Network adapter - description and application

The Internet arose quite recently, but I already managed"Draw" specific terms, such as, for example, a router, a gateway, a network adapter. All these names denote the ways and types of Internet connection and sometimes have the same meaning. The most common

means of access to the network - a network card or adapter. It serves as a transmitter between the network cable and the computer system.

There are many types of network cards, butthey perform the same functions. First, they transmit and receive data, forming packages from them. They are formed in the buffer, and with the computer's memory the adapter interacts through the RAM. In addition, Internet cards encode or decode data using parallel or sequential codes (depending on whether this information is received or transmitted).

By the way of integration, the network adapter is divided intothree varieties: external, internal and internal. Built-in adapters are part of the motherboard. The connector to which the network cable is connected, and the processing information of the microcircuit are located directly

Nano on the PCB, and additional functions of the built-in adapter are implemented by the CPU. Almost all motherboards are equipped with such cards.

The internal network adapter is a microcircuit,installed in the system unit. It connects to the motherboard via PCI, PCIe or ISA connectors. The external type of network card is enclosed in a plastic casing and connected to the system via a USB interface. Such cards are used where there is no built-in or internal adapter, or it is broken.

Until recently, the Internet map was the only onemeans for going online. However, gradually this device was replaced by wireless communication. One of them is a wireless network adapter (or Wi-Fi). In fact, Wi-Fi is an antenna that allows you to connect to the Internet "by air". These adapters are also external, internal and embedded. Built-in Wi-Fi integrated in the system board. Internal very often are a "hybrid"

antenna and network card. External Wi-Fi-adapters are very similar to the now fashionable 3G-modems. They are necessarily equipped with an antenna - either built-in or external - and the latter have a much higher speed.

Network cards differ not only in methodintegration, but also in its capabilities. Some adapters have sockets for installing their own software. Others differ in the width of the system bus or in the presence of additional ports. There are Internet cards equipped with RAM and LED indicators. In addition, the network adapter has several types, differing in the way they interact with the computer system and the modes of operation. Interact with the system card can either through the control bus, or through direct access to memory. By operating modes, these devices are divided into two types: cyclic I / O and memory sharing.

The speed of the Internet card depends on these properties. The network adapter, which has at least half of the listed features, will provide a very fast and comfortable way out to the Web.