NIC ABCs
Connectors
Cables
Troubleshooting
Network definitions

NIC ABCs

A NIC, or Network Interface Card, is a circuit board or chip, which allows the computer to communicate to other computers on a Network. This board, when connected to a cable or other method of transferring data such as infrared, can share resources, information and computer hardware. Local or Wide area networks are generally used for large businesses as well as are beginning to be found in homes as home users begin to have more than one computer. Utilizing network cards to connect to a network allow users to share data such as companies being able to have the capability of having a database that can be accessed all at the same time, send and receive e-mail internally within the company, or share hardware devices such as printers.

Connectors

Network cards have three main types of connectors. Below is an example of what a network card may look like.

BNC - As illustrated in the above picture, the BNC connector is a round connector which is used for Thinnet or 10Base-2 Local Area Network.

DB9 - The DB9 connector, not to be confused with the Serial Port, or sometimes referred to as the RJ45 JACK, not to be confused with the RJ45 connection, is used with Token Ring networks.

DB-15 - The DB-15 connector is used for a Thicknet or 10Base-5 Local area network.

RJ45 - Today, one of the most popular types of connections used with computer networks. RJ45 looks similar to a phone connector or RJ11 connector but is slightly larger.

LED -The LEDs, as shown in the above illustration, indicates if it detects a network; generally by a green light which may flash as it communicates, and then a red light which indicates collisions which will generally flash or not flash at all.

CABLES

Below is a few examples of some of the more commonly used types of cables found with networks.

As illustrated in the above picture, you can see three of the main types of cables used today. The first two pictures illustrate Unshielded and Shielded twisted pair cables. Unshielded twisted-pair cable is generally found in phone cables today and are used more often than shielded twisted pair today as it has been found that simply twisting the cable provides more efficient means of protection against interference. In addition, shielded twisted-pair cable required the one end of the cable to be grounded. If both ends were to be grounded, this would cause a grounding loop causing low voltage and infinite amperage and various other hazards to the network.

The third picture in the above illustration shows a coaxial cable which is the most commonly used and known types of cables. This cable can be found for cable TV and when used with networks utilizes the BNC connector.