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A '''network interface controllercard''' ('''NIC''',<!--"Controller" is correct; once upon a time, they might all have been add-in cards, and called "network interface cards", but most of them are probably on the motherboard or in the SoC these days.--> also known as a '''network interface card''',<ref name="Dell"/> '''network adapter''', '''LAN adapter''' or '''physical network interface''',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd392944(v=ws.10).aspx|title=Physical Network Interface|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|date=January 7, 2009}}</ref> and by similar terms) is a [[computer hardware]] component that connects a [[computer]] to a [[computer network]].<ref name=networking_01>{{cite web
|url = http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/networking-basics-part1.html
|title = Networking Basics: Part 1 - Networking Hardware
}}</ref>
Early network interface controllerscard were commonly implemented on [[expansion card]]s that plugged into a [[computer bus]]. The low cost and ubiquity of the [[Ethernet]] standard means that most newer computers have a network interface built into the [[motherboard]], or is contained into a [[USB]]-connected [[dongle]].
Modern network interface controllerscard offer advanced features such as [[interrupt]] and [[Direct memory access|DMA]] interfaces to the host processors, support for multiple receive and transmit queues, partitioning into multiple logical interfaces, and on-controllercard network traffic processing such as the [[TCP offload engine]].
== Purpose ==
The network controllercard implements the electronic circuitry required to communicate using a specific [[physical layer]] and [[data link layer]] standard such as [[Ethernet]] or [[Wi-Fi]].{{efn|Although other network technologies exist, Ethernet ([[IEEE 802.3]]) and Wi-Fi ([[IEEE 802.11]]) have achieved near-ubiquity as LAN technologies since the mid-1990s.}} This provides a base for a full network [[protocol stack]], allowing communication among computers on the same [[local area network]] (LAN) and large-scale network communications through routable protocols, such as [[Internet Protocol]] (IP).
The NIC allows computers to communicate over a computer network, either by using cables or wirelessly. The NIC is both a physical layer and data link layer device, as it provides physical access to a networking medium and, for [[IEEE 802]] and similar networks, provides a low-level addressing system through the use of [[MAC address]]es that are uniquely assigned to network interfaces.
== Implementation ==
[[File:12 early PC network cards.jpg|thumb|12 early ISA 8 bit and 16 bit PC network cards. The lower right-most card is an early wireless network card, and the central card with partial beige plastic cover is a PSTN [[modem]].]]
Network controllerscard were originally implemented as expansion cards that plugged into a computer bus. The low cost and ubiquity of the Ethernet standard means that most new computers have a network interface controllercard built into the motherboard. Newer [[Server (computing)|server]] motherboards may have multiple network interfaces built-in. The Ethernet capabilities are either [[Integrated circuit|integrated]] into the motherboard [[chipset]] or implemented via a low-cost dedicated Ethernet chip. A separate network card is typically no longer required unless additional independent network connections are needed or some non-Ethernet type of network is used. A general trend in computer hardware is towards [[System on a chip|integrating the various components of systems on a chip]], and this is also applied to network interface cards.
An Ethernet network controllercard typically has an [[8P8C]] socket where the network cable is connected. Older NICs also supplied [[BNC connector|BNC]], or [[Attachment Unit Interface|AUI]] connections. Ethernet network controllers typically support 10 [[Megabit per second|Mbit/s]] Ethernet, [[Fast Ethernet|100 Mbit/s Ethernet]], and [[Gigabit Ethernet|1000 Mbit/s Ethernet]] varieties. Such controllers are designated as ''[[10/100/1000]]'', meaning that they can support data rates of 10, 100 or 1000 Mbit/s. [[10 Gigabit Ethernet]] NICs are also available, and, {{As of|2014|11|lc=yes}}, are beginning to be available on [[computer motherboard]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.networkcomputing.com/networking/will-2014-be-the--year-of-10-gigabit-ethernet/a/d-id/1234640? |title=Will 2014 Be The Year Of 10 Gigabit Ethernet? |author=Jim O'Reilly |publisher=Network Computing |date=2014-01-22 |access-date=2015-04-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.asrock.com/news/index.asp?id=2517 |title=Breaking Speed Limits with ASRock X99 WS-E/10G and Intel 10G BASE-T LANs |website=asrock.com |date=24 November 2014 |access-date=19 May 2015}}</ref>
[[File:Qle3442-cu 10gbe nic.jpg|thumb|A [[Qlogic]] QLE3442-CU SFP+ dual-port NIC]]
Modular designs like [[Small form-factor pluggable transceiver|SFP and SFP+]] are highly popular, especially for [[fiber-optic communication]]. These define a standard receptacle for media-dependent transceivers, so users can easily adapt the network interface to their needs.
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[[Light-emitting diode|LEDs]] adjacent to or integrated into the network connector inform the user of whether the network is connected, and when data activity occurs.
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