CCR2216 M.2 slot length

Hardware MikroTik hardware general
1

At the help page (https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/display/UM/CCR2216-1G-12XS-2XQ) it states;

CCR2216-1G-12XS-2XQ has SATA3 connections to the two M.2 slots.
Recommended are SATA3 M.2 2280mm B+M key SSD disks with a capacity of up to 8TB.

And at the product page (https://mikrotik.com/product/ccr2216_1g_12xs_2xq#fndtn-gallery) a image is shown:

Although there are “holes” for shorter M.2 SSD’s, they don’t have thread to place screw/bolt.

What is the best way to use these holes, to mount a shorter M.2 SSD (2242 instead of the recommended 2280)?

A better view of these holes/SSD M.2 slots:

(source: https://www.discomp.cz/mikrotik-cloud-core-router-ccr2216-1g-12xs-2xq_d113803.html)

2

Plastic Motherboard Standoffs or something similar to it, Nylon Hex Spacer Standoff Screws and such, you can find those things on amazon or something.

3

I’m more concerned about why there are M.2 SATA III slots on the flagship product, whereas the CCR2116 has a proper M.2 PCIex3 slot. The supply of M.2 SATA will eventually die off and now I’ll have router with irreplaceable SATA disks.

I wonder who’s brilliant Idea @MikroTik that was.

My $0.02 worth.

4

Sic transit gloria mundi.

5

Buy a few spares… That should get you a good 10-20 years.

6

The is ONE way… although I don’t like it.

  1. Remove the main board
  2. Change the nuts from one hole to the other.
  3. Profit.

Sometimes the screw is fastened on the mainboard itself - but sometimes the thread is onside one little piece, that we must assemble before use. Those cheap M.2 boards, used to add extra SSDs to an PCIe slot, usually work this way.

Can’t say if this is how Mikrotik works, but…