which ethernet card too get?

[LordChaos]

Hi,

In about a Month or so here in my home town,, we`ll be getting
Cable Modem(RoadRunner)

Cable Customer Service said that they will supply the Card if
we don`t not have one...
but i rather buy a good Card..
10 Base-T Ethernet Card/w RJ45 Connetor
they said i`ll need..

now, i have no idea which one too get?

Help! Plz!!

Thx

LordChaos

 

[Supergax]

If you want high quality I'd say Intel, like the Intel Pro 10/100+. 3com 3c905 cards are also good, but I personally prefer Intel. Depending on where you get these cards from, and whether they are OEM or retail, price can range up to $100. If you are looking for the best bang for your buck, I suggest Netgear, like the FA311 or FA312 (difference is FA312 has wake-on-lan). For one of my computers I picked up the Netgear FA312 for 25 bucks from mwave. I live in upstate New York, and I know my Road Runner service uses very very generic nic's, when they installed it they gave me a 10/100 f=ma nic, which seemed to have some issues with packet loss.

 

[crazydave]

If money is not an issue I too would go with Intel or 3Com. When I got my cable modem installed (AT&T @Home), they threw in a Allied Telesyn for free. I happened to have a 3Com in my computer at the time already so I just held on to the one they gave me. When I built my new computer a few months ago I needed an ethernet card so I just popped in the Allied Telesyn they gave me and it works no problems. The only problems I've noticed from previous experience with cheap ethernet cards is that sometimes there are problems installing the drivers which I usually don't have with the higher quality ones. I also had a particularly nasty problem with the Netgear FA312 (which others have fortunately not had before)... see my posting in this thread...

 

[Wik]

3Com are great no hassle cards. But like crazydave said go ahead and let them install a card for you. You can then take it out to put in the card of your choice and then have an extra card for what ever. I let @home install a card in mine and it was a nice SMC 1211TX card that I happen to love.

 

[bozack]

I wouldnt let them get near my computer for an install, of any kind-just get a decent nic (linksys, netgear, 3com, intel) and keep whatever pos they give you as a spare. However if you value your system do not let their under paid techs get near it 🙂

read my @home post and you'll see why

 

[PCAddict]

The cable companies around her use an external USB ethernet adapter. I'd let them give it to you, then install your own card later. That way you have a backup if something happens, or a NIC for a second PC/laptop. Just my $.02

 

[Cnuke]

Supergax list the two I would pick from and that is 3Com and Intel. It is worth the money to get quality when dealing with nics. Remember you are only as strong as your weakest link.

I would talk with you provider as well. With my provider, they will not support a 3 party modem. So if you do have problems they will most likely blame the problem on your modem. If you purchase theirs, they dont have an out. They will fix the problem.

Just a thought.

 

[Zxcvbnm]

I got cable modem a few years back, and I recall RoadRunner gave me a 3Com NIC. If that is still the case, no need to get another card? or you can always wait for them to have installed and see what came along with it and get another card if the card isn't trouble-free?

 

[InTheClouds]

If you want to go cheap I have had good luck with Linksys cards and they are really cheap.