XPS M1330: Why no Gigabit Ethernet?

You don't need gigabit yet because the vast majority of networks are still 10/100, and there are usually other limiting factors that obviate the need for GigE

 

I see the same thing on my 1330 in task manager. So I guess I have gigabit? Cool!

No, I think as someone already pointed out: it's supported, but not integrated.

 

My M133O also says the same as the above (1 GBPS), and the Dell driver also says Broadcom NetXtreme GigE when you run it, but the M133O does NOT connect faster than Fast-Ethernet (100 mbps).

Maybe a firmware update would fix it?

 

Ive just been playing arround and yes although task manger and device manager see it as been gigabit (maybe because I did a re-install), hooked up to a gigabit switch using CAT6 or CAT5e cable it certainly only works at 10/100 speeds:

 

The M1330 doesn't use an Ethernet interface included in the Santa Rosa chipset, because there is no Ethernet interface included in the Santa Rosa chipset. (The 4965AGN Wi-Fi interface is considered an "optional" part of Santa Rosa, but that's just a bit of marketing silliness.) The M1330 contains a Broadcom BCM5906M Ethernet chip which is 10/100, not gigabit. Smells like a cost-cutting measure to me.

If you download and install the official drivers from the Broadcom website, you'll find that the interface is identified by Windows as Broadcom NetLink (TM) Fast Ethernet. (The driver download package contains drivers for both NetLink (10/00) and NetXtreme (gigabit) chips.)

 

Well it seems stupid to me most other laptops seem to have GBe these days. Will have to spend extra money getting one of those crappy expresscard things that stick out the side of laptop and eat up the battery

 

Honestly is Gb Ethernet really practical?

Who gets speeds high enough to even need a Gb Ethernet Card?

 

I like it as I have a centralized network accessed backup store at home, and I just bought a £15 gigabit switch which means the two desktops now can write at 50Mb/S but laptop is stuck at 10Mb/S due to dell cost-cutting and not putting GBe on the SR vostro/inspiron/XPS lineup...

 

There might be a reason why but I think its stupid, because you can easily do a fix, and it doesn't apply to most people.

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/How_to_reduce_power_consumption

go down to ethernet controller - it needs about 1 watt more for GigE
linux offers ethtool to slow it down to 10 or 100 mbits.

1 watt is a lot. lots of linux tweaks added all up, my laptop's battery estimate is 7.4 hours - add one watt, 6.8 hours.

however, this only matters if you're running a wired internet connection -- and who runs a wired internet connection while on battery?
(perhaps it could have been done to reduce cpu interrupts from signal detection...)