Understanding Network Interface Cards
15
Understanding Network Interface Cards
A network interface card (NIC) is a printed circuit board
that plugs into a PC expansion slot in your computer to
provide a connection to a network.
Once the NIC is installed in your PC, you connect it to the
network media (cabling, such as unshielded twisted-pair
[UTP]), which in turn connects to all the devices on
the network.
About the OfficeConnect NIC
The OfficeConnect NIC is a 10/100 Mbps PCI (Peripheral
Component Interconnect) NIC. It connects your PC to a
10 Mbps Ethernet or 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet network.
Figure 2
OfficeConnect NIC
The OfficeConnect NIC backplate has three light-emitting
diodes (LEDs):
■
10 LNK (link)
■
100 LNK (link)
■
ACT (activity)
DATA
TX
ACT
10
100
L
N
K
LEDs
RJ-45 port
