Deciding on the NIC Card!

Decided where your PCs will be located in your network setup, as described in the previous article (LAN cables)? Then you've probably already between the Thin Coax and 10BaseT cable.

Now it's time to decide on a network card -- the thing that plugs into one of your computer's internal slots and provides a place for the cable to plug into. Luckily, many network cards accept both types of cable, making it easy to change your mind should your needs change down the road. When you choose the card, keep these things in mind:

1. The card must be an Ethernet card that supports your cable.
2. The card must fit into one of your computer's unused slots. If you don't know what type of slot your PC uses, it may be worth finding out. A PCI bus card can shoot information through a network the fastest, if your computer's bus supports those cards.

TIP 1:

To see what type of bus and slots your computer uses, right-click on My Computer and choose Properties. Click on the Device Manager tab, followed by the plus sign next to System devices, to see a list of your computer's pertinent internal organs.

TIP 2:

Almost all computers come with an ISA slot; most Pentiums have a PCI slot, and most laptop computers have a PC Card slot, formally known as a PCMCIA slot.

TIP 3:

When buying anything for Windows 98, look for a 'Designed for Windows 98' Plug and Play logo. Lacking that, look for a Windows 98 Compatible sticker. Cards and software with those logos and stickers are the easiest to install.

TIP 4:

The fastest network adapter card for Windows 98 is a 32-bit card on a Pentium's PCI bus. But 16-bit cards in ISA slots can usually connect a half dozen or so computers in a small-office setting.

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