Different speed Network Cards?

[BigToque]

I know there are 10mbps and 100mbps NICs.

What is the purpose of 10/100 cards?

I bought a 3Com 3C905B-TX (10/100), and was wondering why its called 10/100, as opposed to just 100.

 

[Angrymarshmello]

It can default to 10 if you were hooking it up to a network that only ran at 10 Mbps

 

[urbantechie]

<< If you have a hub (like me) you can surf the net, and transfer between both comps at the same time. >>



Well not if your like me where I am downloading at about 3mbs while transfering 600mb+ movie files to three other computers. Doesn't happen . You get alot of collisions when you are using a router with a hub. So I had to get a switch. Now the network is much more efficient .


Now to answer the question. 10/100 cards can operate at either 10mbs or 100mbs. When surfing the net, playing a LAN game or transfering files with a 10mbps hub then the card is only going 10mbs. If using a switch in a LAN with 10/100 cards then your prolly going 100mbps. Just depends on what your doing and the equipment. Lets just say 10/100 cards can adapt.

 

[urbantechie]

2 IPS? BLEH!

 

[dszd0g]

<< It can run on a network of 10mbps and work at the same time on a network at 100mbps >>



That is a little ambiguous.

There are many different type of networking protocols. Your card supports 10bT and 100bTX, both in either half or full duplex. You can connect it to a 10Mb hub and run it at 10HD (10Mbit Half-duplex) a switch and run it at 10FD (10Mbit Full-duplex) or a 100Mb hub and run it at 100HD or a 100Mb switch and run it at 100FD.

It can autonegotiate to obtain the most optimal of these settings (best being 100FD) with any network device that uses the same autonegotiation. Some network devices are horrid at autonegotiation others are really could. Most drivers can be forced to a specific setting and with managed hubs and switches one can force a port. For example, IME HP switches often need to have their ports forced.