Networking with Windows

Network Interface Card

A network interface card (NIC) is the physical and logical link between a PC and the
network.
After completing this lesson, you should be able to:
Describe the function of a NIC
Define characteristics of NICs
Determine whether a PC is networked
Use proper procedure for working on a networked PC
Install a NIC

The Network Interface Card (NIC)

The network interface card (NIC), also known as a network adapter, is central to the
concepts
of
networking
that
are
covered
on
the
A+
exams.
The NIC is a physical and logical link for a PC to a network. It is installed inside
computer in an open expansion slot. NICs are available for most of the expansion
architectures, so getting a card for an available slot is easy. The most commonly used
for NICs is the PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus, but many legacy
(Industry Standard Architecture) cards are still in use.

the
bus
bus
ISA

The setup that is needed for the NIC is controlled by two factors: the PC itself and the NOS
(network operating system, such as Windows NT/2000 or Novell NetWare). If you have the
choice, do yourself a big favor and use the same brand and model of NIC in every PC on the
network.

When choosing a NIC for a system, try to get one that is Plug and Play (PnP) compatible to
make setup easier. Even with PnP, a network card can be a pain to set up. Some NICs use
DIP switches or jumpers, and some use software to configure their identity to and
compatibility with the network.
The NIC is a translator that works between the network and the PC. Networks
transmit data in a serial data format (1 bit at a time), and the data bus of the PC moves
data in a parallel format (8 bits at a time). The NIC acts as a go-between to convert the
signal from serial to parallel format or from parallel to serial format, depending on its
direction. The NIC also formats the data as required by the network architecture.

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The NIC attaches a PC or other networked device to the network cabling and the
network system. The primary purposes of the NIC are to serve as a transceiver a device
that transmits and receives data to and from other NICs (installed in the other networked
nodes and devices) and to connect to the network cabling. You should know the NIC
characteristics outlined on the following pages.

MAC (Media Access Control) address: Each

NIC is physically encoded with a unique identifying
address that is used to locate it on the network. This
address is 48 bits (6 bytes) long.

Data bus compatibility: NICs are designed with compatibility to a

particular data bus architecture. ISA (Industry Standard Architecture)

and PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) cards are the most
common.

Data speed: The NIC must be compatible with the data speed of the network. The data
transfer speeds of a network are determined by several factors, including the cable media,
the network topology, and the network connectivity devices that are in use.
For example, a Token Ring network uses STP cable the workstations attach to the
network through MAUs (Multistation Access Units) and typically runs at either 4 Mbps or
16 Mbps.

An Ethernet network uses UTP cable (or coax), attaches its workstations through
hubs or switches, and most commonly runs at either 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps.

Many NICs have the ability to sense the data speed in use. A NIC designated as a
10/100 NIC has the ability to autosense between a 10-Mbps and a 100-Mbps network.
Newer systems now support data speeds of 1,000 Mbps (or 1 Gbps), and newer NICs now
support an autosensing 10/100/1000 port.
Networking with Windows

Connectors: Several different connectors are used to join

NICs to network cabling. The type of connector that is used
depends mostly on the type of cable in use.
Coax cabling primarily uses a BNC connector. Fiber-optic cabling
is rarely used for cabling to workstations because of its cost.
The most commonly used connector for networking is the RJ-45
connector, which is similar to the connector on your telephone,
only a little bigger.

Working with NICs

An objective in the Networking domain of the A+ Hardware Technology exam is that you
must be able to determine that a PC is networked before working on it. This requires special
considerations and actions on your part. Not recognizing that the PC is on a network can
result in damage to the PC and possibly to the network, including the following:
- Reduced bandwidth (the data transmission capacity and capability of the network)
on the network caused by a faulty NIC signal or improperly set NIC
- A loss of data caused by an interruption in the network structure
- A slowdown in the general operation of the network
Some of the ways that you can determine whether a PC is networked are as follows:
- Look at the back of the PC for a network port with a cable attached to it. If you
find one, you have a winner a networked PC.
If a network cable is not attached to the back of the PC, this doesn't mean
that the PC is not a networked PC; the customer may have already disconnected the
PC from the network. Question the customer to determine whether you are working
on a networked PC.
- If no network cable exists, check to see whether a NIC is installed. No NIC no
network. However, if a NIC is in the PC, you can make other checks to determine
whether the PC is networked.
- If you have access to the hard drive, search it for the telltale signs that the PC has
been networked: folders or directories with names like NWCLIENT. Or look in the
AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS files for entries that start networking clients. (This is
especially true for Novell software, which places entries in these files.)
- If you have access to Windows 9x or 2000, use Windows Explorer to look for
network drives. They usually have drive designators of E:, F:, or higher.

It is important to know whether a PC on which you are about to work is connected to a

network. Make this determination, and after you've finished your work, make sure that the
PC is once again connected to its network.

Networking with Windows

Working on a Networked PC
You should follow these steps before and after repairing or replacing hardware on a
networked PC. In fact, you may even encounter a question on the A+ Hardware Technology
exam regarding this process.

Step Action
1

Check to see whether the PC is logged on to the network.

Open a drive or folder on a network device. If you can open a file, the PC is
logged on. If the drive is not available, the PC may be a node, but it is not
logged into the network.

If you are working on the hard drive, make a backup of all the files.
Especially important is backing up any networking information that's on the
hard drive.

Log off the PC as necessary.

Disconnect the network cable from the NIC, and proceed with the repair of
the PC.

After the repair is complete, reconnect the network cable, verify that the
network files are on the hard drive, and restore them if needed.

Ask the customer to log on to the network to verify that all is well.

Installing and Configuring a NIC

Although many manufacturers now include a NIC as a standard device in newer PC
configurations, not every PC comes with a NIC installed. This is why the A+ Hardware
Technology exam expects you to be able to install and configure a NIC in a PC. A NIC is
installed in a PC to connect it to the network, or when a PC's NIC has gone bad. Below are
the steps that are used to install a NIC in a PC.
Of course, we assume that you are wearing your ESD protection and that you used the
proper steps to disconnect the PC from the network.

Step Action
1

If the PC already has a NIC installed even if it is the same manufacturer

and model as the new NIC that you are installing uninstall the NIC drivers
from the operating system.
If the PC doesn't have a NIC installed, you must determine the type of slot
that's available for the NIC. On most new PCs, expansion slots are usually
available.

If a PCI slot is open, obtain a PCI card. Otherwise, you must use an ISA or
EISA (Enhanced ISA) card, depending on the expansion slots that are
available.

Before inserting the card in a slot, study the card's documentation to

determine whether any physical configuration steps are necessary.
Most PCI cards are Plug and Play compatible but may still require a DIP
switch or a jumper to be set. You must do this before installing the card. Be
sure to handle the card only by its nonconnecting edges.

Open the case and install the NIC in the appropriate expansion slot.
Networking with Windows

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5

The remainder of the installation, aside from replacing the case, is performed
on the operating system.

Hardware Expansion Slots

You need to identify these expansion slots by sight on the exam, so take a good look at this
figure.

In this lesson, you learned about the network interface card (NIC). A NIC has two
purposes: it connects the PC to the network cabling and it serves as a transceiver that
converts 8-bit parallel data to 1-bit serial data. You learned primary characteristics of NICS,
including the data bus type (PCI or ISA), the format of its MAC address (48 bits), the
system resources it can use (an IRQ, a DMA channel, and an I/O address), and the different
data speeds it can have.
You also learned how to determine whether a PC is networked, how to prepare a
networked PC for service, and how to install a new network card. The presence of
accessible network drives is an easy indicator that a PC is networked, both before and after
you have been working on a PC. Also, remember to uninstall old drivers, even if you are
installing or reinstalling the same model NIC as was already in the computer.

Networking with Windows