What is NIC

NIC, short for network interface card, is a computer hardware component (circuit board or card) that allows a computer to connect to a network. It provides a hardware interface between the computer and the network, allowing the computer to connect to the network. .

NIC, also known as network card, network adapter, network interface controller, expansion card, LAN card, etc., is a network adapter hardware in the form of an add-on card, which can be used for wired ( Ethernet) and wireless (WiFi) connections.

Types of NIC

NICs come in many different forms, but they can mainly be divided into: wired and wireless.

Wired network cards can only use RJ45 ports because they have an Ethernet cable connected to the end. An Ethernet cable plugs into your computer's Ethernet connection, and a small LED light built into the connection will show you whether the connection is active and whether data is being transferred.

Wireless NIC needs to use wireless technology to access the network and needs to come with a small antenna connected to the NIC card. The antenna receives the wireless signal from the router and converts it into a usable Internet connection for your computer.

Note: The wireless NIC card requires additional settings on the computer because we need to connect to the network on the computer by typing the WiFi password of the wireless network.

How does the NIC connect to the network?

NICs can communicate with each other over the same network using a network switch, or just two computers connected directly. If computers on a network need to connect to a different network (for example, the Internet), they must eventually connect to a router that allows the networks to communicate with each other.

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