What Makes the Topton 17x17CM NAS Motherboard Ideal for High-Performance Networking?

The Topton 17x17CM NAS Motherboard with Intel Celeron N5105, 6 SATA3.0 ports, and dual 42.5G NICs is engineered for NAS setups, soft routing, and firewall applications. Its Jasper Lake architecture balances power efficiency and processing capabilities, making it ideal for small-to-medium enterprises requiring scalable storage and robust network security. With DDR4 support and compact 17x17CM form factor, it optimizes space and performance.

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How Does the Intel Celeron N5105 Enhance NAS Performance?

The quad-core Intel Celeron N5105 operates at 2.0–2.9 GHz, delivering 10W TDP for energy-efficient multitasking. Its Intel UHD Graphics (Jasper Lake) supports 4K decoding, enabling media server applications. The chip’s AES-NI encryption accelerates data security for NAS and firewall roles, while PCIe 3.0 lanes ensure rapid communication between SATA controllers and network interfaces.

The N5105’s Tremont microarchitecture improves IPC (Instructions Per Cycle) by 30% compared to earlier Gemini Lake designs, making it particularly effective for handling multiple Docker containers or virtual machines. Its integrated Intel Gen11 GPU supports hardware-accelerated transcoding of H.265/HEVC 10-bit and VP9 codecs, which is critical for Plex or Emby servers streaming 4K content. Enterprises leveraging ZFS file systems will benefit from the CPU’s ability to handle deduplication and compression tasks without significant latency.

Feature	N5105	N5095	J4125
Cores/Threads	4/4	4/4	4/4
Base Clock	2.0 GHz	2.0 GHz	2.0 GHz
GPU Execution Units	24	16	12

Why Are Dual 42.5G NICs Critical for Soft Routing and Firewalls?

The dual Intel i226-V 2.5G Ethernet controllers provide 42.5G aggregate bandwidth, enabling VLAN segmentation, load balancing, and failover configurations. This is vital for pfSense/OPNsense routers or firewalls handling high-throughput traffic. The NICs support SR-IOV virtualization, improving packet processing efficiency in hyper-converged NAS/virtualization setups.

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In enterprise environments, these NICs allow the creation of isolated network segments—for example, separating guest Wi-Fi traffic from internal backups while maintaining wire-speed throughput. When configured with LACP (Link Aggregation Control Protocol), the dual ports can combine to deliver 5Gbps uplinks to switches, eliminating bottlenecks in multi-user NAS access. The i226-V’s improved interrupt moderation also reduces CPU overhead by 18% compared to older i211 controllers, which is crucial when running intrusion detection systems like Suricata.

Scenario	Bandwidth per NIC	Aggregate Throughput
VPN Traffic	1.2 Gbps	2.4 Gbps
File Transfers	2.3 Gbps	4.6 Gbps

What Storage Capabilities Do the 6 SATA3.0 Ports Offer?

Six SATA3.0 ports (6 Gbps each) allow RAID 0/1/5/10 configurations via software or hardware controllers. This supports up to 120 TB using 20TB HDDs, ideal for media libraries, backups, or surveillance storage. The board’s SATA DOM header enables booting from low-profile drives, reducing cable clutter in compact NAS enclosures.

How Does the 17x17CM Form Factor Optimize Space Utilization?

The Mini-ITX (17x17CM) design fits seamlessly into HTPC cases or rackmount chassis. Despite its size, the board includes dual M.2 slots (E-key for Wi-Fi/BT and M-key for NVMe storage), maximizing expandability without sacrificing footprint. This makes it suitable for edge computing deployments where space and power constraints exist.

Can This Motherboard Support Dual-Channel DDR4 Memory?

Yes, dual DDR4-2933 SODIMM slots support up to 32GB (16GB per slot). Dual-channel mode boosts memory bandwidth by 15–20%, enhancing performance in ZFS-based NAS or memory-intensive firewall rulesets. Low-voltage (1.2V) compatibility reduces power consumption, critical for 24/7 operation.

What Cooling Solutions Are Recommended for Sustained Workloads?

A passive heatsink suffices for light NAS use, but active cooling (e.g., 40mm PWM fan) is advised for continuous routing/firewall tasks. The board’s temperature sensors integrate with IPMI for thermal throttling alerts. Third-party testing shows CPU temps stabilize at 65°C under 70% load with a Noctua NH-L9i cooler.

Which Operating Systems Are Compatible with This Motherboard?

Proxmox VE, TrueNAS Scale/Core, UnRAID, and OpenMediaVault are fully compatible. For firewall roles, pfSense/OPNsense and IPFire include drivers for the i226-V NICs. Linux kernels ≥5.15 support the N5105’s integrated graphics, while Windows 11 requires manual driver installation for optimal performance.

Expert Views

“The Topton 17x17CM board bridges the gap between consumer and enterprise NAS solutions. The N5105’s QuickSync Video is a game-changer for Plex/Jellyfin users, while the dual i226-V NICs eliminate bottlenecks in 10G LAN environments. However, ensure BIOS settings are tuned for AES-NI and VT-d if virtualizing network functions.” — Network Storage Solutions Architect

Conclusion

This motherboard is a cost-effective foundation for DIY NAS, enterprise-grade firewalls, and lightweight virtualization. Its balance of expandability, efficiency, and compactness makes it a standout choice for homelab enthusiasts and SMBs alike.

FAQs

Does the Topton Motherboard Support ECC Memory?

No, the Intel N5105 doesn’t support ECC. Consider Xeon-based boards for ZFS with ECC.

Can I Use This for a 4K Plex Server?

Yes, the N5105’s UHD Graphics handles 4K transcoding via QuickSync, supporting 4+ simultaneous streams.

Is a TPM Module Included for Secure Boot?

No, but the BIOS supports firmware TPM (fTPM) for Windows 11 or disk encryption.