DSM driver for Aquantia AQC111U based USB Ethernet adapters

This is a AQC111U(5Gbps) driver package for Synology NASes.

Supported NAS platform

• DSM 7.x
• apollolake based products
  • DS918+ (confirmed working)
  • DS620slim
  • DS1019+
  • DS718+
  • DS418play
  • DS218+

You can download drivers including other platforms from the Release page and determine a proper driver for your model from this page, but you might encounter some issues with unconfirmed platforms. If you are using such an unconfirmed models, the Compatibility page may be helpful.

I very much appreciate if you report whether it works. If you have any problems, the Troubleshooting page may help.

NOTE: I recommend using front ports to connect devices because some users reported stability issues when they use rear ports.

Supported AQC111U(5.0Gbps) based devices

Currently I only confirmed QNAP QNA-UC5G1T works. If you got other products and they do not work, please create a issue with its vendor id.

• QNAP QNA-UC5G1T (Type-A, confirmed working)
• TRENDnet TUC-ET5G (Type-C)
• SABRENT NT-SS5G (Type-C/Type-A confirmed working by users)
• StarTech.com US5GA30 (Type-A confirmed working by users)

How to install

Preparation

Enable SSH and login your NAS.

Installation

1. Go to "Package Center"
2. Press "Manual Install"
3. Chose a driver package downloaded from the release page.
4. [DSM7] The installation will fail the first time. After that, run the following command from the SSH terminal:
   • sudo install -m 4755 -o root -D /var/packages/aqc111/target/aqc111/spk_su /opt/sbin/spk_su
5. [DSM7] Retry installation.
   • You don't need above DSM7 specific steps at the next time.
6. Reboot your NAS.
   • This procedure is not usually necessary, but many have reported that a reboot was necessary, so please reboot just in case.

https://www.synology.com/en-us/knowledgebase/SRM/help/SRM/PkgManApp/install_buy

How to configure

You can configure the IP addresses and MTU of the added NICs from the DSM UI in the same way as the built-in NICs.

Private flags

This driver support additional options.

• Disable thermal throttling
  • Link speed is configured to 100Base when the internal chip overheats automatically by default. This option disables that behavior.
  • ethtool --set-priv-flags eth2 "Thermal throttling" off
• Enable Low Power 5G
  • Entering to low heat generation mode at the expense of throughput. This option should be enabled when thermal throttling is disabled.
  • ethtool --set-priv-flags eth2 "Low Power 5G" on

Performance test

Environment

• DS918+ (QNAP QNA-UC5G1T)
• direct connection with PC (AQN-107)
• native iperf3
  • using docker causes high CPU load
• enable jumbo-frame(9k)

Result

iperf3 -c 192.168.xx.xx -P 2
Connecting to host 192.168.xx.xx, port 5201
[  4] local 192.168.yy.yy port 54613 connected to 192.168.xx.xx port 5201
[  6] local 192.168.yy.yy port 54614 connected to 192.168.xx.xx port 5201
[ ID] Interval           Transfer     Bandwidth
[  4]   0.00-1.00   sec   198 MBytes  1.66 Gbits/sec
[  6]   0.00-1.00   sec   186 MBytes  1.56 Gbits/sec
[SUM]   0.00-1.00   sec   384 MBytes  3.22 Gbits/sec
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[  4]   1.00-2.00   sec   211 MBytes  1.77 Gbits/sec
[  6]   1.00-2.00   sec   189 MBytes  1.58 Gbits/sec
[SUM]   1.00-2.00   sec   400 MBytes  3.36 Gbits/sec
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[  4]   2.00-3.00   sec   209 MBytes  1.75 Gbits/sec
[  6]   2.00-3.00   sec   190 MBytes  1.60 Gbits/sec
[SUM]   2.00-3.00   sec   400 MBytes  3.35 Gbits/sec
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[  4]   3.00-4.00   sec   209 MBytes  1.76 Gbits/sec
[  6]   3.00-4.00   sec   188 MBytes  1.57 Gbits/sec
[SUM]   3.00-4.00   sec   397 MBytes  3.33 Gbits/sec
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[  4]   4.00-5.00   sec   224 MBytes  1.88 Gbits/sec
[  6]   4.00-5.00   sec   176 MBytes  1.47 Gbits/sec
[SUM]   4.00-5.00   sec   400 MBytes  3.36 Gbits/sec
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[  4]   5.00-6.00   sec   209 MBytes  1.75 Gbits/sec
[  6]   5.00-6.00   sec   191 MBytes  1.60 Gbits/sec
[SUM]   5.00-6.00   sec   400 MBytes  3.35 Gbits/sec
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[  4]   6.00-7.00   sec   210 MBytes  1.76 Gbits/sec
[  6]   6.00-7.00   sec   189 MBytes  1.59 Gbits/sec
[SUM]   6.00-7.00   sec   399 MBytes  3.35 Gbits/sec
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[  4]   7.00-8.00   sec   212 MBytes  1.78 Gbits/sec
[  6]   7.00-8.00   sec   186 MBytes  1.56 Gbits/sec
[SUM]   7.00-8.00   sec   398 MBytes  3.34 Gbits/sec
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[  4]   8.00-9.00   sec   212 MBytes  1.78 Gbits/sec
[  6]   8.00-9.00   sec   189 MBytes  1.59 Gbits/sec
[SUM]   8.00-9.00   sec   401 MBytes  3.36 Gbits/sec
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[  4]   9.00-10.00  sec   207 MBytes  1.73 Gbits/sec
[  6]   9.00-10.00  sec   193 MBytes  1.62 Gbits/sec
[SUM]   9.00-10.00  sec   400 MBytes  3.35 Gbits/sec
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[ ID] Interval           Transfer     Bandwidth
[  4]   0.00-10.00  sec  2.05 GBytes  1.76 Gbits/sec                  sender
[  4]   0.00-10.00  sec  2.05 GBytes  1.76 Gbits/sec                  receiver
[  6]   0.00-10.00  sec  1.83 GBytes  1.57 Gbits/sec                  sender
[  6]   0.00-10.00  sec  1.83 GBytes  1.57 Gbits/sec                  receiver
[SUM]   0.00-10.00  sec  3.89 GBytes  3.34 Gbits/sec                  sender
[SUM]   0.00-10.00  sec  3.89 GBytes  3.34 Gbits/sec                  receiver

iperf Done.

Also it achieves 434 MB/s for file copy via SMB in this environemnt.