NIC CARDS

Pghpooh

Senior member
Jan 9, 2000
791
1
81
HI
I will soon be switching from my old 56k modem to dsl.
I've never had to install a NIC card and I know nothing about them.
I will be using a external modem and will have to install a PCI NIC card.
Does a NIC card use bus mastering???
Am I safe in assuming that a NIC card will be plug and play and install in win98 se??????
Thanks
pghpooh
 

Electric Amish

Elite Member
Oct 11, 1999
23,578
1
0
Yeah, most NIC's are generally recognized under Win98SE. I usually use a NIC with a Realtek chipset. They've always been fine and they're really cheap. 3Com are recognized, but they are expensive. I've also heard good things about the Netgear and Linksys NIC's. Any of those should do you just fine. Prices range from $15 for the Realtek to $40 for the 3Com.

good luck.

amish
 

blade47

Golden Member
Dec 12, 1999
1,353
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0
I'm using D-Link and they're working great. I've got a 3com on the way to add to my network.
 

Ausm

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
25,213
14
81
Dlink 530 TX is cheap and reliable for what you are attempting to do..

Ausm

 

Noriaki

Lifer
Jun 3, 2000
13,640
1
71
Realtek, Linksys, DLink, Netgear would be my choices.
3com's are nice, but pricey.
Intel's NICs are suppose to be nice to, but I've never used one.
You can get a USB Ethernet NIC, then you don't have to install it :)
I have one right here...the @Home guys gave it to me when they installed my cable modem last night... (Yes I have a PCI NIC to..but it's not an @Home one so he didn't want to use it....don't ask why, couldn't tell ya)
 

jinsonxu

Golden Member
Aug 19, 2000
1,370
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I've an Intel one, trashed my 3Com one after it gave me problems with the bytemerge feature on the A7V.
 

Pghpooh

Senior member
Jan 9, 2000
791
1
81
HI
I wonder if I should have mentioned that my pc is just a old slow P166 classic on a FIC AT motherboard!!!
With such a old and slow setup,, would there be any particular card that might work best for me???
As for the bus mastering,, do I need that for any NIC cards? As far as I can tell, the FIC motherboard can do 1 pci skot as bus mastering.
Thanks
Pghpooh