Radxa Dual 2.5G Router HAT Adds High-Speed Networking and NVMe Storage to Raspberry Pi 5 and ROCK SBCs

The Radxa Dual 2.5G Router HAT is an expansion board targeted at Radxa ROCK SBCs and the Raspberry Pi 5. It provides two 2.5GbE Ethernet ports driven by the Realtek RTL8125B controller, which supports high-speed networking. To support storage expansion, it has an M.2 M-Key interface with a PCIe Gen3 x1 interface that supports NVMe SSDs.

The board implements an ASM2806 PCIe Gen3 switch chip to divide a single PCIe lane into several downstream lanes. The board also features an FPC expansion interface, providing a second PCIe Gen3 x1 lane for connection to other peripherals or expansion boards. This arrangement maximizes network performance and system flexibility, making it suitable for routing, firewalls, and high-throughput data communication.

Radxa Dual 2.5G Router HAT specifications:

• Supported SBCs: Raspberry Pi 5, Radxa ROCK 2A/2F, Radxa ROCK 4D and Radxa ROCK 5C
• PCIe Switch: ASM2806 PCIe 3.0 switch chip
• Storage: 1x M.2 M Key Connector via PCIe Gen3 x1 supporting M.2 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 NVMe SSD
• Ethernet: 2x 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports via Realtek RTL8125B Ethernet Controller
• PCIe:
  • IPEX connector using a flat cable connecting to the Raspberry Pi 5’s PCIe FFC connector
  • 1x FPC Connector with PCIe 3.0/2.0 1-lane for additional expansion
• Power Supply:
  • 5V Power IN via 40-pin GPIO header (using a USB-C adapter to power the Raspberry Pi)
  • 12V DC Input jack with a 5.5 mm outer and 2.5 mm inner diameter (optional)
  • 2-pin 12V output for Radxa X4
• Dimensions: About 85 mm x 56 mm (Raspberry Pi HAT+ form factor)

Standard Linux tools are used for software setup, and Radxa’s official documentation provides detailed guidance on assembly with different boards, power supply options (5V GPIO or 12V DC jack), OS configuration, and testing of both the NVMe SSD and 2.5GbE ports.

Previously, we covered Raspberry Pi HATs like the XaLogic K210, Seeed Studio PCIe 3.0 to Dual M.2 HAT+, and Pineboard HatDrive! PoE+. Feel free to check out these interesting products.

The kit includes copper standoffs and screws for mounting the HAT and SSD, a 9x9x5mm heatsink for cooling the PCIe switch, and an IPEX to FPC adapter cable. The Radxa Dual 2.5G Router HAT is available for purchase on AliExpress for $41.20 and from AraceTech for $40.00. Additional details can be found on the product page.

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