Ethernet adapters allow devices to connect to a LAN using cat5 or cat6 cable. They can be USB or expansion card-based, and wireless adapters add Wi-Fi capabilities. They allow sharing of internet, files, and devices like printers and hard drives.
Ethernet adapters are a type of network interface controller that can allow computers and other devices to connect to a local area network (LAN). The primary use of the term refers to a piece of hardware that allows a device to connect to a network using either category five (cat5) or six (cat6) twisted-pair cable. These Ethernet adapters are usually based on universal serial bus (USB) or expansion cards. A wireless Ethernet adapter is a similar piece of hardware that can connect to an existing Ethernet jack to provide a device with Wi-Fi connectivity.
Some motherboards come with Ethernet hardware and require no additional adapters, while others lack this feature. If a motherboard doesn’t have a built-in Ethernet jack, you can often upgrade it. Many computers have a number of free expansion slots into which Ethernet adapters can be installed. Some laptops have the same type of option in the form of an ExpressCard® or similar expansion slot. If a laptop has one of these slots, it is often possible to plug in an Ethernet adapter.
USB Ethernet adapters can be used with desktop or laptop computers, often regardless of operating system (OS). In their simplest form, these Ethernet adapters look like a female Ethernet jack plugged into a male USB plug. A more complicated type of USB Ethernet adapter are hubs, which can provide a number of additional USB connections in addition to an Ethernet jack. These Ethernet adapters typically work in much the same way as those found on expansion cards, and can be used to connect your computer to a LAN or to various devices.
Wireless Ethernet adapters offer a slightly different feature. Instead of adding an Ethernet jack to a computer, these devices use an existing connection to add wireless capabilities. Many Wi-Fi® adapters and dongles plug into a USB port, which devices like game consoles and printers may lack. Because these adapters can connect to a standard Ethernet port, they can allow these network-ready devices to connect wirelessly instead of with a physical cable.
Each of these different types of Ethernet adapters serve the same basic purpose of connecting computers or devices to a network. This can allow you to share an internet connection, send or receive files, or access devices such as printers. If a printer is connected to the network physically or wirelessly, every other computer on the network will usually be able to print to it. Other devices, such as remote hard drives and media center extenders, can also be shared this way.
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