Mini PCIe gigabit network card?

I plan to do the same, but can't find the correct hardware too.

This is the only Ethernet card in a PCI-e Mini Card format that I've seen:
http://www.bvm-store.com/ProductDe [...] ductId=547

They have a dual-port card too:
http://www.bvm-store.com/ProductDe [...] uctId=548)

The latter would be great for LACP (link aggregation). I am not sure that you can aggregate the on-board interface with another one in an add-on card, but I could be wrong.

The problems that are keeping me from testing the thing:

1. The card is a little overpriced (£39);

2. I would have to pay shipping from UK to Brazil (where I live), which would cost almost as much as the card;

3. There's a big chance that it won't work. 1x PCI-e Mini Card slots can be implemented with USB signaling, and the card would not work if it's not designed for this kind of slot;

4. Maybe Apple limits the hardware into accepting only supported Airport cards in the slot (there are documented cases of this kind of limitation with other manufacturers);

4. BVM has a strange warning on their dual port card web page: it will work only with some Commel motherboards. I don't know if it applies to the single port card too and have not called or emailed them to check.

Why I should give it a try:

1. I don't believe Apple would use a half-baked PCI-e Mini Card slot in their computers;

2. The BVM card uses an Intel chipset, for which -- hopefully -- there's a driver for Mac OS X. I tested a Compaq dual-port 10/100 Ethernet PCI card in a G3 with OS X 10.4.11 and it worked right away -- the drivers already come with the OS. Also, BVM say the card is a Mini-PCI Express (a.k.a. PCI-e Mini Card);

3. It's the only solution I've seen so far.

If you're willing to put the Mini in another case, you can get a PCI-e to PCI-e Mini-Card adapter and use a regular 1x PCI-e card (the ones for desktop computers). This is one example:

http://www.hwtools.net/Adapter/PM2C.html

I was thinking about modding my Mini in a 1U case (7" deep) and go this route. This way, I could use a regular PCI-e card and also a 3.5" hard disk. I wouldn't be proud to show the internals to anyone, though.

No problem, I just gave you the info I already had. I'm glad that you're willing to move forward from where I gave up. Please, keep me informed on your progress. I am curious to see if you can pull it off!

I started studying and planning this project well before Apple released their Mini Server, which is almost exactly what I wanted, only lacking dual Ethernet (which is VERY important to me).

I also emailed BVM today about compatibility and other details I need to clear. I hope they tell me what I want to hear...

I am strongly considering the 1U rackmount option. I can get some empty Ethernet switch cases which would need only minor modding to fit the Mini's guts, power supply and a 3,5" hard drive.

It will use more rack space than the Mini originally would, but I don't think I can fit the Ethernet jacks inside the case in a neat way. By the way, one can still install 2 of these in a standard rack, one from the front of the rack, another from the back. I could fit the 3 servers I need in only 2 rack units, plus the 1U Linksys NAS.

I just got a response from BVM:

"The MPX-574D2 requires a system that can control two Ethernet ports on the PCIe bus. The MPX-574D has only one Ethernet port and can be controlled by most systems."

Well... I *think* the Mini can control those two Ethernet ports...