Network Adaptor Card, a NIC also referred to as a network adapter, is a printed circuit board containing the necessary hardware used to connect a computer to a network.

A NIC or Network Interface Card is a circuit board or chip, which allows the computer to communicate to other computers on a Network. This board when connected to a cable or other method of transferring data such as infrared can share resources, information and computer hardware. Local or Wide area networks are generally used for large businesses as well as are beginning to be found in homes as home users begin to have more then one computer

Utilizing network cards to connect to a network allow users to share data such as companies being able to have the capability of having a database that can be accessed all at the same time send and receive e-mail internally within the company or share hardware devices such as printers

CONNECTORS

Network Adaptor cards have three main types of connectors. Below is an example of what a network card may look like.

BNC - As illustrated in the above picture the BNC connector is a round connector which is used for Thinnet or 10Base-2 Local Area Network.

DB9 (RJ45 JACK) - The DB9 connector not to be confused with the Serial Port or sometimes referred to as the RJ45 JACK not to be confused with the RJ45 connection is used with Token Ring networks.

DB15 - The DB15 connector is used for a Thicknet or 10Base-5 Local area network.

RJ45 - Today one of the most popular types of connections used with computer networks. RJ45 looks similar to a phone connector or RJ11 connector however is slightly larger.

LED -The LED's as shown in the above illustration indicates if it detects a network generally by a green light which may flash as it communicates and then a red light which indicates collisions which will generally flash or not flash at all.