Question about network cards for high speed internet access

[Patrick]

This should be an easy question for anyone who understands this stuff. I'm about to change over to a high speed ADSL (or DSL) connection. The site of the service provider (Telus) states that the computer requires a:

Network Interface Card (NIC) 10BaseT Ethernet card with correct TCP/IP drivers installed.

I have an unused HP NC16 LAN card, model #J2405-60001 on the shelf originally from an old 486. Is this suitable or is it the wrong animal?

[RichL]

Possibly, and possibly not.
HP's site doesnt return any data for a NC16 network card, but to me NC16 points to it being a 16mb Token Ring card. (The 16 could mean 16 bit I suppose)
Is the connector on the back a BNC (co-ax), RJ45 (like a telephone socket) or a 9 pin D type (serial port)?
If its a 9pin D then its token ring, an RJ45 could be either, and a BNC is definately Ethernet.
Your safest bet is probably to go buy a new network card, they arent expensive.
3Com, Intel or Bay Netgear will all do the job nicely. Personally I wouldnt touch a DLink or SMC card with someone elses 10 foot barge pole, but thats just my business experience :-)

[Liquid Snake]

All the cards in my network are Linksys LNE100TX 10/100 cards. $20 US each, and have not have any problems with them! Though, if you are looking for the ultimate in performance (e.g. running a high-traffic server), the 3Com and Intel cards will do better!

[RichL]

Sorry!
Ignore me, I jumped the gun somewhat.

I just found reference to the NC 16 (note the space) on the HP website. It refers to it as a 10mb TP adaptor, ergo, its Ethernet and is suitable.

http://www.hp.com/cposupport/network...2405a.exe.html

[Patrick]

Thanks for the quick responses fellas!

Rich, I saw the page you referred to at the HP site earlier, but it made little sense to me. Thanks for informing me that the card is indeed suitable.

One other "easy" question - Although the driver listed for this card states it's for Win95, is it safe to assume that it can also be used with Win98SE?

[Liquid Snake]

Yep. Usually, drivers marked for Win95 should work for Win98. I've never run into a case where this was not true.

[Patrick]

Great, thanks very much.

[az]

now you only have to hope that your dsl modem likes bnc connectors or you'll have to pay another whopping $10 for a new network card with rj45 plugs

AZ

[Jorden]

For az's information, the 10BaseT uses RJ45 connectors with cat 3, 4 and 5 UTP cable
(edit: what you're confused with is 10Base2 NICs; those use BNC connectors)
It's just the maximum speed that's holding it back. 10Mbit per second. Still a lot faster than a modem though

Jord.

[This message has been edited by Jorden (edited 04 April 2001).]

[az]

ok so was was mixing it up, sorry.. but what's it with nic's that sport both rj45 and bnc connectors?

AZ

[Jorden]

As far as I know, they are usually TokenRing NICs, when sporting both BNC and RJ45's.

[RichL]

Az - A nic that has both BNC and RJ45 connectors will be Ethernet. All the extra connectors mean is that the card can use more than one cable type. They are usually autosensing and use whatever is connected.
Token Ring cannot use BNC, (IIRC it can use twinax, but thats a slightly different connector to a BNC.)
Ehternet Nics that come with both BNC and RJ45, or sometimes with an AUI connector too, tend to be older models that are just 10mb half duplex. You can only run Full Duplex over Twisted Pair (RJ45), because you have to have a pair of wires for both Transmit and Recieve signals. You also have to use TP cables of Cat5 or above spec for 100mb.

[This message has been edited by RichL (edited 04 April 2001).]