Need a cheap PCI-Express network adapter!

[rikadik]

I recently bought a PCI TV-card for my PC, which has x1 PCI-e (16x) slot, x1 PCI-e (1x) slot and x3 PCI slots. Since I knew I had a GPU in the PCI-e (16x), a network adapter one of the PCI slots and a sound card in the other PCI card slot, I assumed that there would be a PCI slot remaining for my TV-card... WRONG!

Much to my horror it appears that due to the great big whopping fan on the GPU, one of the PCI slots is unaccessible! So I had to remove the network card to get the TV card in! So now what I need is a PCI-e (1x) network card to go into the only remaining slot. Any suggestions?

Thanks in anticipation!

 

[imported_Pressure]

Did you check to see if your motherboard had a built in LAN chipset?

 

[rikadik]

How do I check this? Yes I am in idiot. In fact today is the first time I've ever opened a PC case in my life!

I'm assuming NO, because it is from Dell and they seemed to think it was worthwhile to put a network card in.

 

[imported_Pressure]

What dell model is it?

 

[rikadik]

It is a...

*drumroll*

... Dimension 8400!

 

[imported_Pressure]

Just check around where you plug in your mouse and stuff to see if there's a spot to plug in a LAN cable. Check all around.

 

[rikadik]

Ok, will do! *runs downstairs*

 

[rikadik]

It does indeed have onboard LAN!!!

My god I'm an idiot. Well thanks for your help! I think the network card must have been put in by Dell for a dial-up modem which i dont need.

Thanks!

 

[imported_Pressure]

:beer:

 

[imported_rod]

Only dell would install a network card to a computer with onboard lan...

RoD

 

[imported_Stew]

lol.

that's hilarious.

 

[ProviaFan]

The only valid reason they might have done that is to put in a gigabit ethernet card if the onboard LAN was only 100mbps (otherwise, why might they have done that? Because they're Dell...). But still, I'm glad that the Original Poster's problem was rather simple to fix.

 

[rikadik]

Lol!

Simplest problem ever!

I think the network adapter was for dial-up. Thats the only reason i can think of.

 

[keeleysam]

Originally posted by: rikadik
Lol!

Simplest problem ever!

I think the network adapter was for dial-up. Thats the only reason i can think of.

How the fvck woudl you use an ethernet card for dialup?

 

[piroroadkill]

I don't even think ANY new motherboards omit basic Ethernet connectivity.

... Oh, and Dial Up? What the christ are you talking about? Do you mean modem?

The two sockets are different.

RJ45 (the sucker you use for Ethernet) is slightly bigger than RJ11 (the sucker you use for phone line, and thus, dial up).

 

[imported_g33k]

Originally posted by: piroroadkill
I don't even think ANY new motherboards omit basic Ethernet connectivity.

... Oh, and Dial Up? What the christ are you talking about? Do you mean modem?

The two sockets are different.

RJ45 (the sucker you use for Ethernet) is slightly bigger than RJ11 (the sucker you use for phone line, and thus, dial up).

What he said, heh.

 

[rikadik]

Yes yes... I may be stupid when it comes down to computers, but I can tell the difference between a phone cable and an ethernet cable! What I mean is I think the card also had the standard phoneline jack on it, most likely with an onboard modem. But... it also had an ethernet port on it which I'd been using. I hadn't noticed the onboard ethernet port amongst all the stuff plugged into the USB slots, and once I found the ethernet port in one of the PCI positions I never thought it'd be elsewhere!