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UDPTCP N100 NAS Mini-ITX Board
Industrial N100 motherboard · Mini-ITX · 6 × COM

UDPTCP N100 NAS Mini-ITX Board

Sold under a NAS name, built like an industrial controller: one SATA port and one M.2 slot, but six COM ports, two GPIO lines, a cellular modem slot and dual Gigabit around a fan-cooled N100.

  • Form factorMini-ITX, 170 × 170 mm
  • Memory1 × DDR5 SO-DIMM, 4800MHz, 32GB max
  • Storage1 × SATA 3.0 + 1 × M.2 NVMe/NGFF
  • Network2 × Realtek RTL8111H Gigabit
  • Serial6 × COM (COM1–2 RS232/485)
  • ExpansionM.2 E-key Wi-Fi, M.2 B-key 4G/5G
Buy it for
  • Machine control, gateways and data loggers with many serial devices
  • Remote sites that need a 4G or 5G modem
  • Embedded builds with an LVDS or eDP panel
Skip it for
  • A multi-drive NAS, despite the name
  • Networks that need 2.5GbE
See today’s price

One SATA port and six COM ports: an industrial board with a NAS label

The name says NAS; the port map says industrial controller. This UDPTCP Mini-ITX board carries one SATA 3.0 port and one M.2 slot for NVMe or NGFF SATA drives, which is two drives in total. Around them sit six COM ports, two GPIO lines, a TPM header, an M.2 B-key slot for a cellular modem and a watchdog timer.

Two drives are enough for a small file share, a Home Assistant box or a backup target with one SSD and one hard drive. They are not enough for a RAID array with parity. For a real multi-drive NAS, the HKUXZR N100 NAS board with six SATA ports and dual 2.5GbE is the right tool.

What the UDPTCP board does well is talk to equipment:

  • Six COM ports on internal headers, for PLCs, meters, scales, barcode readers and receipt printers.
  • COM1 and COM2 switchable between RS232 and RS485, the two-wire bus used by industrial sensors and Modbus devices.
  • Two GPIO lines for a door switch, a relay, a stack light or a reset button.
  • Six internal USB 2.0 connections for dongles, card readers and touch controllers hidden inside a cabinet.

The N100 itself is soldered to the board, as on every N100 motherboard; there is no socket and no processor upgrade path. Four Gracemont cores at up to 3.4GHz within a 6W base power are more than a Modbus poller, a Node-RED flow or a small SCADA client will use.

That headroom lets one board replace several small boxes: a serial server, a cellular router and a local HMI can all run on the same N100.

Plan the cables. The COM, GPIO and extra USB connections are pin headers on the board. Budget DB9 bracket cables or a custom harness for every port the build will use.
Hardware

What’s inside

SpecValue
Form factorMini-ITX, 170 × 170 mm
ProcessorIntel N100, 4 cores / 4 threads, 6MB cache, up to 3.4GHz, 6W TDP, soldered
CoolingHeatsink with fan; CPU and system fan headers
Memory1 × DDR5 SO-DIMM, 4800MHz, up to 32GB
SATA1 × SATA 3.0
M.2 storage1 × M.2, NVMe or NGFF (SATA)
Wireless slot1 × M.2 E-key for Wi-Fi
Cellular slot1 × M.2 B-key for 4G/5G
PCIe1 × PCIe x1 (reserved interface)
Ethernet2 × RJ45, Realtek RTL8111H Gigabit, PXE and Wake-on-LAN
Video outputs2 × HDMI, 4K@60Hz; LVDS/eDP header
Rear USB3 × USB 3.0, 1 × USB 2.0
Internal USB6 × USB 2.0
Serial6 × COM; COM1–2 selectable RS232/RS485
Other headersFront panel, TPM, 2 × GPIO, speaker, front audio
Audio1 × combo headset jack
Watchdog0–255 s, system reset
Power inputDC jack, 12–19V
Operating temperature0–60°C
Operating systemsWindows 10, Linux

RS232/485 on COM1–2, two GPIO lines and a B-key slot for 4G or 5G

RS485 is the reason many buyers need this board. It runs a differential two-wire bus over hundreds of metres and links dozens of devices on one pair, which is why energy meters, HVAC controllers and PLC networks use it. With COM1 and COM2 switchable to RS485, the board talks to those devices without a USB converter.

The expansion slots serve remote and unattended sites:

  1. M.2 B-key for 4G/5G: fit a cellular modem module for a site with no wired internet, such as a pump station, a solar array or a construction office.
  2. M.2 E-key for Wi-Fi: a standard wireless card for local connectivity.
  3. PCIe x1: a reserved interface for a further card; confirm support for a specific card before relying on it.

A watchdog timer with a 0–255 second window resets the system if the software hangs. Combined with the dual Gigabit ports and PXE boot, that makes a gateway that recovers without a site visit.

InterfaceCountTypical use
COM (RS232/485)2Modbus RTU meters, PLCs
COM (RS232)4Printers, scanners, scales
GPIO2Relays, door and alarm contacts
RJ45 Gigabit2Plant network plus office network

RS485 wiring rewards care. Terminate both ends of the bus with 120-ohm resistors, keep the A and B lines consistent from device to device, and run twisted pair. Most failed Modbus links come down to swapped lines or a missing terminator, not the computer.

The two Realtek RTL8111H ports support diskless PXE boot and Wake-on-LAN. Gigabit is fine for telemetry and control traffic. For routing a fast internet connection, the 2.5GbE boxes in the N100 firewall mini PC guide fit better.

Market position

How it fits the lineup

N100 mini PC models by type, September 2026. Highlighted: UDPTCP N100 NAS Mini-ITX Board.

DDR5 SO-DIMM, a 12–19V DC input and a fan-cooled N100 for 24/7 duty

Memory is one DDR5 SO-DIMM slot at 4800MHz, up to 32GB. The N100 has a single memory channel, so one module is the full configuration. 8GB is enough for Linux control software; 16GB suits Windows 10 with an HMI package and a browser.

Power arrives through a DC barrel jack. UDPTCP rates the input at 12–19V and describes it elsewhere as a 12–24V wide-voltage input, so a regulated 12V supply is the safe choice. That suits control cabinets with a 12V or 24V DIN-rail supply, but check the upper limit against the board's documentation before wiring it to 24V.

The board ships with a heatsink and fan, and it has CPU and system fan headers. UDPTCP rates it for 7×24 operation and an operating range of 0–60°C. In a sealed metal cabinet, give the fan somewhere to pull cooler air from.

  • Video: two HDMI ports at 4K@60Hz, plus an LVDS/eDP header for a built-in panel.
  • Rear USB: three USB 3.0 ports and one USB 2.0.
  • Audio: one combined headset jack for alarms or voice prompts.
  • Security: a TPM header for BitLocker or measured boot.

As a standard 170 × 170 mm Mini-ITX board, it fits Mini-ITX cases and many industrial enclosures. The N100's Quick Sync block also decodes H.264, HEVC and AV1, so a camera feed on the HMI screen costs little CPU time. UDPTCP backs the board with a one-year warranty.

Every other N100 board, NAS or industrial, sits side by side in the N100 motherboard guide.

Other options

Three other routes

UDPTCP board, UDPTCP firewall PC or the ECS ADLN-I: board or box

UDPTCP also builds a finished industrial box on the N100: a firewall PC with four Intel i226-V or i225-V 2.5GbE ports, two RS232 ports, eight GPIO lines, a Mini PCIe slot for Wi-Fi or 4G and a Nano SIM slot. It trades the board's six COM ports for faster networking and a ready-made case.

UDPTCP boardUDPTCP firewall PCECS ADLN-I
FormatMini-ITX boardFinished boxMini-ITX board
LAN2 × Gigabit4 × 2.5GbE2 × Gigabit
Serial6 × COM2 × RS232DB9 on the rear
MemoryDDR5 SO-DIMMDDR4 SO-DIMMDDR4 SO-DIMM
SpecialRS485, 4G/5G M.28 GPIO, Nano SIMLVDS, LPT printer port

Pick the board for many serial lines, RS485 and a custom enclosure. Pick the firewall PC for 2.5GbE routing with some serial and GPIO on the side. Pick the ECS ADLN-I for a parallel printer or DDR4 memory.

Storage is similar on both UDPTCP designs. The firewall PC offers one M.2 slot for PCIe or SATA SSDs and one SATA 3.0 port, the same two-drive ceiling as the board. Neither is a storage machine; both are built to run control, routing or gateway software from a single SSD with a second drive for logs.

A complete build needs three items squared away:

  • Two drives cover the storage plan.
  • A 12V DC supply is on hand, or the cabinet supply is confirmed within range.
  • Header cables for COM, GPIO and USB are in the parts list.
FAQ

Owner questions

Is the UDPTCP N100 board good for a NAS?

Only a small one. It has one SATA port and one M.2 slot; a multi-drive NAS needs a board like the HKUXZR with six SATA ports.

Which COM ports on the UDPTCP board support RS485?

COM1 and COM2 switch between RS232 and RS485. The other four are RS232.

What power supply does the UDPTCP N100 board need?

A DC supply into the barrel jack, rated 12–19V. A regulated 12V adapter is the safe choice.

Can I add a 4G or 5G modem?

Yes. The board has an M.2 B-key slot for a 4G/5G module, plus an M.2 E-key slot for Wi-Fi.

Can the processor be upgraded?

No. The N100 is soldered to the board, as on every N100 motherboard.