What is an Ethernet Card

Ethernet is one of the most commonly used network technology. These days a computer has become a necessity in our daily lives and moreover a system that cannot interconnect with other systems for official or other personal works is just of not much use. Ethernet was initially designed for coaxial cable or bus topology but these days network installations prefer using Ethernet star topologies that have mostly fiber optic cable wires as the medium of transmission. Some of the other ways of helping people to connect through computers is that telephone wires that already exist are used.

Now that we got the true meaning of an Ethernet, we can focus our attention on what are Ethernet cards. An Ethernet card is one type of many network adaptors. These adaptors work with cables and provide high-speed service of network connections. These Ethernet cards at times are otherwise called as NICs or network interface cards. Usually it is the manufacturer who installs the Ethernet card inside the desktop computers. In most of the mobile computers and other laptops, small Ethernet cards are used which somewhat resemble the credit cards that you use. These small PCMCIA cards are very convenient to use and can be put in the front or side slot. If you want to enjoy playing video games, then Ethernet cards, which can fit into the USB slots, are generally used.

Different Ethernet cards will support different level of protocol standard and in this way these Ethernets vary in their operating modes. Before Ethernet cards had the capacity of 10Mbps speed whereas these days the capacity has reached to Gigabytes also. Whether the Ethernet gives 10Mbps speed or higher speed, the basic structural framework is the same. It is the broadband routers of home network, which have the basic needed technology that will help any Ethernet device to connect through cables. But while choosing an Ethernet card, it is required to check if the cable is a single band or not because single cable might some times cause network traffic and lead to slowing down of your access.

Now another thought must be on your mind that how exactly information or data is transmitted? This happens when the Ethernet stations send each other some individual packets of data or data as a whole. Every Ethernet station in fact is given one particular address that is used to know the data source and also destination. Generally adapters have a unique address, but due to replacement of adapters the same address can be used. As the Ethernets have become lot more popular recently, they are being built directly inside the motherboard of personal computers and this way there is no need for you to get a separate Ethernet card. Because of very easy integration, low cost and high use, they have been high on demand and are flourishing well all over the world. If you are planning for a new pc or any other mobile system, see to that the Ethernet card provided to you is according to the amount of use you have and will give you good speed for access.