What is a network card?
A network adapter or, as they say in everyday life, a network card is a device for communication between computers on a local network or for accessing the global Internet. It can be of two types: a computer built into the motherboard or a separate microcircuit with a corresponding output connector. According to the type of connection (socket), there are network adapters in the format ISA (obsolete bus), PCI, USB, PCMCIA (for laptops), PCI-E and some others. The first two specifications allow you to connect the network adapter only inside the PC case. USB and PCMCIA jacks are output to the front or back of the chassis. Therefore, the adapter of these specifications is connected externally. The PCI-E is a state-of-the-art high-speed bus that replaces the PCI bus. The connection method for the adapter of the mentioned bus is internal.
Configuring a network card and its proper functioning
The configuration of the network card and its operability are determined by the manufacturer, the driver, and the user's operating system. The interaction of these parameters is inevitable and none of them can be excluded during the operation of this device. The adapter manufacturer must also be considered. The manufacturer, tested over the years, will not produce low-quality equipment. A product of an unknown company, even if it is cheaper to sell, can quickly refuse to work or may not meet the declared characteristics.
When buying a network adapter, determine the type of bus to connect. Make sure your PC or laptop supports the bus specification for which the network chip is made. Usually it is a PCI or PCI-E bus, less commonly USB. The ISA specification is used only in very old motherboards. Almost no one produces equipment for this bus.
Set what type of output jack the adapter uses. If, for example, the network is built on a thin 10Base-2 coaxial cable , the board must be equipped with a BNC socket.
Check the compatibility of the purchased network adapter with your operating system. Some operating systems do not support working with cards of certain manufacturers. Also make sure you have the right driver for your device. To check for compatibility with the OS, use the "Compatibility List".
How to configure the network card itself? To configure a device, it is assigned an I / O address (i / o) and an interrupt number (IRQ). I / O is the physical range of memory for exchanging information with the adapter. These resources must be unique in order not to conflict with other working devices. If your adapter is Plug-n-play, the operating system will automatically allocate the necessary resources. Otherwise, they will have to be assigned to the adapter manually.
Sometimes the Plug-n-play function, for one reason or another, may not work correctly with adapters of this format. This may cause functional malfunctions. In this case, it is advisable to try to disable Plug-n-play support through the driver settings.
Network card configuration can be carried out not only by the operating system, but also by special programs. If the manufacturer of the network adapter included such software in the package with the driver, it is recommended to use them during configuration. If the question “How to reset the network card to the factory settings?” Arises, use the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
A bit of network administration. Configure two network cards
When a computer is used as a router and is also part of a local area network (LAN), at least two network adapters are used. One is connected to the local network through a switch or hub device, the other has Internet access through a special WAN port. All other network devices route data packets through this computer. The necessary literature on this topic can be found on the net, for example, in public electronic libraries.