What Is Daughter Board and What’s the Functionalities of It

Did you know that there is a board named daughter board in your computer? As like motherboard, daughter board performs some important tasks. These kinds of boards were generally used in desktop computers. But now, most of the desktop computer’s do not come with a daughter board. However, many laptops still contain these kinds of board. Do you want to know what is daughter board on a computer? To know about this, go through the whole article.

What is Daughter Board

The daughter board is a computer hardware. It is also known as the piggyback board, riser card, daughter board, daughtercard or daughter card. A daughter board is a printed circuit board which is connected to the motherboard or expansion card. As compared to the motherboard, it is smaller in size. A daughter board does not act as an expansion card. An expansion card adds extra new functions to the computer. But a daughter board that is connected to the motherboard adds or supports the main functions of the motherboard.

Daughter boards are directly connected to the motherboards. You know that expansion cards are connected to the motherboard by using the bus and other serial interfaces.  But daughter board is directly connected to the board by soldering. As an update of the motherboard or expansion card, daughter boards are released to extend the features and services of the motherboard or expansion cards.

Functionalities Of A Daughter Board

A daughter board is a circuit board that is directly connected to the motherboard or expansion card by soldering. Sometimes, people think that daughter board and expansion card are same. But this not true. They have their own functionalities. Daughter board’s functionalities are given below:

1. It is known as the piggyback board, riser card, daughter card etcetera.
2. A daughterboard is smaller than a motherboard and may have some slots like the motherboard.
3. A daughter board is a printed circuit board which is connected to the motherboard or expansion card.
4. Unlike expansion card, daughter boards are directly connected to the motherboard by soldering.
5. Daughter boards do not provide new functions to the circuit like an expansion But they extend the circuitry of the circuit in which they are plugged into.
6. Daughter boards are released by the vendors as an update of motherboard or expansion card.

Bonus Tips: Motherboard Vs Daughter Board

The name of these two boards are quite interesting, right? The names have their own significance. As you know the motherboard is named like that because of its functionalities. It works as a heart of a system. Most of the components are connected to the motherboard and get their necessary power from it. The daughter board is named like that because of its functionalities too. A daughter board is connected to the motherboard or expansion card. It is smaller than the motherboard. The daughter board is directly connected to the motherboard by soldering. A daughter board extends the circuitry of the motherboard or expansion card into which it is plugged into.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)

Q.1. Why is daughterboard named like that?

Ans: It is named like that because it is directly connected to the motherboard by soldering and extends the circuitry of the board in which it is plugged into.

Q.2. Are daughter board and expansion cards same?

Ans: No. Expansion cards give new function to the computer where daughter board extends circuitry of the circuit. Example of expansion card: Graphics card, sound card etcetera.The computer has motherboard and daughter board.

Q.2. Is there any board named as fatherboard?

Ans: No. There is no board named as fatherboard. If anyone told you about fatherboard, he has made a joke with you.

Q.3. Is mezzanine card a daughter board?

Ans: A mezzanine card is one kind of daughter board. It is plugged into the computer bus or data path

Q.4. Why my desktop computer does not contain a daughter board?

Ans: Today, desktop computers do not come with a daughterboard. ISA cards, PCI cards, and onboards have replaced the daughter board. However, many laptops still come with a daughterboard.

Summing Up

You know that all computers have motherboards. Many computers have daughterboards too. But the functionalities of the daughter board are not like the motherboards’. They are connected to the motherboard or other circuits to extend the feature of the boards. If you want to know about computer hardware, you should know about the daughter board as well as the motherboard and other hardware. Did you know what is daughter board? If you have read the whole article, you know all about the daughter board and its functionalities.