Networks Looking at a high end NIC

I am considering getting a fairly high end NIC for one of my PCs, possibly soon. I am looking at getting an Intel dual-port Pro1000/MT adapter. Linky

Now for the question. This NIC is set up for a PCI-X (NOT PCI Express!) slot. According to the features / benefits breakdown on the page, it can be used in either 64 or 32-bit PCI-X 1.0 OR PCI 2.2 buses.

Does this mean I should be able to connect this card to a standard PCI slot in an average PC?

Going by what I'm seeing on the Intel site, I would be inclined to say yes, however, I obviously don't want to spend $120 on a card that will require a very expensive server class motherboard.

While yes, I realise this card is *massive* overkill on a home PC, what can I say, I am geek, and want the best toys.

Thanks,
Jason A.

 

The picture looks as if it is PCI-x...a server platform, goodluck stuffing that into a normal PCI slot.

 

it'd work, but it'd be a huge waste of money as you'd only get ~80Mb/s without real pci-x, you'd be better off giving whatever money you're gonna spend to me

 

You can use PCIX cards in PCI slots, you just lose a ton of bandwidth. You think it's bad on a network card? Try it on a RAID0 array with raptors. I was seeing the same speeds with that array as with a single 7200RPM drive. Dayam.

Just get one of the $13 PCI Gigabit cards... unless you have a new mobo and a NIC integrated onto a PCIE lane, you will NOT see full transfer speeds anyways, not to mention you need a very expensive switch(+) and at least 3 drives in RAID0 on both ends to hit 125MB/s (1Gb/s). Works fine in my computers. In fact I even dremelled off part of the PCB of said $13 gigabit card and it works fine (it was by the bracket screw and I checked for traces )

Short answer: It will work but it'll be utterly bandwidth limited even if you had the hardware to keep up with gigabit network speeds everywhere else.

 

If it's just a 64bit PCI card it should work just fine, but your bandwidth would be limited by the 32 bit PCI bus.

 

I have to agree with everyone else, there is absolutely NO reason for you to waste your money on a NIC like this. You aren't going to see improved bandwidth or anything. No matter what hardware you are running on your LAN the bottleneck is the ISP. This card will net you no better results than any Linksys, Netgear, or similiar NIC out there that costs no more than $15.

 

Too true about the bandwidth being limited by the PCI bus...

I know I'd never get anywhere even close to full speed out of this NIC, but it would be a cool toy...

So for now, I'll stick with my gigabit desktop adapter...
Which should be nice once I get my new switch to plug it into...
16 port gigabit unmanaged.

I'd use the on-board NIC for my MB (Realtek 10/100/1000), but I've come to like the Intel stuff....