrial network card)
• Embedded/economical: Industrial motherboards with onboard I218-LM, I219-LM series network cards
• Avoid using: Consumer-grade network cards such as Realtek RTL8111/8168, USB network cards, wireless network cards

6.2 Common Troubleshooting

Network card not in the compatible list:

• Confirm the network card chip model; TwinCAT mainly supports Intel chips
• Try updating TwinCAT 3 to the latest version; new versions will add support for new chips
• If non-Intel network cards must be used, consider using TwinCAT's NDIS Wrapper mode, but real-time performance will decrease

Driver installation failed:

• Confirm running TwinCAT as an administrator
• Check if the network card is enabled
• Uninstall the old version driver, restart the computer, and reinstall
• Temporarily disable security software

Unstable communication, frame loss:

• Confirm that the network card is working in "Realtime Capable" mode, not "Demo Use Only"
• Disable Energy Efficient Ethernet in the advanced properties of the network card
• Disable Interrupt Moderation
• Bind RSS queues to isolated CPU cores
• Use CAT5e or above shielded industrial network cables

VII. Summary

TwinCAT 3's support for network cards is mainly concentrated on Intel Ethernet controller chips, from the early 8254x series to the modern I210/I350 industrial-grade series, all with complete driver support. When building an EtherCAT master station system, giving priority to industrial network cards with Intel chips is the foundation for ensuring system stability.

If you need to confirm the support status of new network cards in the latest version of TwinCAT 3, it is recommended to consult the Beckhoff official information system (Inforsys), or directly view the driver INF files in the local TwinCAT installation directory to obtain the most accurate support list.