Intel DQ77KB replacement

1kevinm

Hi All,

I've been using an Intel DQ77KB based pfSense setup for 5+ years. This week it was hit by lightning which passed thru the Verizon Fios router via Ethernet to the intel board.

The box is working, but only passing less then 10% of bandwidth. I assume the NIC was damaged.

Any advice on available motherboards to replace the Intel?

Thanks in advance
Kevin

stephenw10

Same config? Two NICs? Use the same CPU and RAM?

I'm pretty sure someone was making a DQ77KB replacement thin-ITXboard because there were a lot of commercial use customers for it. Never used it myself though.

Steve

1kevinm

@stephenw10

I'm good upgrading everything or staying with the current chip and memory.

Two nics

I've searched and not located a replacement.

Thanks

stephenw10

Hmm, I think I was thinking of the Mitac PH12LI. That's gen4 so you couldn't use the CPU but it was specifically designed to be the same footprint as the DQ77KB so should directly replace it in all other ways.

However once you're paying that you might consider buying from us directly.
What throughput do you need?

Steve

P3R

I can't find any mini-ITX board with socket 1155 for sale on my market any more so I think you'll have to upgrade at least the CPU as well if you want to stay mini-ITX.

As I remember the special thing with the DQ77KB was that you could use 19 V power directly to it (I did). I don't know if any mini-ITX board at a decent price offer that today so if you used that you may have to upgrade the power supply as well.

1kevinm

Yes, the DQ77KB does use an external adapter as a power supply. I do want to stick with a fan less low power small form solution.

Stephen, Internet is only 150Mbps, but I run a vpn, several vlans, snort, pfblocker, squid and have nearly 100 items on intranet.

stephenw10

Pretty sure external power supply was part of the Thin Mini-ITX specs, it was at least recommended. Most things claiming to be that should have a 19V laptop style connector.

Steve

P3R

If one can find a Thin Mini-ITX board available that fits it's great but there aren't many (I can find only four with 2 onboard network interfaces). With few products to choose from there's less freedom of choice and often high prices.

A possibility is to use any Mini-ITX board (22 times more products available with 2 NICs than for Thin Mini-ITX on my market) and a picoPSU. A 12 V external power supply, not 19 V, will be necessary with the picoPSU but still no PSU-fan and the picoPSUs are extremely small.

The bottom-line is that there's probably no straight DQ77KB replacement available at all and with all the things that are necessary to replace, it's probably better to go for a completely new system. At least that's what I did when my DQ77KB failed.

1kevinm

To complete the thread:

I went with the ASUS H110T motherboard and an Intel I5-7500T.

I used the existing enclosure and power adapter. All is back to working well.

Thanks everyone.