Getting Setup with PC and MESA

Hi,
I have a Sherline 5400 CNC that has been in storage and I am planning on getting it up and running again (it's been some years).  I am computer shopping and weighing options and looking into what has changed.  My previous setup was a PC Tower with a Parallel port running to a Gecko 540.  Instead of replacing that setup in-kind, I am looking into using a small form factor (or mini) computer with a MESA ethernet card.  Am I understanding things correctly that I can use a small/mini computer with ethernet, run it to a MESA 7i92TF, which in turn runs to my Gecko 540 (thereby skipping a PCIe parallel port card)?  Also do I need to worry about male/female couplings for the MESA DB25 (7i92TF vs 7i92TM) or can it be managed with gender changers (not ideal) or are there signal considerations with gender changers?  Finally, to confirm, I should be using the preempt-RT kernel if I am going to use MESA ethernet?
 
I have been reading here and the docs, but I am still a little overwhelmed playing catchup and appreciate any guidance before I purchase a PC and MESA Card.

Thanks,
Tom 

Yes, the 7I92XX replaces the parallel port interface.

A 7I92TF will work with the same parallel port cable you currently use.
(male-male IEEE1284 type) so you should not need any additional cables.
A 7I92TM will plug directly into a G540, but that's quite awkward mechanically.

As far as the kernel goes that's included in the LinuxCNC 2.9.4 ISO, so installing
that ISO will install a preempt-RT kernel. (The 7I92 requires a Preempt-RT kernel)

As far as Mini-PCs go, it's better to use one with Intel Ethernet hardware,
as the common Realtek Ethernet chips often have realtime issues.

Thanks, just the info I needed.

Thinkcentre tinys (m73, m93, m710q ....) working great. They have Intel nics.
But also Fujitsu Esprimos working great with Realtek nics. To be honest we encounters over the past year, that realtek working a lot faster. Also pci realtek boards working damn good.
But yes, historically there were problems with realtek nics, so one can have problems. But I personally looking nowadays for realtek instead of intel, but I know what I have to look for.

For a beginner I would say a Lenovo Thinkcentre tiny (maybe with wlan on board) is a really good machie. Look for m73 or m93 with 8GB and ssd and you will be happy. Isolcpus needed! and of course the lines for the intel nic. Other than that no need for tweaking when speaking of 1kHz thread.

Thanks, you put my mind at ease. I ordered a refurbished ThinkCentre M710q last night and got the MESA card ordered. Now I have a table to build while I wait for the hardware.

Cool. M710q works fine. Have one in a router installed. Can give you the grub infos for the first test.

Just for information. Have also a M2 to realtek nic installed in the m710q which runs stable 2 kHz servo thread. But that isnt necessary. The internal intel nic runs 1 kHz with ease.

Happy to provide any info when I get up and running. I'll post the sys specs and latency tests when I can.