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Network interface cards (NICs) allow computers to connect to networks. They can be built into the motherboard or added using a slot. NICs make troubleshooting easier and allow for file sharing. NICs are needed for both corporate and home networks, including wireless networks.
Network interface cards, or NICs, are computer circuit boards that allow computers to connect to various types of networks. These cards can be built into your computer’s motherboard or added to existing hardware using a slot on the motherboard. Most newer computers allow built-in use of NIC cards.
Using third-party NICs can also make troubleshooting a little easier by allowing you to replace a suspect network card with another working network card. This reduces the need to send the entire PC to the manufacturer for repair or a new motherboard.
To connect to a network, your computer must have a network card. This allows the computer to communicate with other network hardware. Your computer’s network card also allows you to access the network to exchange files and other information, such as e-mail, with other computers on your local network and on the Internet.
Computers that connect to large and small networks use some type of network interface card to exchange data. Until recently, NICs were primarily needed in corporate environments where many computers connected to shared printers, file servers, and other internal resources. With the recent advances made in broadband technology, the speed of the internet being delivered to homes has increased dramatically.
Broadband networks, such as cable or DSL, used in homes require special modems which, in many cases, allow for USB connections in addition to Ethernet connections for individual computers. The broadband modem’s Ethernet port uses a special cable to connect a computer via its NIC card or another device such as a router or switch.
In recent years, networks have again evolved to use wireless technology and radio signals. For a computer to connect to a wireless network, it will need a wireless radio that acts as a LAN adapter for the wireless network. NIC cards for wireless networks look very different from those used with conventional networks, but work in a similar way.
