Combining NUC, USB riser and PCIe card determines whether it supports 2.5GbE or 5GbE.
Combining NUC, USB riser and PCIe card determines whether it supports 2.5GbE or 5GbE.
Many people are aware that small Intel NUCs, Gigabyte Brix, and similar devices lack extra PCIe ports for networking and don’t support 2.5, 5, or 10 GbE connections. Could it be feasible to connect a USB 3.0 device to a PCIe riser card while also linking it to a 2.5, 5, or 10 GbE PCIe card? I understand there are 2.5 GbE and 5 GbE USB 3.0 adapters available, but this setup might be more cost-effective. Even with PCI 3.0 x1 speeds, performance could reach up to 985 MB/s or roughly 7.8 gigabits—far exceeding typical 5 gigabit capabilities, which are generally affordable. What are your thoughts?
You're asking if it's about connecting via USB directly or using a dedicated USB cable for PCI_e, similar to mining riser cables.
Connect through USB using the USB adapter. Similar to those mining rigs, but powered by X1 via the mainboard.
I’d also like that if I had the right tools. I’ll check with colleagues at work to find out if anyone has any gear I can try. It should be an interesting project.
iperf is likely the optimal choice for pushing the connection to its limits. It helps determine the actual maximum data transfer speeds.