Connect PXIe Systems To PCIe-to-Thunderbolt™ Interface Cards

Issue Details

• My desktop computer does not have a built-in Thunderbolt port on the motherboard. Can I use a PCI(e) interface card to control my PXIe-1090?
• My PC's user manual states that it comes with a Thunderbolt Add-In card. Will this work with a PXIe-8301 Thunderbolt Controller?
• I have a PXIe-1083 that I would like to connect to my desktop PC, which does not have Thunderbolt connectivity. Can I connect my PXIe-1083 to one of the USB 3.0 SuperSpeed Ports if I don't care about system throughput?

Solution

Our Thunderbolt™ Remote Controllers were designed and tested to work with Thunderbolt 3 interfaces that are integrated into system motherboards. While 3rd-party PCIe-to-Thunderbolt cards may work, they add to system complexity and often require additional header connections or BIOS setting changes to operate.

While we cannot officially support these interfaces for the reasons mentioned earlier, we recommend that you test and validate any 3rd-Party interfaces you intend to use and contact the card manufacturer or NI support if you require further assistance.

Additional Information

Our Thunderbolt Remote Controllers are compatible with our PXIe Embedded Controllers that feature Thunderbolt connectivity, such as the PXIe-8881, PXIe-8861, PXIe-8862, or PXIe-8842.

Our Thunderbolt Remote controllers will not work with any non-Thunderbolt cables or ports. This implies that they cannot be used with any type of USB interface (even if system throughput is not a concern), because the host PC will be unable to identify the hardware as PXI(e).