The interface between a computer and a network cable is a card. Being able to adopt various formats, this device is not always easy to choose when you buy one if you do not master the features before going on the market. Its performance can change from one model to another to meet needs that are not necessarily the same from one user to another. That's why a bad product can be easily bypassed by learning about this article before making a choice. By consulting our buying guide, you will learn the parameters you can consider and the best network cards in our ranking are as follows. Asus PCE-AC5 uses Broadcom TruboQAM technology that makes data transfers fast. It has a design that mitigates dead zones. Gigabyte WB867D-I uses Bluetooth and Wifi functions. It is accompanied by an antenna.
How to choose a good network card?
It is far from obvious to find a better solution for a network if you do not know much about the interface card that it requires before choosing one. This is a device that can contain various characteristics. To find the item that really meets your needs, you can consider a few selection criteria, including bus, throughput, and thread.
Purchase guide
The bus
Where to buy a new network card? A question you can answer after defining the main criteria for selecting this product among which is the bus. This is the component at which the connection of this item is established with the motherboard of your computer. It is useful to check the information that affects this characteristic before investing in the purchase of a given model, as it can determine the performance of the card.
The most used buses include ISA, PCI, and USB. ISA is considered the least fast port and in the world of technology, it is estimated to be outdated by the time. Therefore, you should only use it if you have no choice and if it is the only free port on your device. Unlike this bus, PCI ports are fast and they exist on most computers. However, they find themselves quickly occupied on a PC.
As for USB, this port is a recent technology and adapts to a network whose bit rate equals 1.5 MB / s, so you can not use it at a speed of 100 MB / s Its installation does not require opening your computer.
The flow
We have some tips on how much speed you should choose if you want to know how to buy a better value network card. The best is to adapt this flow to your needs. There is no point in racing to the highest value if the use you make of the card does not require it.
10 MB / scan, for example, be enough if you plan to intervene only in the game environment. By cons, you should go up to 100 MB / s if it is a video that you will watch. Then, it is necessary to make the difference between the theoretical flows indicated in the descriptions of these cards and the practical ones which are 10 times less than the values previously indicated.
Thread
A price comparator allows you to be guided on the amount that you can allocate to the purchase of this device. However, before consulting one, in this buying guide for the best network cards, we will address another feature. This is the question that affects the wired component of this product.
On this point, you should know that some Ethernet network cards are wired while others work without using wire. Even if the operating principle of these two types of equipment is the same, the first application to manage cables while the second often uses a Wifi network. A Wifi network card can accompany the motherboard directly or be similar to a PCI card or a USB key.
The best network cards of 2018
To ensure the preparation, sending and control of data on the network, the use of a dedicated interface is required. This is the role played by a network card. The characteristics of this article vary from one model to another and we will give you an idea about it via this comparison. To view the comparison between best Network cards visit
How to use a network card?
If you want to connect your computer to other resources on the same network, you will essentially need to equip a network card. This piece is to be installed on a free slot of the PC in question. If however, you are not an IT professional, this task could be a bit of a hassle. The following lines will guide you in the steps to follow.
Determine the type of card
There are several categories of network cards on the market. Although in principle the installation mode is the same for each of them, it is still important that you identify the model that you have in your possession. Indeed, it may be that some nuances occur at the time of connection to the PC.
Install a LAN network card
These are the first models on the market for this type of product. These specimens have two parts. First, the PCI port that you will have to connect to the motherboard of the CPU of your computer. Then the second end that is used to connect the network cable. To install a wired network at this level, you will need to use RJ45 connectors.
Install a WIFI network card
These models are distinguished from the previous ones by their increased mobility and the small size they represent. Here, you will not have to deal with cables too long, because this type of product works by emitting waves. However, you will need a WIFI router and your PC must also be equipped with a WIFI card.
Install a PCMCIA network card
These specimens are much more for laptops. They will have the advantage of increasing the performance of these. These parts act as a substitute for a network card. Indeed, some PC models do not have one. If this is your case, you can turn to this kind of article.
Install a USB network card
These are the easiest models to install. What distinguishes them from conventional models is the presence of a USB end that can be directly connected to a PC. If your network card has some problems, this equipment will solve the problem until a better solution. To dispose of these articles, you will only have to connect them on your computer and then install the pilot's thanks to an installation CD or to a file which you will have to download on the Internet.
Know when to restart the computer
Restarting your PC is a required operation after the operating system recognizes the network equipment. Once you have done this, you may need to install an application so that you can more easily find the available networks in WIFI.
Set priority
To perform this operation, you will have to click on the "network" icon and then choose "open the network and sharing center". Then press "Change Card Settings". If you wish to have the menu, you only have to type on Alt-click on "Advanced" then on "Advanced settings". That done, you will only have to choose your priorities. Choose Ethernet.
