CX4111A Mellanox Connectx-4 LX SFP28 PP10R 25GBE Single-Port - USD $24.95

[martona]

It gives me an instant price. (FWIW tool steel is the expensive one, and Aluminum is the same as Stainless, at least for my model.) It might be that the part you're trying to quote has anomalies they need to manually review.



But mystery solved and I guess we were both right. I got the quote for 4 pieces because I needed 4 of these... and they do quote $30 for 1. Same for 2.Then $40 for 4.


Sorry for the misinfo. It's only $10 per piece if you get 4 of them.

 

[luckylinux]

It gives me an instant price. (FWIW tool steel is the expensive one, and Aluminum is the same as Stainless, at least for my model.) It might be that the part you're trying to quote has anomalies they need to manually review.

View attachment 44149

But mystery solved and I guess we were both right. I got the quote for 4 pieces because I needed 4 of these... and they do quote $30 for 1. Same for 2.Then $40 for 4.


Sorry for the misinfo. It's only $10 per piece if you get 4 of them.

Even "Only" 10 USD / Piece is almost as expensive as the NIC itself

 

[Prophes0r]

I cannot believe there is almost a 2 page discussion on metal 3d printing a FLAT SHEET with some holes and 2 bent tabs...

A flat sheet.
With some holes.
And some bent tabs.

Can anyone think of a reason why these are usually made of stamped sheet metal?


Sorry for the rant.
I had to ban 12 people from the 3d printer this week for printing FLAT SHEETS WITH HOLES, which our hacker space explicitly prohibits.
We LITERALLY have signs on all the equipment telling you not to.
We have a painted line on the floor going from our printer area to the drill press sitting next to all the flat stock.
We have a bin of FREE offcuts of plastic and metal sheets next to the drill press.

And yet people STILL cannot resist the urge to print a flat rectangle with holes.

We have a (rather short) waiting list to use the printers.
Printing flat sheets with holes literally stops other users who actually need to print complex shapes from using the printer.

Aaarrrggg.
Between these flat sheets, and all the OTHER things that people shouldn't be printing, I feel like almost all my time is spent telling people what NOT to print!

3d printing is not a magical "Make anything you want" box.

I had to stop someone from printing a door hinge last week.
A DOOR HINGE! Like, for a real door!
Not only was it a flat sheet with holes, it was a load bearing part that should be made with metal!
WHY WOULD ANYONE PRINT A DOOR HINGE!

okay I'm calm now.

 

[Cruzader]

I cannot believe there is almost a 2 page discussion on metal 3d printing a FLAT SHEET with some holes and 2 bent tabs...

A flat sheet.
With some holes.
And some bent tabs.

Can anyone think of a reason why these are usually made of stamped sheet metal?

As much as i print a bit of basic stuff like this myself due to wait times to order it, to order it metal 3d printed when they are available in packs cheaper is somewhat facinating.

 

[luckylinux]

As much as i print a bit of basic stuff like this myself due to wait times to order it, to order it metal 3d printed when they are available in packs cheaper is somewhat facinating.

For the single Port I couldn't find it to be honest though, neither on Aliexpress nor on eBay ...

 

[martona]

For the single Port I couldn't find it to be honest though, neither on Aliexpress nor on eBay ...

This.

I cannot believe there is almost a 2 page discussion on metal 3d printing a FLAT SHEET with some holes and 2 bent tabs...

Hiring someone to use one machine then do some minimal post-processing is simpler and cheaper than cutting sheet metal, drilling 4 holes, then operating a press brake with the right dies.

Then there are details like a stiffening flange that's required by the PCIe spec for FH brackets on HH cards. To form that you need a $$$ stamp that will do this one exact thing and nothing else. There's no way you'll do it on a generic press brake.

Ad-hoc printing a small number of these things is literally what the technology was invented for.

 

[Prophes0r]

...is literally what the technology was invented for.

Nope.

3d printing is for art and prototyping.
Notice that that "production" is not in that short list.

There are other use cases, like using it as part of a manufacturing process for a part that cannot be made with other methods, but those are WAY outside the scope of a conversation that started with "Cover hole in box with plate with smaller holes so part doesn't fall out".

We aren't talking about making a million of these to match a specification to populate a datacenter.
You don't need a press brake or a die for anything.

This is about a borderline cosmetic plate for a decade old part so we can use it in a lab.

<5 minutes of work with hand tools will make a workable part.
And I know this, because I did it. And I did it poorly.

 

[Markess]

Firstly @foureight84 , nice bracket design! I've had to make a few brackets myself in the past and never thought to make them flat & then bend and glue. Brilliant!

Uhm OK ... I doubt the Power Consumption difference is that huge if the NIC shuts the other Port Down (IIRC you can also force it via mlxconfig).

Power Consumption Difference will be completely irrelevant if you do NOT have ASPM working. And these Mellanox ConnectX-4 NIC only seem to work with ASPM if the NIC is placed in a PCH-connected/DMI-connected/Chipset-connected Slot, NOT to a PCIe Slot that is directly connected to the CPU !

Yeah, this...I think? I think the single port and dual port cards have the same chip and nothing special is done to fuse anything off. The single port card just doesn't have the components for the second transceiver cage. And that shouldn't add too much..I think?

For folks without a printer or sheetmetal skills, the dual port brackets ought to fit the single port cards. You'll just have one extra large ventilation hole . Single lots are relatively cheap on Ali Express. In the U.S 5 pack from this person seems like a good deal if you need a few: Pardon Our Interruption... . Just be sure and check the spacing between the transceiver cages. Actual Mellanox, Lenovo (maybe others) have a larger spacing than the Dell ones.

Nope.

3d printing is for art and prototyping.
Notice that that "production" is not in that short list.

I think 3D printing has broken into the mainstream, and Production is on the list now, even for things that could be made through other means. In the last couple months I've bought gardening and pottery gear that contained 3D printed components. A friend that works for an international railway rolling stock manufacturer told me that they now use 3D printers in their repair/refit facilities to make on-demand repair parts, especially for older equipment. He tells me that its cheaper than maintaining stockage at multiple facilities and/or shipping from central logistics facilities and/or ordering up new production runs of vacuformed, injection molded, or even fiberglass parts. My neighbor the car enthusiast and his friends 3D print parts for their cars. Not just cosmetic stuff, but also gaskets, seals, airflow, heating/cooling, etc.. 3D printing is apparently a big deal with gearheads these days.

Ad-hoc printing a small number of these things is literally what the technology was invented for.

I think 3D printing is for lots of stuff...including this ^^

 

[Prophes0r]

I think 3D printing has broken into the mainstream, and Production is on the list now, even for things that could be made through other means. In the last couple months I've bought gardening and pottery gear that contained 3D printed components. A friend that works for an international railway rolling stock manufacturer told me that they now use 3D printers in their repair/refit facilities to make on-demand repair parts, especially for older equipment. He tells me that its cheaper than maintaining stockage at multiple facilities and/or shipping from central logistics facilities and/or ordering up new production runs of vacuformed, injection molded, or even fiberglass parts. My neighbor the car enthusiast and his friends 3D print parts for their cars. Not just cosmetic stuff, but also gaskets, seals, airflow, heating/cooling, etc.. 3D printing is apparently a big deal with gearheads these days.

None of this has anything to do with the material properties of a finished print.

Butter isn't 'for' making statues with, even if plenty of people choose to do it.

If people start displaying butter statues on their mantle, that doesn't somehow make butter 'for' making statues.


I have no doubt that it is less expensive to keep 3d models of rare and rarely needed parts around, so they can be printed as PART of a process to make repair parts. That is a GREAT idea.
This is no different than carving a foam model and then building a mold with it.
As a PART of the production process, it is very useful.

No one here is talking about that.

People expect to push a button and get a finished part.
And if THAT s the kind of 3d printing we are talking about, then it is prototyping , toys, and art. It is decoration.
It doesn't matter how mainstream it gets, the physical properties of the plastic/resin and the mechanical properties of the printing itself are what determine it's usefulness.

Can I make an entire sailboat out of duct tape?
Sure. But it would be a BAD sailboat and I shouldn't do it because that isn't what duct tape is 'for', and the properties of duct tape make it bad for the job.

 

[Cruzader]

Nope.

3d printing is for art and prototyping.
Notice that that "production" is not in that short list.

It might not be on your list, but its not like its any secret or topic for debate that its used for parts production also.

Nobody is forcing you to like it or approve of it, but that does not change anything about it being used for production in a steadily increasing number of industries.

 

[cbarbie]

Can I make an entire sailboat out of duct tape?
Sure. But it would be a BAD sailboat and I shouldn't do it because that isn't what duct tape is 'for', and the properties of duct tape make it bad for the job.

Don't tell the Mythbusters

 

[luckylinux]

Don't tell the Mythbusters

I was thinking the same . Also for an Airplane for that matter .

 

[Prophes0r]

Don't tell the Mythbusters

Why? They both admit that it's a bad sailboat...they literally prove my point by making my point themselves.

Just because you CAN do something a particular way, doesn't automatically make it a good way to do it.

Let me take a little aside here.
I worked as a bicycle mechanic through high school and my first go at university. (Got bored. Joined the military. Different story.)
We got bikes in all the time from local kids who had done their own repairs.
Some of these kids used a ViceGrip for EVERYTHING.
Every nut looks like it was a chew toy for a particularly aggressive pooch with steel jaws.
And more often than not, the thing they brought the bike in for had NOTHING to do with them not being able to take a nut off.

To these kids, a ViceGrip was "the right" tool, because it did the job that they wanted. It took the nut off.

But a ViceGrip is very clearly NOT the right tool for that job, because it destroys anything it touches.

That doesn't mean a ViceGrip is a bad tool.
It is an AMAZING tool for doing certain things.
It just (very often) gets misused for tasks it shouldn't.

Look.
We all misuse tools.
It's going to happen.

I sometimes use a flathead screwdriver as a pry tool. (or a scraper. Or a chisel...)
I have used things as hammers that I shouldn't.
I have removed safety guards from stuff I absolutely should not have.

The thing is, I KNOW that isn't how those tools are supposed to be used.
I can account for it. I can replace things that get damaged when I do bad things.

It is okay to misuse tools...if you admit you are doing it and plan accordingly.

3d printing is the wrong tool for many MANY things.
It's fine to do those things with it...as long as you acknowledge you are using it wrong and accounting for it.

THAT is the whole point of all of my arguments here.

"But it's okay because everyone else does it" is not a valid argument.
"It's fine" is not a valid argument.
"It's gotten better" is not a valid argument.

If you are making anything other than a prototype, art, or a toy you are probably misusing a 3d printer.
Heck, if you are using PET at all you are definitely misusing it, but that is a WHOLE different argument.

 

[MortenB]

Not sure if its good enough to be called a great deal but this seller accepted 17$ each for 8 dualport cards.

MRT0D DELL MELLANOX CX4121C CONNECTX-4LX 25GB DUAL PORT ADAPTER 0MRT0D for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for MRT0D DELL MELLANOX CX4121C CONNECTX-4LX 25GB DUAL PORT ADAPTER 0MRT0D at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[epycmaster]

Not sure if its good enough to be called a great deal but this seller accepted 17$ each for 8 dualport cards.

MRT0D DELL MELLANOX CX4121C CONNECTX-4LX 25GB DUAL PORT ADAPTER 0MRT0D for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for MRT0D DELL MELLANOX CX4121C CONNECTX-4LX 25GB DUAL PORT ADAPTER 0MRT0D at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Nice I also purchased from this seller but for $20 each for 4.

 

[luckylinux]

Nice I also purchased from this seller but for $20 each for 4.

Different Seller/Offer, but also 20 USD / Piece for 7 (no more available) :

Mellanox ConnectX-4 Lx EN Network Adapter (MCX4121A-ACAT) for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Mellanox ConnectX-4 Lx EN Network Adapter (MCX4121A-ACAT) at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[epycmaster]

Different Seller/Offer, but also 20 USD / Piece for 7 (no more available) :

Mellanox ConnectX-4 Lx EN Network Adapter (MCX4121A-ACAT) for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Mellanox ConnectX-4 Lx EN Network Adapter (MCX4121A-ACAT) at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Yeah I checked the firmware and the 4121c is on the latest Dell firmware. Didn’t want to flash the 4121a firmware as I read there was basically no difference.

 

[MortenB]

Should be no issue flashing them to 25GB mode right?

 

[luckylinux]

Should be no issue flashing them to 25GB mode right?

Isn't it 25gbps by Default when paired with a 25gbps SFP28 DAC / Transceiver ?

 

[nabsltd]

Isn't it 25gbps by Default when paired with a 25gbps SFP28 DAC / Transceiver ?

Yes.

These will work with either 10 or 25Gbps transceivers/DACs, which determine the speed.