metal tab covering I/O shield?

[pb126]

I have a Gigabyte GA-P55-UD4P mobo. The I/O shield has a metal tab covering the second LAN connector. I know Rob says to just break it off. Would it not be better to bend it back inwards to the case so that it contacts the LAN metal block and helps the grounding of the connector block? It must be there for a reason. Although now that I have installed the mobo I'd like to just break it off...

[The Wise Monkey]

I've never been too sure what this is for, but you can either break it off or bend it in if you want.

[pb126]

I have an overall confusing response from Gigabyte tech support on this front.

I had an email exchange where they replied the following:
"Thank you for your kindly mail and enquiry. If the LAN port cover on the I/O shield is breakable, please break it off but not bend it back."
In the meantime I had already bent it back to cover the ethernet block metal covering, Gigabyte advised not leaving it there and emailed:
"Thank you again for your kindly mail. It is recommended to cut it off to prevent unexpected short circuit problem."

In a phone call with their tech support, to cover RAID issues, the tech (who seemed very knowleadgable, a builder of PCs himself) contradicted the above emails and said to bend the tab back and contact the Ethernet block as I had done.

So I can't say I have a final resolution to this but the PC has been working several days now without any problem with the tab still there and bent back into the case over the metal block....