add on cards and MOBO question

[carl]

hello
does anybody use this or something similar the killer K1 NIC

or something similar to this creative sound card

is it really worth getting these because i heard buying these will free up CPU processes getting higher frame rates and less lag.  i also heard that the NIC does wonders by bypassing some windows stack network or something like that and can run certain programs on the NIC to free up even more CPU.  and the sound card takes off CPU processes and gives better sound.

however, i only plan on using a good headset for everything, and my ping even without the NIC is like 30 to 50 in any US server and only like100 to 150 in any out of continent server.  

although when i build my new computer i plan on some high end gaming with an xfx GTS 250, so would it be worth it to buy these extra devices and get the extra frame rates or not worth it at all?

now the mobo, i plan on buying this, and there is a connector that sticks out in the middle of nowhere and i cant figure out what it is for. take a look-

what is that for circled in red???

the last question is what is a SATA power connector?  where does it go?  and i though all u needed for a sata drive to work is just plug it into the sata ports.  

thanks for the time and your help.  

[BFM_RedFox]

what is that for circled in red???

It is an additional port for a power connector. Idk which component needs it but the mobo's manual must describe it.

the last question is what is a SATA power connector?  where does it go?  and i though all u needed for a sata drive to work is just plug it into the sata ports.

A SATA power connector is needed to get your hard drive running. It comes from your power supply and has to be connected to the hard drive.

[carl]

ok RedFox, so the sata power connector just goes to the hard drives?  and if i want two hard drives in raid 0 do i need one in both hard drives.  and i guess once i get the mobo, i will have to read up on it.  thanks for the help so far. 

[BFM_RedFox]

ok RedFox, so the sata power connector just goes to the hard drives?  and if i want two hard drives in raid 0 do i need one in both hard drives.

the sata power connector works only with sata hard drives, not with ide drives. and yes you need one sata power connector in each hard drive.

[carl]

ahhh ok well IDE wont be a problem since the MOBO doesn't have IDE, (does anybody even use that anymore) thnaks for the help, now i know what i need in my powersupply. 

but my other question still remains, the two add on cards, worth it?

[MrMxyzptlk]

hello
does anybody use this or something similar the killer K1 NIC


[...]

Sorry, but - ROFL!

There are a coupla of things that can actually yield a NIC that's faster than "a commonplace NIC" or a built-in mobo one:

1) Gigabit Ethernet: As the name implies, this runs 10x faster than Megabit Ethernet, BUT it will only work at full capacity: on an ALL GIGABIT NETWORK, and with wiring that is higher rating than the usual "CAT5" in most store-bought & wired-in networks today. (You need to have ALL Cat6 or Cat5e network wiring - which LOOKS identical, but is NOT, and is NOT connected the same way in all installations....)

2) More/better/faster buffering: This increases one-way traffic speeds, but DOES NOTHING for interactive networking - which you'd call "on-line gaming."

3) High-end on-NIC components: Can yield a few % more packets for usually 50-200% more $$.

Keep in mind that no matter what the speed of your NIC (or entire LAN) is, if you're playing on-line you're limited to THAT bandwidth+latency (="speed) limitation anyway!

Also, if you have a mobo that has gagabit ethernet built-in, you're likely NOT going to see much of an improvement in OS resource usage lessing any.  (The newer Gigabit Ethernet chipsets have all that in them already nowadays....)

Given that off-the-shelf gigabit networking equipment and cabling can be found at megabit networking prices nowadays means that the biggest bang for the buck is to find some good, reliable gigabit networking components and build yourself a gigabit internal LAN - as I've done in my house - than spend an equivalent amount of $ on one board that will only help you under rare circumstances... and will NOT help you much at all in on-line gaming! (But it does kick-butt when we do all-gigabit LAN parties at my house!)

E.g. You can find an 8-port Gigabit switch for $40, and CAT5e cabling is about $1 more than CAT5 per every 10m.

RE: SATA cables: They come with both the mobo, AND every SATA drive you buy, so don't worry about finding them!

RE: the sound card: That's all so low bandwidth I doubt that it would make ANY difference at all! (Hint: Google for it and find a reputable non-sponsored! - review that charts out the benfits of a "dedicated sound card" such as the make/model you're looking at there.

RE: Mobo: If you're planning on getting a "high-end gaming mobo" don't even THINK about getting any of those add-on doohickies!

Any decent high-end gaming mobo has those things built into it already in its basic chipsets.

RE: oddball "connector in the middle of nowhere": If you read the User's Manual (likely available on the manufacturer's website) you'll find that the (extra) ATX (mobo) power connector (that's been on most mobos for five years now.)  Any modern PSU will have an extra four-pin cluster connector for it....

Final note: ALL Ethernet networking is backward compatible, so you can still hook up "older," "slower" machines to the faster Gigabit network with no negative side-effects!

[carl]

yes!! MrMxy, just the man i was looking for.

ok where to start

well the MOBO i want has NVIDIA Native Gigabit Ethernet on it for a built in network interface.  from what you said i am saying this is really good because it is gigabit, built in on an XFX MOBO, and made by NVIDIA.

Given that off-the-shelf gigabit networking equipment and cabling can be found at megabit networking prices nowadays means that the biggest bang for the buck is to find some good, reliable gigabit networking components and build yourself a gigabit internal LAN - as I've done in my house - than spend an equivalent amount of $ on one board that will only help you under rare circumstances... and will NOT help you much at all in on-line gaming! (But it does kick-butt when we do all-gigabit LAN parties at my house!)

ok i am not quite what you are saying here.  i plan on going wireless.  but i want to take full advantage of gigabit capabilities on my MOBO, so in terms of wireless, what should i be looking out in for terms of equipment. i mean what do i need for all the equipment to get gigabit wireless internet in my house for my computer to attach to.

thanks for the help

[MrMxyzptlk]

WIRELESS IS INHERENTLY UNRELIABLE, ESPECIALLY FOR REAL-TIME USES, such as ON-LINE GAMING.

"Going wireless" will defeat ANY gains that you might get from having/using Gigabit Ethernet.

(Was that loud and clear enough?  )

...And Gigabit won't really "speed up" Internet access, anyway, since that IS LIMITED TO YOUR INTERNET SPEED+LATENCY - which is no doubt a lot less than Gigabit Ethernet speeds (and LAN latencies.)

Recap: NOTHING above and beyond "standard" megabit (CAT5) ethernet will make your INTERNET PLAY any "better."

BUT: If you want better/faster access INSIDE YOUR HOUSEHOLD LAN, then replace all existing cabling and network devices ("this side" of your router) with Gb ethernet-approved cabling and switches....

[carl]

ok so wireless is out.  i may be stuck running a cable out my house, along the siding, and into my room.  lol oh well if its better, its worth it.  and i am not quite sure i get what you are saying.  are you saying a standard built in network interface, with a standard port switch, connected to a standard modem all with a standard cable, will be just as good or the same for online gaming as gigabit equipment?

and you said all Ethernet things were backwards compatible, so that means i can just mix and match?

as for the sounc card, i am leaning to not buying one because after reading and looking at them, the only benefit that i see (which is REALLY cool) is the EAX 5.0 and the DTS, sound engine that comes with the cards.  but the motherboard integrated one is HD audio, and its an XFX mobo so i think it would be pretty good, and wouldn't the built in one have something similar to all the stuff on the dedicated sound card?

thanks so much for the help, i know very little about networking, only the absolute basics lol.  

[MrMxyzptlk]

ok so wireless is out.  i may be stuck running a cable out my house, along the siding, and into my room.  lol oh well if its better, its worth it.  and i am not quite sure i get what you are saying.  are you saying a standard built in network interface, with a standard port switch, connected to a standard modem all with a standard cable, will be just as good or the same for online gaming as gigabit equipment?

Yep.

The only advantage you'd get from making your LAN all-Gigabit would be a better LAN, not a better on-line gaming setup.

and you said all Ethernet things were backwards compatible, so that means i can just mix and match?

Yup.

The result will depend on the lowest-common element in your LAN: If you have a megabit-rated switch, your gigabit-rated computer will just run at megabit speeds, is all.

[carl]

im not sure what you mean by lowest element.  like your lowest hardware part or something else?

The result will depend on the lowest-common element in your LAN: If you have a megabit-rated switch, your gigabit-rated computer will just run at megabit speeds, is all.

what if i have a gigabit switch, a gigabit network interface, but a megabit modem all connected with a gigabit wire?

[MrMxyzptlk]

im not sure what you mean by lowest element.  like your lowest hardware part or something else?

[...]

what if i have a gigabit switch, a gigabit network interface, but a megabit modem all connected with a gigabit wire?

Performance will be that of the slowest component in its path through the network.

So everything that goes through the modem will be limited to the modem's speed.

[carl]

ahhhh ok.  i understand now.  thank you very much for all the help.  looks like i have some work to do.  lol.