Help stuffing 10g networking into and AM4, ITX mobo / m.2 pcie riser?

[chew72]

It's finally time to upgrade. I'm coming from and i5-3570k system with a GTX 1060. Amd's 5600x has tickled my fancy so I'm finally upgrading. The 1060 is the only thing I'm keeping from my old build.

I would love to build an ITX system this time that will last 8-10 years again. So I'm looking at the following:

 

AMD 5600x

ROG Strix X570-I Gaming ITX mobo

16-32 Gigs of ram 

current 1060 (upgrade to RX 6800 down the road) 

1TB WD SN750 nvme drive

 

So my dilemma is I have a NAS and 10g card I'd like to connect to this PC using a Mellanox MCX311A-XCAT CX311A ConnectX-3 EN sfp+ Network Card. It's pcie 4x

I'm thinking I can use the Mobo's back m.2-2 connector. Using an m.2 to pcie riser cable and plug in my sfp+ card. Like This one.

 

Has anyone done this? I'm thinking it should work... The only limitation I've read is the m.2's limited power but that seems to be 7W usually and the Mellanox card is listed as less than 5W it's a single port.

I've never used M.2 for anything and I'm unfamiliar with it. I thought it was just for storage but I see now it's more just another way to connect pcie. 

Thoughts?

 

Thank You

 

Country: Canada

Used for: Games, DaVinci Resolve

 

 

[FloRolf]

First off, make sure your case actually supports 3 pcie slots. 

 

Second, I always wanted to try this as well but never did. Pretty sure it'll work. 

[StDragon]

7 minutes ago, chew72 said:

The only limitation I've read is the m.2's limited power but that seems to be 7W usually and the Mellanox card is listed as less than 5W it's a single port.

I've never used M.2 for anything and I'm unfamiliar with it. I thought it was just for storage but I see now it's more just another way to connect pcie. 

Thoughts?

 

I've never used the m.2 slot for anything other than storage. But that said, that part you linked looks to accept additional power from a SATA power cable. So wattage might not be an issue.

[jaslion]

Why not go for a micro atx system in a small case? That and you won't have space to mount the second card in the case anyways as there won't be a pcie slot in the case for it.

 

What you are trying to do can work but you'll need a bigger itx case for it anyways and then you are in the territory of micro atx cases already.

[paddy-stone]

Personally, I'd just go with a small-ish m-ATX case instead then get an m-ATX mobo with a second pci-e x16 slot (x4)

[chew72]

I'm 50/50. There are not a lot of matx boards out there. Asrock has one I was looking at, pro4 I think. But it almost feels like defeat to me. I enjoy a challenge and with the extra length of the riser cable I can cut / mount the network card anywhere it will fit. (I'm thinking ncase m1 :D) 

[chew72]

I'll add with the ncase m1 I would try to have the sfp card on the back of the video card. There are grommets for water cooling at this location I could run the DAC cable through. 

 

I'm also fine with shortening the PSU cables to help freeup space (the card is only half height) 

[mariushm]

The m.2 connector only supports 3.3v  , while the pci-e slots give 3.3v and 12v. 

You can get pci-e riser cables and adapter boards which convert m.2 to pci-e x4 and bring in power through a sata or molex connector (taking 12v from it). 

 

In theory your network card could do even with a single pci-e x1 slot, but you'd be capped to a maximum theoretical of around 970 MB/s for pci-e 3.0  (around 900-950MB/s realistically)

[Zagna]

Or go with an ITX board that has 10gig? 

[Ankh Tech]

1 hour ago, chew72 said:

It's finally time to upgrade. I'm coming from and i5-3570k system with a GTX 1060. Amd's 5600x has tickled my fancy so I'm finally upgrading. The 1060 is the only thing I'm keeping from my old build.

I would love to build an ITX system this time that will last 8-10 years again. So I'm looking at the following:

 

AMD 5600x

ROG Strix X570-I Gaming ITX mobo

16-32 Gigs of ram 

current 1060 (upgrade to RX 6800 down the road) 

1TB WD SN750 nvme drive

 

So my dilemma is I have a NAS and 10g card I'd like to connect to this PC using a Mellanox MCX311A-XCAT CX311A ConnectX-3 EN sfp+ Network Card. It's pcie 4x

I'm thinking I can use the Mobo's back m.2-2 connector. Using an m.2 to pcie riser cable and plug in my sfp+ card. Like This one.

 

Has anyone done this? I'm thinking it should work... The only limitation I've read is the m.2's limited power but that seems to be 7W usually and the Mellanox card is listed as less than 5W it's a single port.

I've never used M.2 for anything and I'm unfamiliar with it. I thought it was just for storage but I see now it's more just another way to connect pcie. 

Thoughts?

 

Thank You

 

Country: Canada

Used for: Games, DaVinci Resolve

 

 

You can use the front one for more space and use this

https://www.amazon.com/EXPLOMOS-NGFF-Adapter-Power-Cable/dp/B074Z5YKXJ

or this

https://www.amazon.com/McPnand-Adapter-Power-Risers-Mining/dp/B07BWQTQG2/ref=pd_lpo_147_t_2/146-8903908-5412747?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07BWQTQG2&pd_rd_r=0bb45b36-2699-4e4b-9f0a-f72b8b49251e&pd_rd_w=tUVaZ&pd_rd_wg=wvKOO&pf_rd_p=7b36d496-f366-4631-94d3-61b87b52511b&pf_rd_r=DCZDJV1DV3PCKM8PZX19&psc=1&refRID=DCZDJV1DV3PCKM8PZX19

[chew72]

18 minutes ago, mariushm said:

The m.2 connector only supports 3.3v  , while the pci-e slots give 3.3v and 12v. 

You can get pci-e riser cables and adapter boards which convert m.2 to pci-e x4 and bring in power through a sata or molex connector (taking 12v from it). 

 

In theory your network card could do even with a single pci-e x1 slot, but you'd be capped to a maximum theoretical of around 970 MB/s for pci-e 3.0  (around 900-950MB/s realistically)

I recall reading about the 12v now that you say it and see the connector on the riser card. As for speed good point. My nas can transfer in the neighborhood of 600MB/s so I'm covered there.

[chew72]

35 minutes ago, Zagna said:

Or go with an ITX board that has 10gig? 

Hmm.. That is interesting. My hesitation is memory speed. Plus I really like the idea of doing something a little out of the ordinary with an ITX build.

[VanBantam]

On 11/3/2020 at 6:53 AM, Zagna said:

Or go with an ITX board that has 10gig? 

WHOA WHAT ON EARTH IS THAT THING?

Dude it can handle 128 GB of ram!!!!! In a miniITX form factor.

Have you used this motherboard before?

Here's a review from serve the home. 

Edited November 11, 2020 by VanBantam
Updating with a review link from serve the home for the motherboard referenced.