Network Interface Card
- A Network Interface Card (NIC) or Network Interface Controller is an internal physical component which enables computers and other devices to connect to a network
- They are also known as network adapters
- NICs have a built in ethernet port and can be connected to a network via an Ethernet cable
- You can have Wireless Network Interface Cards (WNIC) which allow a device to wirelessly connect to a network
- The primary function of a NIC is to send and receive data packets between the computer or device and the network
- The NIC converts data to be sent into signals that can be sent across the transmission medium
- If this is through a wired network, the signals will be voltages through an ethernet wire or pulses of light through a fibre
- If this is through a wireless network, the signals will be radio waves
- NICs are likely to be integrated into the motherboard but can be added as an expansion card
