Advice on building M.2-B (NGFF) 2242 -> PCIe x1 adapter

[Aleksei]

Hi,

Looking for advice from electronics-savvy guys here.

I have a M.2 B key slot for WWAN cards that can fit 2242 devices on a laptop. Tried putting SATA 2242 SSD in it - doesn't work, but Windows outputs some messages about a new PCIe device. My conclusion is that SATA lines are not wired to this connector, but PCIe lines are.

 

I want to utilize it to connect either PCIe sound card or PCIe SATA controller.

 

On the market I've found this (but it is for M key), this (not clear what's on the other end of it - it says SATA in the title, so it probably just wires out SATA lines? Not sure.) and this from Bplus - that would do it, if not for insane 120$ price.

 

So I want to make 2 PCBs - one with male M.2 B key connector, another with PCIe x4 output and some sort of connector between them. Basically to re-implement Bplus connector above (with only PCIe output, no SATA/USB stuff).

The question is how to wire M.2 B to PCIe x1. PCIe pinout seems to be freely available. I can't find corresponding pinout of M.2 B key female connector anywhere.

 

Does anyone have experience with this? Any advice would be appreciated.

Edited November 23, 2017 by Aleksei

[Virl]

Hello.

 

Use the following product: http://www.bplustech.com/ExtenderBoard/R4 Series.html — it can be customised to M.2(PCIE) -> PCIEx16 form.

 

For Russia, most easier way to buy would probably be from http://www.era-adapter.com/m2-keym-to-pcie-x16-extender-cable-rightward-r4s-r3r-p-303.html

[Aleksei]

Thanks for feedback.

1 hour ago, Virl said:

Use the following product: http://www.bplustech.com/ExtenderBoard/R4 Series.html — it can be customised to M.2(PCIE) -> PCIEx16 form.

Didn't notice those, thanks. They don't have any prices though, I'll have to inquire bplustech about it.

 

1 hour ago, Virl said:

 

For Russia, most easier way to buy would probably be from http://www.era-adapter.com/m2-keym-to-pcie-x16-extender-cable-rightward-r4s-r3r-p-303.html

Those are key-M - I have key-B.

[Virl]

Are you sure you have key-B?

 

WWAN card slots on motherboards are usually Key A or E.

 

Also look at:

http://www.bplus.com.tw/Adapter/PE4C V4.1.html

http://www.bplustech.com/ExtenderBoard/P15S-P15F.html

http://www.mfactors.com/p15s-p15f-m-2-ngff-to-mpcie-extender-board/

 

(mPCIE can be easily converted to PCIEx16 slot via another adapter)

 

[Aleksei]

9 minutes ago, Virl said:

 

Are you sure you have key-B?

 

Mine looks like the right one on the motherboard photo in this article: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/02/understanding-m-2-the-interface-that-will-speed-up-your-next-ssd/ (notch is on the left and left side has 5 contacts).

[Virl]

The problem with M.2 key-B slots is that they are often don't have PCI-E lanes because they are used for plugging in M.2 SSDs based on SATA: http://www.delock.de/infothek/M.2/M.2_e.html

 

That's why most M.2->PCIE adapters require key A, E, A+E, M or M+B slot.

[Aleksei]

8 hours ago, Virl said:

The problem with M.2 key-B slots is that they are often don't have PCI-E lanes because they are used for plugging in M.2 SSDs based on SATA: http://www.delock.de/infothek/M.2/M.2_e.html

 

That's why most M.2->PCIE adapters require key A, E, A+E, M or M+B slot.

That's why I want to solder one on the cheap and see what happens. Plus, as I said in OP, when I connected a B/M M.2 SSD into this slot, Windows displayed some messages about trying to use PCIe and did not recognize it as SATA. And WWAN cards that are supposed to go in there would use PCIe, right?

 

But let's get back to your previous point: do I have a B or M slot?

This article states that it is B https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/02/understanding-m-2-the-interface-that-will-speed-up-your-next-ssd/

Wikipedia article shows B as having notch on the left, but with 6 contacts on the short side:

And I have only 5.

M.2 "standartization" sure sucks

[Aleksei]

On 11/27/2017 at 10:40 PM, Virl said:

Are you sure you have key-B?

As weird as it is, it is almost certainly a key-B: this Service manual for my laptop has instructions for inserting "4GP3D" WWAN card, which is M.2 and has a "B" marker on it.

 

All the products mentioned so far in this thread are A/E/M (but thanks anyway @Virl!).

So if anyone wants to chime in on how to solder M.2B->PCIE adapter, please do.