RJ45 Network Interface Cards A Network Interface Card (NIC) is computer component with a unique MAC address. This card allows your computer to communicate over a network. While there are numerous types or network adapters, the RJ45 connector is the most common today. The RJ45 resembles a telephone RJ11 connector but is slightly larger.

The Network card will have two addresses, the IP address and the MAC address. The IP address is supplied by the user, a router or an Internet Service Provider. The MAC address is a physical address on the NIC itself, and uniquely identifies your computer on the network. A RJ45 network card will typically have a couple of LED lights built in. These lights indicate a connection and activity. If a computer has a successful connection to a modem, router or another computer, the LED will be a solid color. If the network card is exchanging packets, the ACT light will blink rapidly. The speeds of a network card will vary based on the infrastructure. They are capable of handling speeds of 10/100/1000, which means they have a potential transfer rate of 10, 100 or 1000 Megabits per second. But the speed is determined by the grade of cable, switch, router and other devices attached to the network. Network cards can be PCI-based, which means you can add or remove them from your computer. Or they can be integrated into a motherboard. Network cards are not limited to a computer, however. They are becoming a part of consumer printers, Network Attached Storage (NAS) and gaming consoles. RJ45 will always have a place in the home or office, but it is rapidly being replaced by increasingly faster WiFi adapters that allow users to become more mobile with their data. At the price of being mobile, users sacrifice security as data on wireless devices are more exposed to hackers. Typically, the physical connection to a computer through RJ45 Ethernet is faster and more secure than WiFi. If you have any questions regarding Networks, please join our free message board at PCTechBytes.com .

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