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Nics in m2 slots?

My motherboard has multiple M2 slots. I don't  need em for storage, but can I use these to put a couple nics in? 

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If by NIC you mean wireless card, possibly, except that wireless cards are almost always “key E” whereas M.2 slots meant for storage are either “key B” “key M” or “key B+M”. Check the wikipedia page on M.2 to see what the different keyings are. I’m not aware of any M.2 ethernet NICs.

 

EDIT: the slots on the motherboard will only be a single Key, but M.2 devices might be compatible with multiple.

Looking to buy GTX690, other multi-GPU cards, or single-slot graphics cards: 

 

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6 minutes ago, brwainer said:

If by NIC you mean wireless card, possibly, except that wireless cards are almost always “key E” whereas M.2 slots meant for storage are either “key B” “key M” or “key B+M”. Check the wikipedia page on M.2 to see what the different keyings are. I’m not aware of any M.2 ethernet NICs.

 

EDIT: the slots on the motherboard will only be a single Key, but M.2 devices might be compatible with multiple.

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Thanks for the info. I didn't realize the standard had different form factors.

Edit: Thanks Zagna, you replied as I was about to ask!

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18 minutes ago, brwainer said:

If by NIC you mean wireless card, possibly, except that wireless cards are almost always “key E” whereas M.2 slots meant for storage are either “key B” “key M” or “key B+M”. Check the wikipedia page on M.2 to see what the different keyings are. I’m not aware of any M.2 ethernet NICs.

 

EDIT: the slots on the motherboard will only be a single Key, but M.2 devices might be compatible with multiple.

1

So are there any adapters from key M to say key E? 

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21 minutes ago, Mail me to the Moon said:

So are there any adapters from key M to say key E? 

The first 2 links are B+M that storage usually goes to.

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10 hours ago, Zagna said:

The first 2 links are B+M that storage usually goes to.

They appear to me something that adapts the m2 slots to an rj45 connection?

I'm looking for something to put in a nic, or wifi card. Preferably low profile.

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2 minutes ago, Mail me to the Moon said:

They appear to me something that adapts the m2 slots to an rj45 connection?

I'm looking for something to put in a nic, or wifi card. Preferably low profile.

"NIC" means Network Interface Card. A NIC could be for ethernet, SFP, Wifi, or any other network type. So the suggested parts aren't wrong because until now you never actually stated or confirmed you were looking to add wireless.

 

Finding a key B or M or B+M wireless NIC is probably impossible because that isn't intended and is in low demand. An adapter from B/M to E would be difficult to make and probably doesn't exist, but if you want to search for one go ahead.

Looking to buy GTX690, other multi-GPU cards, or single-slot graphics cards: 

 

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4 minutes ago, brwainer said:

"NIC" means Network Interface Card. A NIC could be for ethernet, SFP, Wifi, or any other network type. So the suggested parts aren't wrong because until now you never actually stated or confirmed you were looking to add wireless.

 

Finding a key B or M or B+M wireless NIC is probably impossible because that isn't intended and is in low demand. An adapter from B/M to E would be difficult to make and probably doesn't exist, but if you want to search for one go ahead.

 

I see. My bad man! Yeah that is the issue I'm having.

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You can buy m.2 to pci-e x4 or pci-e x1  risers / adapters, and then you can put any pci-e card in it. 

So for example you could buy a regular half height pci-e x1 or pci-e x4 network card and that would leave enough room to install it on the back of the case and have room for the riser connector.

 

For example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/NGFF-to-PCI-Express-4x-slot-Adapter-M-Key-M-2-to-PCI-e-x4-interface-Riser-Card-/121912960082

 

Or https://www.dhgate.com/product/high-quality-m-2-ngff-to-pci-e-x4-x1-slot/404647158.html

or https://www.dhgate.com/product/m2-to-pci-e-4x-slot-card-adapter-ngff-m-2/401211101.html?recinfo=8,103,4#cppd-4-5|null:103:r0727704002

 

This creates a pci-e x4 slot from the m.2 connector. The extra power connector is there to insert 12v into the pci-e x4 slot, if you decide to stick something directly in that slot. By default, the m.2 connector only has 3.3v.

Normally the idea of these is to insert regular wi-fi cards which don't use more than a few watts anyway.

 

You can combine that with a pci-e riser adapter things like the ones used for mining and then you don't need that power adapter cable, because the mining risers only use the data wires in the slot, they have separate power connectors on the x16 sides and voltage regulators that create the 3.3v for the cards.

 

So for example : https://www.ebay.com/itm/4pin-USB-3-0-Pci-PCI-E-Express-1x-To-16x-Extender-Riser-Card-Adapter-Power-Cable/183020462031?hash=item2a9cde9fcf:g:gocAAOSwI~taXXhJ

 

The x1 card you plug in the x4 slot from the adapter, and then the usb cable connects the m.2 slot to the x16 slot of the riser, in which you can plug any card. If you use a half height network card, it should still leave you enough room for the riser slot to sit above the motherboard slots and still have ability to screw the network card directly on the back slot locations. 

 

Note that there's no guarantee that the bios will actually accept (work with) anything but m.2 SSDs in those m.2 connectors. Normally it shouldn't be a problem.

 

 

Ideally, you would get one of these adapter things that combine both, meaning have the m.2 circuit board with a usb3 connector or some ribbon cable connector (because usb 3 cable doesn't have enough wires in it to carry 4 pci-e lanes) , then have the second pcb with x1 or x4 slot and the voltage regulators required to bring 12v and 3.3v to that riser board. But I guess it would make the whole thing too expensive to be sold, and the demand may be too small.

 

 

 

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