will+1
For example setting up a small network at home with a few computers, you're not gonna buy a server for that! Also would be perfect for small lan games with a few mates. I personally think this would be very useful as it gets rid of the need for a powered switch which you have to buy and they get in the way and use up more power! I actually really like this design: I don't personally use eSata (quite a few enthusiast boards don't have it anyway), I like the 8 USB ports as I always seem to run out and adding a usb backplate is a hassle, especially if you have loads of expansion cards taking up the slots.

well... i have an 8 port gigabit asus switch that needs only 4.5W of power to run. says so on the label.

if you used all 4 of those ports... you would need to do some funky things to actually get a working network for gaming. You'd need static IP's on every system within the same range, and bridge all four ports on the main system - a switch would be simple plug and play assuming you had a DHCP server such as a router. also, if any network cable was unplugged windows kills the bridge, and so on.

Musselswell... i have an 8 port gigabit asus switch that needs only 4.5W of power to run. says so on the label.

if you used all 4 of those ports... you would need to do some funky things to actually get a working network for gaming. You'd need static IP's on every system within the same range, and bridge all four ports on the main system - a switch would be simple plug and play assuming you had a DHCP server such as a router.

Fair enough, I assumed it would also be simple plug and play on the motherboard, if not then I guess it wouldnt be that useful, however if you know a lot about networking then it could be very useful and save a lot of the mess/cabling that having a dedicated switch produces...

willFair enough, I assumed it would also be simple plug and play on the motherboard, if not then I guess it wouldnt be that useful, however if you know a lot about networking then it could be very useful and save a lot of the mess/cabling that having a dedicated switch produces...

yeah i run a lot of lan events, and systems with multiple network cards tend to be more hassle than help. Its just related to how networking works, the simplest method is a single switch with everyone linked into that, and one of the ports going to a DHCP server (something dishing out IP's. such as a router)

it just gets more and more complicated for every device added in, as you simply are adding more points to choke performance or cause complications.

Tkpenalty: please give us examples since you claim to know people who would use this. I cant come up with anything beyond uses for two ports.

one for my net,
one for the xbox,
one for the missus pc
one for the kids pc upstairs.

all 4 used :D

SpookyWillowone for my net,
one for the xbox,
one for the missus pc
one for the kids pc upstairs.

all 4 used :D

Yeah, that does it, but the same thing can be done with a $20 router.



You get a little more control when they're attached to a computer, and you can do more interesting things than with a switch or a router, but I don't see a big advantage of having so many. If you want them, why not buy a dual gigabit or a couple of single cards and get a regular motherboard?


My biggest point of confusion with this board....... why dual x16 slots, 4x NICs, and no integrated video? It requires a dedicated graphics card, and from the cooling is positioned at the enthusiast market, but all the uses we've come up with so far really have nothing to do with apps that need a dedicated card? It seems like they've spread the board across several sectors, and made something which doesn't really excel at any one set of tasks.


Also, I'm not sure when teeming would be useful on a board like this. The only way to really saturate a single gigabit line would be a large RAID array, you may need a dedicated card just to saturate one, let alone 2 or 4. It's an interesting idea for a desktop board, but I just don't see how this setup would be optimal for any one situation.....

That would be an amazing board for a low-end server, but I doubt it will have much mainstream appeal except for those that need bragging rights that they have four integrated NICs.

That TPM Switch is a death Knell ::shudder:: I was hoping they wouldnt start including that in mobos and such but looks like they may just do that.

Meh. TPM is no big deal. Apple has been using them since at least the introduction of their Intel based machines. They use them so OS X only works on the Apple platform. That didn't work out so well for them, now did it?

If and when games makers start using it, I give it a week before it's useless.

First motherboard with 4x Gigabit Ethernet

sorry to bust your bubble but i think Gigabyte-GA-N680SLI-DQ6
was the first as i Have that board

Musselsyeah i run a lot of lan events, and systems with multiple network cards tend to be more hassle than help. Its just related to how networking works, the simplest method is a single switch with everyone linked into that, and one of the ports going to a DHCP server (something dishing out IP's. such as a router)

it just gets more and more complicated for every device added in, as you simply are adding more points to choke performance or cause complications.

Tkpenalty: please give us examples since you claim to know people who would use this. I cant come up with anything beyond uses for two ports.

Multiple network ISA Server box. Yup, not much of an example, but it is one none the less :) ;)

Problem with teaming is that it takes a switch that supports it properly. Otherwise only certain teaming modes are available. For a LAN party I wouldn't bother with it either.

there are indeed four gigabit network chips, its not just a switch. putting a switch on a motherboard sounds like a cool and cost effective idea though

just going to say it again, because spookywillow said it:

You do realise that by default these four ports are not linked in any way. if you run one of these for your internet... the other ports wont do anything. you'll just get unknown network errors, no IP addresses and so on.

dream mobo