StarTech.com 4-Port PCI Express Gigabit Network Adapter Card - Quad-Port PCIe Gigabit NIC

The StarTech.com 4-Port PCI Express Gigabit Network Adapter Card is the ultimate solution for businesses aiming to enhance their network's connectivity effortlessly. This quad-port PCIe Gigabit NIC is designed to add four independent Gigabit network ports via a single PCI Express slot, ensuring reliable, scalable, and flexible network expansion for servers, workstations, and demanding network environments. Whether you're optimizing a small office, centralizing storage, or building a multi-subnet lab, this PCIe NIC delivers the performance and the reliability you need to keep data moving at speed. With four separate interfaces on a single card, you can isolate traffic, optimize bandwidth for critical applications, and simplify cabling—transforming how you manage and scale your internal networks. In today’s data-driven environments, a quad-port solution like this provides the headroom and flexibility required to support virtualization, backups, media streaming, and high-availability deployments without compromising performance on other components of your system.

• Four independent Gigabit Ethernet ports via a single PCIe slot, enabling simultaneous high-speed connections to servers, storage, and clients without bandwidth contention. This capacity is ideal for separating traffic streams—for example, isolating management, storage, and user traffic on distinct networks while maintaining a single card footprint.
• PCI Express interface provides high-bandwidth, low-latency data transfer with broad compatibility across modern desktops and servers, ensuring a future-proof upgrade path. The architecture is designed to leverage contemporary PCIe slots, making it a straightforward upgrade for aging systems that still rely on PCIe for expansion.
• Auto-negotiation and per-port full-duplex operation on each port deliver consistent performance in mixed networks, while per-port link/activity indicators simplify troubleshooting and real-time monitoring. This makes it easier to optimize performance in complex environments without requiring specialized tools.
• Ideal for network segmentation, server clustering, NIC teaming, load balancing, and multi-subnet deployments—allocate traffic to separate networks or isolate critical services with ease. When paired with a capable switch and proper configuration, you can implement redundancy, failover protection, and dynamic routing strategies that improve uptime and data reliability.
• Durable, reliable design from a trusted brand, backed by driver support and broad compatibility across Windows and Linux operating systems for a wide range of IT ecosystems. With StarTech’s long-standing reputation, you gain confidence in steady driver updates, documentation, and community resources to help you get the most from your investment.

Technical Details of StarTech.com 4-Port PCI Express Gigabit Network Adapter Card

• Interface: PCI Express (PCIe) bus designed to install into a standard PCIe slot in compatible systems, commonly leveraging a PCIe x1 lane for efficient performance.
• Ports: 4 x RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet ports, providing independent network connections that can be utilized for separate networks, storage access, or virtual machine host communication.
• Speed: Each port supports auto-negotiation up to 1 Gbps, enabling seamless operation with 10/100/1000 Mbps networks and ensuring compatibility with a wide range of devices and switches.
• LEDs: Per-port link and activity indicators allow quick at-a-glance assessment of network status and traffic flow across all four ports, simplifying maintenance and diagnostics.
• Form factor: PCIe expansion card intended for standard desktop or server enclosures, designed to fit into most chassis that provide PCIe slots and appropriate back-panel clearance.
• OS compatibility and drivers: StarTech provides driver support for major operating systems, including Windows and Linux, to ensure broad compatibility and straightforward installation. Updated drivers and documentation are available from the manufacturer to support ongoing reliability.

How to Install StarTech.com 4-Port PCI Express Gigabit Network Adapter Card

• Power down your computer or server and unplug the power cord. Ground yourself to prevent static discharge before handling hardware components.
• Open the chassis to access the motherboard and locate an available PCI Express slot compatible with the card’s size and form factor. If you are unsure, consult your system’s manual or manufacturer support resources.
• Remove the back-panel slot cover corresponding to the chosen PCIe slot to allow network cable access from the exterior of the case.
• Align the card with the PCIe slot, gently but firmly insert it until it seats completely in the slot. Secure the card to the chassis with a retaining screw to prevent movement during operation.
• Reconnect the chassis: close the case, power on the system, and observe the system post. If the operating system recognizes the card automatically, you may proceed to configure the ports. If not, install the required drivers from StarTech’s official website or from the supplied media.
• Configure your ports within the operating system or via your virtualization/management software. You can assign IPs, enable NIC teaming or load balancing, and set up VLANs or other network policies as needed. If you plan to use NIC teaming, ensure your switch supports the selected mode (e.g., LACP) and configure it accordingly.
• Test each port’s connectivity with device-to-device tests such as ping and file transfers. Validate throughput across ports to confirm that four independent Gigabit connections are functioning as expected, and verify that your network topology aligns with your intended segmentation and security policies.

Frequently asked questions

• Q: How many ports does this adapter provide? A: The StarTech 4-Port PCI Express Gigabit Network Adapter Card provides four independent Gigabit Ethernet ports via a single PCIe slot.
• Q: Will all four ports operate simultaneously? A: Yes. Each port functions as a separate NIC, enabling concurrent connections across multiple networks or devices without sacrificing performance on other ports.
• Q: What operating systems are supported? A: StarTech supplies drivers for major operating systems, typically including Windows and Linux, with installation documentation and resources available on their site.
• Q: Can I combine ports for higher throughput? A: NIC teaming or link aggregation can often be configured with supported switches and OS drivers, allowing load balancing or failover across multiple ports for enhanced performance and resilience.
• Q: Do the ports support jumbo frames? A: Jumbo frames are typically supported when the OS and network switches are configured for larger MTU values. Verify driver and switch capabilities to enable jumbo frame support for storage or virtualization workloads.