Network interface controller: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 09:23, 11 July 2025

Latest revision as of 14:52, 2 September 2025

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Network controllers 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 controller 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 controller 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&nbsp;[[Mbit/s]] Ethernet, [[Fast Ethernet|100&nbsp;Mbit/s Ethernet]], and [[Gigabit Ethernet|{{nowrap|1000 Mbit/s}} Ethernet]] varieties. Such controllers are designated as ''[[10/100/1000]]'', meaning that they can support data rates of 10, 100 or {{nowrap|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 |archive-date=2015-05-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510043419/http://www.networkcomputing.com/networking/will-2014-be-the--year-of-10-gigabit-ethernet/a/d-id/1234640 |url-status=dead }}</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]]

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| url = http://www.openonload.org/openonload-google-talk.pdf

| title = OpenOnload: A user-level network stack

| date = 2008-03-21
| access-date = 2014-05-08

| author1 = Steve Pope
| author2 = David Riddoch

| website = openonload.org }}</ref>

| archive-date = 2014-07-24

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140724083136/http://www.openonload.org/openonload-google-talk.pdf

| url-status = dead

}}</ref>

== See also ==