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I recently bought a PCI Ethernet Card (the computer type), I was wondering if it was possible if I could use it with my Arduino Uno.

Here is my PCI Ethernet Shield:

enter image description here

I have tried to find the product (it's by Inland) specification sheet, but I can't find it on Inland website Any suggestions? Thanks!

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It depends on the complexity of the PCI Ethernet card, the availability of reference material (datasheets, open source drivers, etc) of the ICs used on the card, and your ability to adjust for that.

So possible, yes. For practical purposes, no, it's just not practical. But it can be done. For example, here is a project where someone uses an ISA bus (which PCI replaced) Ethernet Card, with a MicroChip Pic microcontroller. (some more info).

As far as I know, there is no Arduino to PCI bridge, or a project that specifically uses a PCI ethernet card, though some ethernet cards use the same chips that are used for Arduino Ethernet Shields, like the Microchip enc28j60.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Good point. +1. \$\endgroup\$ – angelatlarge Apr 7 '13 at 3:52
  • \$\begingroup\$ Thanks, but is there some schematic I could follow? (besides from the link you gave me) \$\endgroup\$ – 0101011 Apr 7 '13 at 15:20
  • \$\begingroup\$ @01100011_0101011_0101011 - No one has done this yet. As such, you're basically on your own. You will have to design your own layout (schematic) and write all your own drivers for the arduino. \$\endgroup\$ – Connor Wolf Apr 7 '13 at 21:04
  • \$\begingroup\$ @01100011_0101011_0101011 Return thr Inland card and get an Ethernet Shield or become intimate with the PCI Specification. \$\endgroup\$ – rdivilbiss Apr 10 '13 at 4:26
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No. What you have is a PCI card for use with a PC, not a device made for Arduino. Generally devices made for PCs are not directly interfaceable with Arduinos.

What you have is a PCI card not a shield. The latter (i.e. "shield"), as Olin Lathrop points out, is an Arduino-specific name for a daughterboard made for Arduino platform.

The best you can do for "using" it is connect your Arduino to your PC via the USB/Serial port, and write a program for your PC to send data back and forth between the PC and the Arduino. But the product you have cannot interface with Arduino directly.

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    \$\begingroup\$ a Raspberry Pi would be cheaper and consume less power... Model B has the ethernet built in \$\endgroup\$ – Spoon Apr 7 '13 at 14:42

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