Grzyb wrote on 2025-09-20, 20:06:

For what it's worth, I've installed this: […]
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For what it's worth, I've installed this:

The attachment rtl8169.jpg is no longer available

...in a regular Slot 1 mobo - ATC-6150, based on 82440LX/EX, with PCI 2.1.
And it works fine!

fyi, that's the exact same chip I mentioned as working a few hours ago.

We can suspect that the S-32 variant is more compatible than the SC.

I've checked better by reading the datasheets and card photos posted.
And looks like @Tiddo is right. It may be your card is a 3.3v only, and your logic board only supplies 5v on PCI slots (or the supply is insufficient/has problems).

All the compatible cards posted have 3 regulator ICs, and your card only has 2. According the datasheet, Realtek only mandates 2 IC regulators for extra voltages required by the chip (3.3v to 1.5v and 2.8v respectively). Your card has indeed these 2 chips, U1 and Q2. Since Q3 isn't there (and looks like there isn't even pads and space to install it), I assume TPlink used the datasheet default design, where the chip takes the 3.3v from the PCI slot, and feeds the extra regulators from it.

It would be easy to demostrate it by checking the output voltage from these U1 and Q2 ICs in your card with a multimeter. Most surely them aren't even powered at all.

If it does not show in lspci it is probably not getting power.

The interrupt style hypothesis may be wrong. I used a 8169S in a 430TX board with a 200mmx some 20 years ago. It got around 160Mbps.