For the first test I am using a network adapter with an Intel 82576 chipset. This is fully supported with ESXi so I do not have any driver issues. If your ESXi does not detect the card you should verify that the NUC has detected it in the BIOS (Devices > PCI). If the card as been detected, you probably have a driver issue in your ESXi. In light of this, the (re-) boot time of about two seconds is stunning. Now, this isn’t all just CPU power, the Debian spin is very optimized for this board and has many unnecessary bits removed (which is a must when you’re running on an SD card). So, there’s more than just blazing storage going on here. It’s the combination of lightning-fast storage and, just as importantly, a well-optimized system.

M.2 is also known as Next Generation Form Factor (NGFF). It is a specification for internally mounted computer expansion cards. It is the successor to the mSATA standard, which uses the PCIe Mini Card physical card layout and connectors. M.2 is a very flexible standard that allows different module sizes and various interfaces. As M.2 cards are available in many possible variations, they are divided into different Form Factors and Keys.The Key E slot is used for a WiFi adapter. The Key B ports is typcially used for a M.2 SSD. But according to the specification, they should theoretically provide the following interfaces: Of course, this is in no way a supported configuration. It's only for engineering purposes. I can't guarantee that it will work, or that it don't break your components. Maximum numbers of M.2 SSD support will vary, depending on different CPU specs and PCIe bifurcation settings in different ASUS motherboards. Please see the FAQ link for further information: Some words about the performance. The NUCs M.2 slot is based on PCI Express (PCIe) Revision Gen2 and has 2 lanes (X2). Each lane supports a data transfer speed of 5.0 GT/s (Gigatransfers per second). To get the actual usable bandwidth, you have to take into account that PCIe Gen 2 uses a 8b10b encoding which means that it requires 10bits, to transfer 1 byte (8 bits). Whereas range extenders communicate with the router via the 2.4GHz or 5GHz radio bands, most Wi-Fi system satellites use mesh technology to talk to the router, and to each other. Each node serves as a hop point for other nodes in the system, which helps the nodes farthest from the router to deliver a strong Wi-Fi signal as they talk to other nodes and don't rely on one-to-one communications with the router.

vmnic4 0000:05:00.1 igb Up Down 0 Half 00:1b:21:93:b3:b3 1500 Intel Corporation 82576 Gigabit Network Connection vmnic0 0000:00:19.0 e1000e Up Up 100 Full b8:ae:ed:75:08:68 1500 Intel Corporation Ethernet Connection (3) I218-LM Still, maybe the fastest possible throughput is what you're after. That could be because you're running business applications across your network, or because you're in the market for a gaming router or especially a Wi-Fi 6 router. If so, be sure to test the connection between your endpoints to ensure you're getting the maximum traffic speeds you can. PCMag thoroughly tests all routers and range extenders that come through its doors so you'll have a good idea of what to expect before you buy. (Credit: Linksys) ASUS Hyper M.2 x16 Gen5 Card (PCIe 5.0/4.0) supports four NVMe M.2 (2242/2260/2280/22110) devices up to 512 Gbps for AMD and Intel® platform RAID functions. Specifications: Bus Type: PCI Express. Card Type: Standard/Low Profile. Chipset ID:ASMedia – ASM2812. Compatible Drive Types: NVMe SSD (PCIe, M-Key). Drive Installation: Fixed. Interface: PCI Express x8 (compatible with x8 or x16). Number of Drives: 2. Bootable: Yes. Hot Swap Capability: No. Type and Rate: PCI Express 3.0 (8Gbps). Drive Connectors: 2 – M.2 (PCIe, M-Key, NVMe, NGFF). Host Connectors: 1 – PCI Express x8 Male. OS Compatibility: OS independent; No software or drives required. Special Notes / Requirements: System and Cable Requirements PCI Express enabled. Computer with an available PCI Express: x8 or x16 slot. Environmental Humidity: 20~80% RH. Operating Temperature: 5°C to 50°C (41°F to 122°F). Storage Temperature: -25°C to 70°C (-13°F to 158°F). Demensions: 120x195x22...The slightly older 4th Gen NUCs had a Mini PCIe slot that allowed an additional NIC to be installed. With that port it was possible to install a Syba Mini PCIe NIC for example. Nevertheless the adapter is unsupported with ESXi and did not fit into the NUC chassis, there are solutions.