The Asus P5K-E/WiFi-AP is an Intel-compatible motherboard. Capable of running processors ranging from a Pentium 4 to a Core 2 Quad, the P5K-E/WiFi-AP allows up to 8 GB of RAM and features an on-board WiFi Access Point chipset. While there are a number of potential problems related to the motherboard, including RAM, CPU and networking issues, most of these problems can be corrected by updating the motherboard's BIOS.
Motherboard
RAM Issues
Users have reported a number of memory-related problems with the P5K-E/WiFi-AP. Most of these problems can be corrected by flashing the motherboard's BIOS.
The P5K-E/WiFi-AP supports DDR2 running at 667, 800, or 1066 bandwidths. Users should not install DDR2 553 memory sticks.
Some users who install a pair of Corsair CM2X1024-6400 DDR2 800 memory sticks have experienced problems when booting up the machine. If the user removes one of the RAM modules, the computer boots up normally. To correct this problem while using two memory sticks, the BIOS must be updated to v0403 or a later version.
The motherboard also refuses to boot if users install two memory sticks with different CAS (Column Address Strobe) latencies. In this case, the motherboard BIOS should be updated to v0802 or higher.
Networking Problems
The Asus P5K-E/WiFi-AP features onboard networking controllers, including a Marvell 88E8056 Gigabit PCI-E LAN controller. In the "Speed & Duplex" settings, the device caps manually set network traffic at 100 Mbps due to driver limitations. If the user chooses to allow for auto-negotiation, however, the device is capable of operating at 1,000 Mbps.
CPU Problems
The P5K-3 does not support Intel processors with Front Side Buses (FSB) of 533 mHz; FSB must operate at 800 mHz. Asus provides a list of compatible CPUs.
A computer operating with a BIOS older than v0802 may report inaccurate CPU temperatures if the user has installed an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.66 gHz (E6750).
Linux Issues
Some Linux users have reported issues with Ubuntu and the onboard WiFi. The WiFi takes a long time to connect, then operates at a very low speed. Within a few minutes, the connection terminates, and the user must either reset the router or reboot the computer.
Miscellaneous Problems
P5K-E/WiFi-AP users may not use both the digital and analog audio jacks at the same time in Windows Vista, although this is allowed in Windows XP.
Some users have experienced problems with booting the computer with certain USB keyboards, which can be fixed by flashing the BIOS to v1202.
Tags: P5K-E WiFi-AP, memory sticks, motherboard BIOS, Asus P5K-E, Asus P5K-E WiFi-AP, DDR2 memory, DDR2 memory sticks