Hi,
the general consensus is that an Ethernet connected board has lower latency and better electrical noise immunity.
If I'm not mistaken all the reputable manufacturers current models are Ethernet connected.

Gerry favours CNCDrive products like the UC300 and UC400. I favour the Ethernet SmoothStepper by Warp9. Other users favour
the Ethernet connected 57CNC by PoKeys. All of these products are good, they are all around the same price, give or take $50 and all three
companies support their devices. You'd be happy with any of them and I would anticipate you'll get many years of use from any of them
provided you don't do anything silly to blow them up.

Let us know how you get on. I know it may seem like an expensive step but my experience is that buying a good external motion controller
was one of the best CNC investments I've ever made.

Craig

i still have not found a cause of my loss of signals, i have two BOB's and they both do the same thing. does anyone know if there would be some other reason for this to happen , like something in my pc. i have tried almost everything that i know. my 24v and 5v is there where they should be , have tried active low and active high with no change. none of the input signals respond, everything else on the BOB works.

Thanks, I will get one of the ones you mentioned when i can fit it in my budget.