Bigfoot Networks Killer NIC & Killer K1 Network Cards
Software Drivers & Testing Methodology
Published: 21st March 2007 | Source: Killer NIC | Price: |
Installing the Killer NIC drivers on our Windows XP SP2 test machine proved extremely easy. Simply insert the card, install the drivers and away you go. The installer even updates the card to the latest firmware available from Killer NIC's site during the install.
I also tried installing the Killer K1 on Windows 2003 Server (x64), but unfortunately in this instance the latest x64 drivers from Killer NIC's website caused the server to loose all network connectivity and even froze Windows startup subsequent reboots.
The main menu provides you with the ability to flip between "Gaming" and general use "Application" mode as well as tweaking some of it's more advanced features. Also included is the ability to increasing your ping and change the LED light sequence on the underside of the card.
Both of these pages are probably best left well alone by the average user. I certainly had very little idea of the impact on changing any of the presets, but I suppose if you are into tweaking, you could possibly further increase the performance of the card by adjusting the settings and running benchmarks.
Test PC Configuration
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 @ 3.6ghz
Motherboard: Asus Commando P965
Memory: Patriot PC2-8500 2GB DDR2
Graphics: ATI Radeon X1950Pro
Network: Marvell Yukon 88E8056 PCI-E Gigabit (Onboard)
OS: Windows XP SP2 (x32)
Testing Methodology
The hardest part of this review by far was finding a way to produce a fair comparision of the Killer NIC against the onboard NIC in our test PC. Reviews we've seen of this card in magazines have used two identical machines connected to the same network, playing the same game on the same server at the same time. Although a good idea, these reviews don't take into consideration the massive difference in FPS that two players at different positions in the game map, or with different numbers of other players on the screen could have on the overall result.
For this reason, the results over the following page were produced in the following conditions:
Counter:Strike Source & F.E.A.R
• Private CS:S / F.E.A.R server configured on Overclock3D Dual Xeon 3.6ghz server.
• Server located at IDNet racks in Redbus co-location center, London.
• Client PC connectivity via IDNet ADSL (6mb) broadband. Tracert 2 hops from server.
• No other players on server to prevent any variance in results due to increased or reduced server bandwidth associated with fluctuating number of players in game.
• Tests of Killer NIC and Onboard NIC produced within 30 minutes of each other and with server network load being checked beforehand using BWMonitor to ensure consistency.
• FRAPS configured to take screenshots every 30 seconds for a total of 30 minutes with the server ping and FPS information in every screenshot.
• Player takes a consistent route around the map for the entire 30 minutes.
As the above tests for CS:S and F.E.A.R were under strict testing procedures we decided to offset these results against some random gameplay on a random public server using Quake 4:
Quake 4
• Random Quake 4 Internet server.
• Client PC connectivity via IDNet ADSL (6mb) broadband.
• Tests of Killer NIC and Onboard NIC produced within 30 minutes of each other.
• FRAPS configured to take screenshots every 30 seconds for a total of 30 minutes with the server ping and FPS information in screenshots.
• Player takes a consistent route around the map for the entire 30 minutes, but also engages with other players.
Most Recent Comments
Yeah, a bit expensive as it's about the same price over here $175-200. I guess I really fail to see where NIC's incur that much cost, same with the Killer? So you can buy single port NIC's for $5, but that extra port justifies a price jump of $175? WTH? And I would assume that the Killer's CPU is probably powerful enough to handle the second port without problems. This would be a good time for Killer to come answer some more questions :p
The intel's expensive because it's a new product and it's going to have demand. The Killer.... because Bigfoot have an overblown self efficacy? ;)Yeah, a bit expensive as it's about the same price over here $175-200. I guess I really fail to see where NIC's incur that much cost, same with the Killer? So you can buy single port NIC's for $5, but that extra port justifies a price jump of $175? WTH?
its the technology of it. Most $5 NIC's are cheap, where as server NICs like intel or boardcom have the TCP offload engine, or teaming.
w00t Phnom, I just found a used OEM expi9402pt on eBay for $65 and picked it up :D Bidding on 2 more cable modems now too, w00tage!
Now your talking. But your board SHOULD have one gigabit ethernet port right? Just get another gigabit card and use that extra PCI slot.Thus the reason Intel decided to EOL it's PCI-based card and upgraded it to a PCI-X platform, but there is STILL a market for a PCI dual port NIC which needs to be filled. Hence myself needing one, there's a market for it as I'm sure I'm not the only one needing a dual port NIC which uses PCI. Now a PCI-E dual port NIC would be about the greatest thing since sliced bread, use up some of these seemingly useless slots on my mobo.
w00t Phnom, I just found a used OEM expi9402pt on eBay for $65 and picked it up :D Bidding on 2 more cable modems now too, w00tage!
Great news Fraggles .. i take it they are Moto Surfboards/Techie friendly
Next week on OCN: Frag opens up a hosting company and the RIAA Move in next door
I read the reveiw and I must say, im not impressed.
Nice review, good read but the "NPU" is pants... :(
Nice review, good read but the "NPU" is pants... :(
w00t Phnom, I just found a used OEM expi9402pt on eBay for $65 and picked it up :D Bidding on 2 more cable modems now too, w00tage!
Good stuff! :D.
Nice review.
One thing ...
A piece of hardware such as this will not have much effect on your online gaming ping times by itself. It can't.
Ping times/lag are a function of the network you are on as a whole. And you only have control over very little of it.
Once it has left your network it is out of your hands.
You want low "online" gaming ping times?
Here's what you have to do.
1) Get the fastest NIC you can afford, Gigabit etc. Fiber optics is good. Then get a second one and install the both of them.
In Windows you can "bridge" the two of them and in effect double you connection speed. But ONLY on you local network.
In Linux/Unix you can use "bonding" to accomplish the same thing. Mac users? Don't have a clue, so good luck.
2) Get a network switch that matches you new NICs.
3) Make sure that the cables that you connect your computer to your network are "top of the line". Gold connectors, etc.
4) Pay an arm and a leg for as fast an internet connection as you can. Anything as fast as YOUR network hardware is good.
Faster then it is, is better.
5) Hope that you are really getting the bandwidth you are paying for. Remember that most bandwidth is measured in bits, not bytes. Providers have been known to stretch the truth when they tell you what speeds you are getting/paying for.
And last but not least, if you beleave in such things ...
Pray that the server has at least as good networking/bandwidth as you. That there are not to many hops between you and the server. That the weather is good everywhere between you and the server. And that about another 100 things that you have no control over, go your way.
On a local network, such as a LAN Party, it can help. A bit. Anything that reduces the amount of work on you system can help. Like an FPU, or a GPU reduces the load on your CPU. Like a faster FSB or more memory. Multi-processors or multi-core processors. Can and will help just as much.
Sorry people.
But there is one thing that hardware like this does, ok there are two.
The first is it looks soooooooo cool. Second and most importantly, is the physic value. At your local LAN Party, IF your buddies think that this new NIC CAN or WILL give you an advantage over them, it has. Not it WILL give you an advantage, it HAS.
So show it off. Brag about what the maker says about it. Then go and frag their sorry butts. They deserve it. And so do you.
George
One thing ...
A piece of hardware such as this will not have much effect on your online gaming ping times by itself. It can't.
Ping times/lag are a function of the network you are on as a whole. And you only have control over very little of it.
Once it has left your network it is out of your hands.
You want low "online" gaming ping times?
Here's what you have to do.
1) Get the fastest NIC you can afford, Gigabit etc. Fiber optics is good. Then get a second one and install the both of them.
In Windows you can "bridge" the two of them and in effect double you connection speed. But ONLY on you local network.
In Linux/Unix you can use "bonding" to accomplish the same thing. Mac users? Don't have a clue, so good luck.
2) Get a network switch that matches you new NICs.
3) Make sure that the cables that you connect your computer to your network are "top of the line". Gold connectors, etc.
4) Pay an arm and a leg for as fast an internet connection as you can. Anything as fast as YOUR network hardware is good.
Faster then it is, is better.
5) Hope that you are really getting the bandwidth you are paying for. Remember that most bandwidth is measured in bits, not bytes. Providers have been known to stretch the truth when they tell you what speeds you are getting/paying for.
And last but not least, if you beleave in such things ...
Pray that the server has at least as good networking/bandwidth as you. That there are not to many hops between you and the server. That the weather is good everywhere between you and the server. And that about another 100 things that you have no control over, go your way.
On a local network, such as a LAN Party, it can help. A bit. Anything that reduces the amount of work on you system can help. Like an FPU, or a GPU reduces the load on your CPU. Like a faster FSB or more memory. Multi-processors or multi-core processors. Can and will help just as much.
Sorry people.
But there is one thing that hardware like this does, ok there are two.
The first is it looks soooooooo cool. Second and most importantly, is the physic value. At your local LAN Party, IF your buddies think that this new NIC CAN or WILL give you an advantage over them, it has. Not it WILL give you an advantage, it HAS.
So show it off. Brag about what the maker says about it. Then go and frag their sorry butts. They deserve it. And so do you.
George
CSS Valid
Onboard gigabit's kinda filled the gap in the pci market. It usually bypasses the pci bus and goes straight into the chipset avoiding the bottle neck.