What is a Network Card?
What is a Network?
A network is a connection between one or many computers that permits two way communication of data packets using a common communications protocol such as Ethernet. The term LAN (Local Area Network) refers to a restricted, local network that is comprised of one or many computers that may or may not be permitted to connect to the Internet. The computers that are networked on a LAN may share network resources such as a printer, domain name servers, and scanners.
How Does My Computer Get onto a Network?
In order for you computer to access a LAN or the Internet, it has to have a NIC card (or network interface card). The NIC card can connect a computer via wired Ethernet or wireless connection. If using an Ethernet connection, the cable is similar to a phone line, albeit with a bit larger jack and thinker cable. Most computers come with both wired and wireless NIC cards installed in order to provide both methods to the end-user for connecting to the Internet. Wireless cards can also be purchased for desktop computer's now as well, where in the past they were more common for laptop usage when wireless networking started becoming more common. Now, wireless cards can be purchased that are compatible with USB 2.0 slots in order to enable a desktop computer with Internet connectivity if you do not otherwise have Internet available to use at the desktop.
Where Do I Get a Network Card?
If you've purchased your computer in the past few years, it should already have at least a hard-wired Ethernet NIC card. If its a laptop, it likely also has an 802.11(X) version wireless card built into the computer's monitor screen. For computers that have their wireless card's built into the computer, they now come with cut-off switches to disable the wireless communications during air flight. You can buy a separate wireless card that will plug into an available PCI slot on your computer if you have a need for a newer card, or your built-in card has started to fail.
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Very good article on network cards. I learned a lot! I love wireless features that are now standard on laptops. They make life much easier!
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