What is a CNR-slot?

[brewerbob]

The board comes equipped with 3 PC133 SDRAM DIMM-slots, one AGP-slot, 5 PCI-slots, one CNR-slot, on-board AC97 sound and an additional ATA100 IDE/RAID0 chip from Promise, allowing the board to run with up to eight IDE hard drives.

What is this CNR-slot thingy?

 

[divinemartyr]

Communication and Network Riser

It's supposed to be a new type of slot strictly for communication and networking issues. So far though, no one really uses the technology. I haven't seen any cards for it so I couldn't tell you what its advantages are, if any.

divinemartyr

 

[MGMorden]

The advantage is that a lot of newer motherboard chipsets (especially the Intels) are starting to come with most of the instructions required to do things over a network, so just by adding the physical connection and a driver you can have a cheap NIC, but I don't see the point with NIC prices what they are. Spending $5 on a CNR NIC over $10 for a PCI NIC ain't gonna give anybody new a chance to network.

 

[AtomClock]

It is a slot that no one makes a card for. It is also a slot which offers no functionality which can't be found using a PCI slot.

 

[Moonbeam]

There are cards for this slot but I'v seen them for sale only in 24 packs except for one site that sold a nic card individually, but they were out. The only real advantage I see is that you save a PCI slot. I'd choose it for that reason if I find the option.

 

[Moonbeam]

.

 

[MGMorden]

Yeah but on most boards the CNR slot is shared with a PCI, so by getting a CNR you usually won't be saving a PCI slot. If they want to integrate these functions onto the chipset, I think they should just put a RJ-45 connector on the back of the motherboard above the USB ports. I think integrated networking is a much better idea than the integrated sound trend that's started lately.

 

[WildDreamer]

Here's a good article that talks about CNR and another riser card standard, ACR

ACR vs. CNR

 

[Moonbeam]

MG, I was wondering about that but it doesn't look to be so on the msi k7t pro2a. Watdaya think?

 

[BigLance]

The Intel D815EEA motherboard (i815) has a built in Intel 10/100 Lan Card that is above the USB ports.... I agree that's the way to do it !! Saves PCI and provides good Intel ethernet...