OC3D Review: Bigfoot Networks Killer NIC & Killer K1 Network Cards

[FarFarAway]

I have to say that saying it's an advert is actually pretty offensive. We would never look at a product review as a way of advertising for a company. We are fully independent and rate a product as we see it.

The pictures have to be put in to show what Killer say it does but when you read the graphs they tell their own story.

The Killer card does what a server class NIC does (but for gaming, not HTTP/IMAP/POP etc), for less money.

However: is it worth the money? I don't think so

[equk]

Originally Posted by name='Kempez'

I have to say that saying it's an advert is actually pretty offensive.

soz, I didn't mean to offend or anything. I just thought the first page in particular had so much promo stuff on it (written by bigfoot networks).

Originally Posted by name='Kempez'

The Killer card does what a server class NIC does (but for gaming, not HTTP/IMAP/POP etc), for less money.

I thought most (if not all) server NIC's ran on 64-bit PCI and PCI-X BUS's (66mhz to 133mhz 32bit and 33mhz 64bit)

Even with some newer server NIC's running on PCI-X 2.0.

PCI-X 2.0 Mode II and PCI 2.3 compliant 64 bit, 266 MHz (133 MHz DDR) host interface

[equk]

The more of bigfoot networks advertising I read, the more I think they are playing on dumb users to buy their product. A lot of it could be seen as false advertising aswell.



1. Who's computer grinds to a halt when downloading

2. It might not slow down the computer but it will slow down the network

3. You gain nothing from using it and instead are limiting youself to the USB storage

A lot of 'their' apps are merely versions of scripts/apps that have been around on linux routers and systems for years.

"FN Firewall" - IPTables firewall

"PingThrottle™" - IPTables network throttling

The Killer NIC runs a "highly optimized" embedded Linux OS based on a 2.6.16 kernel. It comes with a Windows utility that lets users open a Linux shell on the card, where busybox provides a subset of normal Linux system commands.

Since it is based on Linux, the Killer NIC's OS is open source

Where is the source code can't see it on their website.

[FarFarAway]

But what I'm saying is that in order to prioritise UDP your looking at a high-end server NIC

Hell i'm not justifying the price, just saying that other similar solutions cost a lot more.

And if you review a company's product then you tend to have to take what they say about it. I would hardly class it as advertising and to say that to an independent review site is offensive. But I digress.

It's a great idea, but perhaps not needed unless you have stacks of money and want that tiny FPS and ping advantage.

Also "normal" people don't use Linux router systems.

And if you think advertising isn't for the stupid masses then I dunno who you think it's for

[equk]

Originally Posted by name='Kempez'

Also "normal" people don't use Linux router systems.

really?

a few linux routers:

Netgear/DG834G

Netgear/DG834GT

Netgear/DG834Gv3

ZyXEL/Prestige 660HW-61

ZyXEL/Prestige 660M-67

ZyXEL/Prestige 660R-61C

Linksys/WRT54G

Linksys/WRT54GS

Linksys/WRT54GC

Linksys/WRT54GX

Linksys/WAG54G

Linksys/WAG54GS

Belkin/F5D7130

Belkin/F5D7230

Asus/WL500G

Asus/WL500B

Asus/WL300G

Buffalo WHR-G54S, WHR-HP-G54, WZR-HP-G54, and WZR-RS-G54

ASUS WL500G Deluxe, Premium & Original

[nunzio]

So really.. this NIC gives you nothing that a good router would. besides the low cpu usage

[FragTek]

On a happy side-note I just picked up a $200 Intel dual-port PCI NIC for $20 refurbed, w00t!

Wonder if it does a better job than the Killer, we shall see, muahaha.

[FarFarAway]

Aye but they don't configure them properly is what I meant. I'm quite aware that some routers run on Linux.

I'm not arguing any more, the review says it all perfectly imo

[nunzio]

Indeed the review has all the info you would need to not go and buy the NIC Hopefully they will moving it over to PCI-e and release the source code, as per GPL.

[equk]

Originally Posted by name='Kempez'

Aye but they don't configure them properly is what I meant.

In regards to the KillerNIC's "FN Firewall", from looking at it, it is a pre-configured firewall. Much the same as a standard router is. Probably using a SPI script for IPTables (the same as £8 routers).

I've not seen any screenshots of a frontend to the "FN Firewall" at all.

As for properly configuring linux router firewalls, most of them provide good options in the web interface for port forwarding, QoS (including network throttling) & have a SPI firewall built in.

Originally Posted by name='FragTek'

On a happy side-note I just picked up a $200 Intel dual-port PCI NIC for $20 refurbed, w00t!

Wonder if it does a better job than the Killer, we shall see, muahaha.

lol nice