PCI against PCI Express

[maxg]

Could do with some advice on the following.
A server I run at work with win2kas as a file server, I need to improve network speed from it to the clients. It has an on board 100 Mb NIC goes though a netgear switch with 100 and Gb sockets. Do you get more speed with PCI or PCI express as I have found these two cards but don't know if it will make any difference.


Intel Pro 1000 GT Desktop Adapter Ret (PWLA8391GT)


Intel Pro 1000 CT Desktop Adapter PCI Express EXPI9301CTBLK

[LuckyNV]

If either add-in card is 1Gbps they should be about even since you're limited to the slowest connection in your network, I would favour the PCI-E card but depends on how many available PCI and PCI-E slots are on your mobo.

[oolon]

PCIe every time, this is due to the bandwidth of the bus, a PCI bus cannot handle duplex GB connections (due to the bandwidth), and the bus is shared, a single lane of PCIe can.

[Bitemarks666]

PCI tops out at 133MBps/1.06Gbps and PCI-E x1 is 250MBps/2Gbps so either will be fine but PCI is shared between all devices so if you want to run more than 1 NIC then I would say get PCI-E

[shaithis]

The main problem you have is the speed of the NIC, not the interface.

You will probably notice no difference between PCI and PCI-E NICs, but there will be a dramatic difference between 100 and 1000MB NIC speeds.

[maxg]

Thanks for all the reply's PCI-e it is then.

[Syllopsium]

Are you sure it's due to your NIC?

First determine your objective, then take measurements of the existing situation, then change things one at a time until you're brought closer to your objective.

That'll tell you whether the issue is :

1) NIC
2) network infrastructure
3) storage
4) CPU
5) software (W2K is not as fast as later versions on decent hardware)

If you know you're limited by a 100Mb connection, then yes, go for gigabit PCI-e.

PK

[watercooled]

They're pretty much the same price so go for the PCI-E card.