ASRock Z87E-ITX mPCI module

[charliemarquez]

Hi,

the Z87E-ITX motherboard has a mPCI-e / mSATA slot on the bottom part.
Is it fully mPCI-e capable? I want to build a dual Wifi system so I need two mPCI-e slot.
Thanks in advance

[parsec]

Re: ASRock Z87E-ITX mPCI module

The specs for this board list those slots as:

1 x half mini-PCI Express slot: For WiFi + BT module
1 x mSATA/full mini-PCI Express slot

And:

SATA3_4 connector is shared with the mSATA/mini-PCI Express slot

So can you use a WiFi or BT module in that slot? Does not seem like it.

[charliemarquez]

Re: ASRock Z87E-ITX mPCI module

So why that slot is listed ad full mini-PCI Express slot?

[ASRock TSD - Emily]

Re: ASRock Z87E-ITX mPCI module

Dear charliemarquez,

parsec is correct.

For Z87E-ITX, we have two mini-PCI-E slot on this motherboard.
Front side: 1 x half mini-PCI Express slot: For WiFi + BT module
Back Side: 1 x mSATA/full mini-PCI Express slot
We have one full size mini-PCIe slot on the buttom of M/B.

Thank you!

[charliemarquez]

Re: ASRock Z87E-ITX mPCI module

I still haven't got it.
Can I plug a mPCI-e card into the slot at the bottom of the MainBoard or it is just mSATA?
Thanks in advance

[parsec]

Re: ASRock Z87E-ITX mPCI module

Dear charliemarquez,

parsec is correct.

For Z87E-ITX, we have two mini-PCI-E slot on this motherboard.
Front side: 1 x half mini-PCI Express slot: For WiFi + BT module
Back Side: 1 x mSATA/full mini-PCI Express slot
We have one full size mini-PCIe slot on the buttom of M/B.

Thank you!

Thank you Emily.

I still haven't got it.
Can I plug a mPCI-e card into the slot at the bottom of the MainBoard or it is just mSATA?
Thanks in advance

It is just mSATA, since it is shared with the SATA3_4 port.

The description, mSATA/full mini-PCI Express slot, which is probably meant to reduce confusion, actually can cause more confusion, as you know. It would have been better to just call it mSATA, since that is its only use.

[charliemarquez]

Re: ASRock Z87E-ITX mPCI module

Thank you Emily.



It is just mSATA, since it is shared with the SATA3_4 port.

The description, mSATA/full mini-PCI Express slot, which is probably meant to reduce confusion, actually can cause more confusion, as you know. It would have been better to just call it mSATA, since that is its only use.

I don't understand then. You are saying different things but Emily said that you were right.
I need to have the mPCI-e slot on the bottom because I need to fit an oversized mPCI-e wireless card which cannot be mounted on the top side.

[parsec]

Re: ASRock Z87E-ITX mPCI module

I'll try again...

The bottom port is only useable to connect a mSATA device. The description for it, "mSATA/full mini-PCI Express slot", or really the "full mini-PCI Express slot" part, only describes the SIZE of that port, not what its function is.

This bottom port is connected to the board's SATA interface. Can a wireless card be used with a SATA interface? No it can't.

Any slot or port can only be connected to one interface on a board. For example, the PCI-E x 16 slots are only connected to the PCI-E interface.

My ASRock board has a half size mini-PCI-E port that is meant to be used with a wireless card, and is connected to the PCI-E interface. I can't use it with the very new M2 SSD cards, since they need to be connected to the SATA interface.

So again, you cannot use your wireless card in that mSATA port, which is connected to the board's SATA interface.

[charliemarquez]

Re: ASRock Z87E-ITX mPCI module

I'll try again...

The bottom port is only useable to connect a mSATA device. The description for it, "mSATA/full mini-PCI Express slot", or really the "full mini-PCI Express slot" part, only describes the SIZE of that port, not what its function is.

This bottom port is connected to the board's SATA interface. Can a wireless card be used with a SATA interface? No it can't.

Any slot or port can only be connected to one interface on a board. For example, the PCI-E x 16 slots are only connected to the PCI-E interface.

My ASRock board has a half size mini-PCI-E port that is meant to be used with a wireless card, and is connected to the PCI-E interface. I can't use it with the very new M2 SSD cards, since they need to be connected to the SATA interface.

So again, you cannot use your wireless card in that mSATA port, which is connected to the board's SATA interface.

Thank you very much parsec.
You've been more than clear