Question GPU blocking access to PCIe x1 slots for wireless card installation - what are my options?

[MagnaFarta]

Hi,

I need to install my wireless card into a PCIe x1 slot, but my fatty GPU (which can not be moved from the only PCIe x16 slot), blocks both my PCIe x1 slots.

I think i have two options:

1) buy a PCIe x1 riser for the wireless card

Q1: will the riser effect the wireless card performance?
Q2: does any one know a link to a good one with a bout 30cm cable length?

or

2) install the wireless card in the spare PCIe x16 slot, running at x4 (PCIe x4) slot. Note, i can not use the spare PCIe x16 slot, running at x8 (PCIe x8), because the slot annoyingly shares bandwidth with the PCIe x16 slot - thus when the PCIe x8 slot is populated, the PCIe x16 slot (in which the GPU sits) will operate at only x8 mode.

Q3: Does this logic make sense?

Q4: which is best approach?


Thanks hive mind

 

[bill001g]

Not 100% clear how many slots you have but if you have one that the card will fit in that does not impact your video card that is your best option. A card that fits in a pcie-1 slot will only use 1 lane no matter what slot you put it in.

 

[MagnaFarta]

Not 100% clear how many slots you have but if you have one that the card will fit in that does not impact your video card that is your best option. A card that fits in a pcie-1 slot will only use 1 lane no matter what slot you put it in.

Hi Titan,

I have the following slots with the following caveats:

1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x16 (PCIEX16) (Note 3) - GPU in this one as fastest
1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x8 (PCIEX8) (Note 4)
1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x4 (PCIEX4) - slot chosen for Wireless card
2 x PCI Express x1 slots - both blocked by the GPU
(All PCI Express slots conform to the PCI Express 2.0 standard.)
2 x PCI slots

(Note 3) For optimum performance, if only one PCI Express graphics card is to be installed, be sure to install it in the PCIEX16 slot - the reason why i have put the GPU in the x16 slot

(Note 4) The PCIEX8 slot shares bandwidth with the PCIEX16 slot. When the PCIEX8 slot is populated, the PCIEX16 slot will operate at up to x8 mode - the reason i dont want tot put the GPU in the x8, and instead chose the x4