$70 Dual LAN Mini PC w/ i3-1115G4, 8GB, internal PSU

[gregsachs]

According to intel that board has:

Gigabit (10/100/1000/2500 Mbps) LAN subsystem using the Intel® i255-LM Gigabit Ethernet Controller
• Support for two RJ45 ports with the Dual LAN chassis option

So do these actually have 2.5gbe?

(I did see the first post saying it has one I211, one I219-V, just asking)

I believe they are just gb, per specs

 

[Rannoch]

Is it possible to jury rig a 2.5" sata SSD inside one of these? Just bought for $60.

I just opened mine up (fan based version with i3 and integrated PSU) and there is enough dead space to fit a 2.5" SSD with a flat mSATA adapter but you would need to pull power from somewhere.

 

[rkrenicki]

I just opened mine up (fan based version with i3 and integrated PSU) and there is enough dead space to fit a 2.5" SSD with a flat mSATA adapter but you would need to pull power from somewhere.

The header used for the fan is labeled "SATA PWR"

 

[UhClem]

In reply to @gregsachs' question: " Is it possible to jury rig a 2.5" sata SSD inside one of these?",

I just opened mine up (fan based version with i3 and integrated PSU) and there is enough dead space to fit a 2.5" SSD

I [disagree, and] suggest @gregsachs wait until unit arrival, and assess for self.

 

[Rannoch]

The header used for the fan is labeled "SATA PWR"

I was hoping it was a PWM fan header and could be controlled through the bios but having (hopefully) both 12v and 5v available on that header makes future mods easier.

I might re-case the system for an HTPC if I could run a Blu-ray drive off that header.

 

[rkrenicki]

In reply to @gregsachs' question: " Is it possible to jury rig a 2.5" sata SSD inside one of these?",

I [disagree, and] suggest @gregsachs wait until unit arrival, and assess for self.

I also disagree. There *might* be just enough space for a drive, but wiring will be a serious pain, and it would also be a severe impediment to airflow to the only fan in the chassis as well. (EDIT: there is apparently a second fan on the underside, according to the video linked below)

I was hoping it was a PWM fan header and could be controlled through the bios but having (hopefully) both 12v and 5v available on that header makes future mods easier.

I might re-case the system for an HTPC if I could run a Blu-ray drive off that header.

I do not know if it has 12v on there, and I cannot find my multimeter to check.. but any laptop optical drive would be 5v only if there is no 12v on that header.
EDIT: I actually stumbled across a video on youtube that talks about the version of this unit that uses an external power brick. It says that there is no 12v on the header:

 

[WANg]

View attachment 45125

This is what was on the unit that arrived for me today. I think it was showing two different boards, but I only had one display connected to it for my testing. My unit was manufactured in January of 2024, was very clean inside, and had no BIOS Passwords or anything else wonky on the install.

Heh - QT Kitchens. I wonder if someone liquidated a bunch of underperforming Quiktrip stores in Texas, Arizona or Georgia. But yeah, nice find. Those Tiger Lake i3s are not going to set the world on fire but they are certainly fun to mess with. Load them up with some DDR4 SODIMMs and a Coral TPU, and they should be good as Proxmox or Frigate boxes.

 

[rkrenicki]

Heh - QT Kitchens. I wonder if someone liquidated a bunch of underperforming Quiktrip stores in Texas, Arizona or Georgia. But yeah, nice find.

The company that makes these, Arrow Electronics, has stopped making/selling Seneca Data devices back in June of 2024 (Arrow Electronics Exits Seneca-branded Products - Seneca). I am sure that these are all getting forklifted for a different platform that is purchasable and SLA-able. I am sure that the seller probably was the company that wrecked out all of the old signage hardware, or is otherwise the liquidator for whomever did that wreck out.

I am personally planning on turning mine into a low-power Plex server.

 

[reasonsandreasons]

Is it possible to transfer the Window 10 license on these to another machine? Been toying with the idea of getting one, and it functioning as a reasonable discount on an enterprise license would be a nice sweetener; I'd almost certainly be throwing Linux on it, anyway.

 

[gregsachs]

In reply to @gregsachs' question: " Is it possible to jury rig a 2.5" sata SSD inside one of these?",

I [disagree, and] suggest @gregsachs wait until unit arrival, and assess for self.

It looked like it would be pretty sketchy, at best. I'll double stick my USB case to the case instead.

 

[nmpu]

Is it possible to transfer the Window 10 license on these to another machine? Been toying with the idea of getting one, and it functioning as a reasonable discount on an enterprise license would be a nice sweetener; I'd almost certainly be throwing Linux on it, anyway.

It's got to be an OEM license which means it should be locked to the original hardware. However, I'll bet you could move the existing boot drive or reinstall and then move the boot drive. I discovered this by accident when I moved an existing Windows 11 Pro install from a Dell machine. The license still shows active with completely different hardware. It likely depends on the specific license.

 

[Rannoch]

I also disagree. There *might* be just enough space for a drive, but wiring will be a serious pain, and it would also be a severe impediment to airflow to the only fan in the chassis as well. (EDIT: there is apparently a second fan on the underside, according to the video linked below)

I've done some sketchy wiring to get SSDs in older laptops but I do agree that it would be a pain.
The CPU heatsink and fan is on the underside of the board.

I do not know if it has 12v on there, and I cannot find my multimeter to check.. but any laptop optical drive would be 5v only if there is no 12v on that header.
EDIT: I actually stumbled across a video on youtube that talks about the version of this unit that uses an external power brick. It says that there is no 12v on the header:

Nice find!

There are some unpopulated components on my board (3:22 in the video) near the possible 12v pin and one of the empty pads is connected to the pin but I'm not going to chase it any further.

 

[WANg]

The company that makes these, Arrow Electronics, has stopped making/selling Seneca Data devices back in June of 2024 (Arrow Electronics Exits Seneca-branded Products - Seneca). I am sure that these are all getting forklifted for a different platform that is purchasable and SLA-able. I am sure that the seller probably was the company that wrecked out all of the old signage hardware, or is otherwise the liquidator for whomever did that wreck out.

I am personally planning on turning mine into a low-power Plex server.

Huh..guess they got out of the business because the margin is probably not that great…those millions of ARM based thin clients out there ate into that market (and those things truly have no value afterwards thanks to locked boot loaders and such), but how they are centrally administered seems to be their “secret sauce”.

The same thing happened when Cisco ended that partnership with Moderro and Moderro stopped making those IEC/IEP interactive signage boxes after the 4660 and transitioned to being some kind of agentic telepresence thing (wonder if Metrolinx in Toronto really bought those 4660s or not). The 4650s with the low wattage Broadwell i5s were decent hypervisors.

Pity that Seneca Data didn’t hang around to give us an Alder Lake version of it, although it does make me wonder why they went with a Tiger Lake i3 instead of a Jasper Lake Atom instead, and whether their “next” machine would have been N95/100 based, or something like an Alder Lake Core 3 1P+4E setup…

 

[gregsachs]

This mini-PC looks like it uses essentially the same motherboard, and should be a good reference for drivers:

https://www.gigabyte.com/Mini-PcBarebone/GB-BSi3-1115G4-rev-10/support#dl

The motherboard is the so-called 3.5" format, 146x102mm. Gigabyte sprung for the 2.5gb on one of the ports on their own product.
Also 2x M.2, vs the MPCIe slot, but for drivers this should be close enough.

 

[rkrenicki]

Yep, that is the board inside.

No, no it is not.

According to intel that board has:

Gigabit (10/100/1000/2500 Mbps) LAN subsystem using the Intel® i255-LM Gigabit Ethernet Controller
• Support for two RJ45 ports with the Dual LAN chassis option

So do these actually have 2.5gbe?

(I did see the first post saying it has one I211, one I219-V, just asking)

I am not sure why @semidetached said that it has an Intel board, because it most certainly is not. The board inside is made by Gigabyte, and is similar to the QBiP-1115G4EB motherboard or the board used inside of the GB-BSi3-1115G4 that @gregsachs pointed out.

is that a goddamn mPCIe slot?

Point on this doll where the mPCIe slot hurt you. Seriously, it is a weird thing to be so upset about. I am honestly happy that it has a variety of slots to use. I personally will use that slot for an mSATA SSD, freeing up the M.2 M-key slot for a larger drive.

Huh..guess they got out of the business because the margin is probably not that great…those millions of ARM based thin clients out there ate into that market (and those things truly have no value afterwards thanks to locked boot loaders and such), but how they are centrally administered seems to be their “secret sauce”.
*snip*
Pity that Seneca Data didn’t hang around to give us an Alder Lake version of it, although it does make me wonder why they went with a Tiger Lake i3 instead of a Jasper Lake Atom instead, and whether their “next” machine would have been N95/100 based, or something like an Alder Lake Core 3 1P+4E setup…

Seneca had a whole bunch of products, some were more full-fat PCs like this one, and some were tiny thin client devices. They whitelabeled a good amount of gear, as I have seen Seneca branded Lenovo 1L PCs, Seneca branded Intel NUCs, more industrial stuff like these boards based on Gigabyte stuff, and very small Apollo Lake based Celeron thin clients.(Search for Seneca N3350D)

 

[BlueFox]

Seneca had a whole bunch of products, some were more full-fat PCs like this one, and some were tiny thin client devices. They whitelabeled a good amount of gear, as I have seen Seneca branded Lenovo 1L PCs, Seneca branded Intel NUCs, more industrial stuff like these boards based on Gigabyte stuff, and very small Apollo Lake based Celeron thin clients.(Search for Seneca N3350D)

I have just about every fanless system they made in the past ~7 years (many generations and sizes). Quite rare, but there are even newer ones than Apollo Lake (e.g. Tremont). Happy to answer any questions about them or provide more photos. Shame they stopped being produced really, but at the same time, that's why they are now cheap.

 

[semidetached]

I am not sure why @semidetached said that it has an Intel board, because it most certainly is not

There was a different picture on the listing at the time that showed the same board as the one in the Seneca unit. The "is that a goddamn mPCIe slot" comment was about the original picture.

 

[WANg]

I have just about every fanless system they made in the past ~7 years (many generations and sizes). Quite rare, but there are even newer ones than Apollo Lake (e.g. Tremont). Happy to answer any questions about them or provide more photos. Shame they stopped being produced really, but at the same time, that's why they are now cheap.

Eh, do they mostly resell stuff from other vendors, or is it their own design(s)?

 

[WANg]

No, no it is not.



I am not sure why @semidetached said that it has an Intel board, because it most certainly is not. The board inside is made by Gigabyte, and is similar to the QBiP-1115G4EB motherboard or the board used inside of the GB-BSi3-1115G4 that @gregsachs pointed out.


Point on this doll where the mPCIe slot hurt you. Seriously, it is a weird thing to be so upset about. I am honestly happy that it has a variety of slots to use. I personally will use that slot for an mSATA SSD, freeing up the M.2 M-key slot for a larger drive.


Seneca had a whole bunch of products, some were more full-fat PCs like this one, and some were tiny thin client devices. They whitelabeled a good amount of gear, as I have seen Seneca branded Lenovo 1L PCs, Seneca branded Intel NUCs, more industrial stuff like these boards based on Gigabyte stuff, and very small Apollo Lake based Celeron thin clients.(Search for Seneca N3350D)

I guess the question is “is it worth it?” - those Tiger Lake i3 Senecas with dual SODIMM slots are good value for money (you can easily spend more for a similar Seeed studios server)…but those celeron mini-clients with soldered RAM (looks like a rebadged Polywell Nano)? Eeeh, not really.

Oh, and I am one of those weirdos who likes having MiniPCIe slots on hardware - my Moderro IEC4650 has one and I got it to work with an m.2 i350 dual port NIC using a MiniPCIe to socket A+E adapter….

 

[OstJoker]

Any solution for the LOUD CPU FAN noise? I have F2 BIOS and only two options:
1. Normal : Fan speed set by BIOS default (Default setting) 2. Full Speed : Set Fan operates at full speed
At normal it blows 1600 RPM and is loud on both options and I cant control fan speed by utilities under Windows. ^-(
Pretty awesome small PC but fan noise really kills the deal.
Did anyone found BIOS newer than F2?