Linksys 10/100 NIC vs. 3Com 10/100 NIC

[Hahah307]

Are there a big difference in performance or stability?

What's the difference between NIC vs ethernet card?

 

[Sunner]

I like 3Com NIC's, they've very high quality, though the other stuff 3Com makes(Switches, hubs, etc) has droppen significally in terms of quality, their NIC's are still the best IMO.

As for the difference, well there is none(almost).
NIC = Network Interface Card
Ethernet is a standard for networks, where 10 Mbit/sec is the max speed.
Fast Ethernet is pretty much the same as ethernet, cept the speed bar's raised to 100 Mbit/sec.

So an Ethernet card would be a NIC that's Ethernet compatible

 

[Vegito]

NIC is just generic term for Network Interface Card, ethernet is a type of NIC card. Ethernet is a topology like token ring card is for ibm token ring, not compatible with each other and stuff. Everything is ethernet by now..

Probably the differnece is CPU utilization.. 3COM design their card to be low CPU power.. on a fast system, you probably can't tell...

 

[Hahah307]

I have cable service and my system freezes at the start up with the linksys ethernet card.

 

[ElFenix]

not having any probs and i have both. both fast cards.

 

[Kanly]

lol Paulson

surprised you didn't say get a Netgear one

 

[pdo]

just about any NIC will work nowaday. I haven't seen a NIC that'll give me problems although I like Intel because of their driver.

 

[GT1999]

I just shelled out for a 3Com EtherLink 10/100 Mbps PCI NIC - Model No. 3C905C-TX-M.

I never thought you could have this many options for a NIC. Just looking at the board says 'i'm quality, buy me'.

 

[Byte]

BTW do Ethernet cards require busmastering? I want to install my 3Com Ethernet XL card to my 5th PCI slot on my Abit BE6-II where busmastering isn't available. Will this work?

 

[dc]

netgear rocks.

 

[duragezic]

I've had better expierences with Linksys cards in general than 3com ones. I paid $55 for my 3Com 3C905C-TX-M and it sure isn't worth it in my opinion. Whatever one you get should be okay though.

 

[Modus]

Generic $10 NIC's are the way to go. I haven't seen one test to conclusively prove that the overpriced 3Com controllers have significantly better CPU utilization.

Modus

 

[Modus]

And most 10/100 PCI 32bit, busmastering, yadda yadda yadda, cards available today are Realtek compatible, meaning that Windows will just pick them right up and install Microsoft's driver by default.

Modus

 

[pyr]

Dont get a linksys, a SMC, a Dlink, or an ATI. I work for network services at Michigan State University, and so I deal with netcards all the time. the ones I listed seem to be the most problematic ones. They just seem to act a bit goofy and are the hardest ones to get working. We sell netgear cards since they work great at a nice price. I also personally have a 3Com 905C and its really nice. much better than the linksys I was using (it had a DEC chipset that was BeOS supported so thats why I was using it)

 

[Engineer]

I'm not recommending any NIC, just giving my experience with the two I've used: Linksys and 3Com...I have both (one in each PC) and they are both working very nicely...I do notice the 3Com seems to be of better quailty, but as far as performance, I can see none...(your mileage may vary)....

For a home network, I'm not sure if the 3 Com is a better deal because of the difference in price.....

Good Luck in you choice...

P.S. I've also heard that Intel NIC's are very solid...There was a special of 2 for $39.99 not too long ago...Don't remember the link...Sorry..

 

[Ben]

I don't think 3Com is worth the extra money.

Go with Linksys or Intel.

 

[Zucchini]

I've had 2 intel cards, never a problem.. easiest to use and work great. Downside is price, ~40-50bux when i got them. I've had netgear too, sometimes work, sometimes hell. You do get what you pay for.

 

[Radboy]

I have the 3Com 905C - like a few others here. Think I only paid $35 for it at Buy.com - maybe $45? Was a while ago.

Don't think it's worth saving a few buck$ - not when NICs are so cheap, and not when networkm probs can make u pull your hair out.

Most agree that 3Com makes best NICs. While some feel the premium price is worth it, others don't. That's prolly a personal call.

I run WME, W2K Caldera Linux 2.4 & Mandrake 7 - all with no prob (Cable modem). Am happy.

Have no experience w/ any other NIC.

 

[beer]

I have both - one in my server (3com), and one in my desktop (Linksys). Ironically my desktop is more powerful than my server now

No problems in Win2K with either. I did lose the Linksys to a lightning strike over my DSL line this past spring, the RMA was hassle-free, if a bit long.

 

[GT1999]

We use all 3Com equipment at work for our dialup chassis and hubs/switches, as well as 3Com and Intel network cards in our server machines. For our 'tech' machines, they run Realtek-based 10/100 network cards with a Linksys hub (about a total of 5 computers on the hub, not bad at all), which is then ran up to the Cisco switch and routing system upstairs via a gateway. Let me stress that the machines running off of the 3Com equipment (comparing hub vs. hub, not hub vs. switch) the machines running 3Com boards run much better over the network. I have yet to see an option in the Realtek drivers to switch between different utilizations for the NIC, but the 3Com's (as well as mine) have more options than you can imagine in the drivers and software - including options for Normal, Minimal, and maximum network settings - which I find a little nice to have. For those of you yet to own a 3Com board, the settings in their software and excellent. The hardware may not be extremely different, but the drivers and software sure are. While it may be a premium, I find it well spent. I have experience with both and can tell the difference. Both 3Com and Intel have both served me well - Realtek on the other hand is alright (a much better bang for the buck), but not the best you can use. People who mean business run 3Com/Intel, IMO.

 

[Aboroth]

I honestly don't see what the problems are with Linksys cards. I have installed at least 30 Linksys model LNE100TX cards in extremely varying PC configurations at work and all of them installed without a hitch.

I haven't looked up any benchmarks for any NIC cards but unless you are constantly pumping data as fast as possible through that NIC, which isn't likely, don't worry about it and just get the cheapest 10/100 NIC you can find. You aren't going to see much, if any, difference between them in performance. Even assuming there is a small difference in performance, which I am not convinced of yet, I don't see how in the world 3com cards could ever be considered worth the extra cost to anybody using them in their own PC.

 

[jor888]

3com=expensive. 3com was selling 56k game modem for a rediculous price too with no diff to regular modem and now they are discontinue hehe.I got a cheap nic from compusa like $10 and it can go 10/100 and it works fine for me.

 

[abovewood]

I HATED all the Linksys products that I have used, including a PCMCIA 10/100 NIC, a PCI 10/100, and a 10/100 bub.

The PCMCIA card won't go over 10Mbit/sec with correct driver.
The PCI card can be installed but won't work, but be a bad card.
The 10/100 hub is very slow comparing to direct connection with a cross over cable.

About Netgear cards, Some systems at work with those always stop for like 3 seconds from time to time if the systems are not pluged in to the network.

I use 3Com and Intel NICs and get them at a reasonable price.

 

[ViGiL]

use netgear there cheap and good!!! $18.oo

 

[wezal]

Let me add another twist to this question because I am having problems up the Wazu! What NIC do you all recommend for a linux redhat 6.2 box? And since the one and only linux net driver site on the net http://cesdis.gsfc.nasa.gov/linux/drivers/ seems to be down (Any alternatives), please recomend one where the driver is built in. Thanks.