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Which NIC to buy for dsl?

B

bannor11

Member
I have a home network with 5 computers with pacbell dsl. We have a netgear router and a linksys 5 port switch. I have a generic pci network card that only supports 10mbit half duplex. I'd like to get a 10/100 NIC card that's cheap and performs well. Any suggestions and/or links? Thanks!
 
I'd personally recommend an Intel Pro/100+ Management Adapter. They kick ass, & they're not all that expensive. I paid ~$45 for mine, & I love it. The cool thing about it is not only does it perform well, you don't need to screw with drivers. 98SE detects & installs all the drivers just fine. Drop it in, turn it on, reboot, & you're up & running. Plus, it should work in most OS's, since it's so wide-spread.

There are cheaper NICs that will function just as well for DSL, but go with a quality one. You won't regret it.

Viper GTS
 
Which card would you guys prefer?

3Com EtherLink 10/100 PCI NIC for Complete PC Management (3C905C-TX-M) - $39.50

or

Intel PRO/100+ Management PCI w/WOL (PILA8460B) - $35.75

The price really isn't an issue as both are about the same. Which one's better in terms of overall performance and installation?

...or is there something else around this price range that's better?
 
Never had any problems with Linksys LNE10/100... windows 98 and 2000 detected it and for the other versions using a more updated processor on board (ie version 4) the drivers go in real easy for any OS (that includes windows95 and NT4).

That's what I'd go with.

BTW I hate the 3COM drivers for some strange reason. They have given me trouble from time to time. So between the two I'd go Intel... Man, never thought I'd say that.
 
I'd say just go to Staples/Best Buy/etc. (whatever is local) and pickup a Netgear or Linksys, I got a Linksys and Netgear from Staples and my friend also has a few netgears and haven't had any probs. Can usually get em for about $20.
 
I personally prefer the no-name cheap ones. $9 for a PCI 10/100 card, which benchmarks no differently from any of the more expensive cards I have tested is good enough for me.

 
D-Link's are fantastic for the price...and run great at overclocked PCI speeds (no problems at 41.5MHz PCI).
 
Try the Linksys LNE100TX. You can pick them up online for about $12-15. I've got four systems using them and never had a problem.
 
Here's a third vote for the Netgear FA310TX. I personally don't see the point in paying more for a 3Com or Intel NIC vs. a cheap $10-$20 10/100 NIC for a home network, especially since they perform just as well. The FA310TX has solid drivers for Win98/ME/2K, as well as support for a multitude of Unix/Linux platforms.
 
I have to vote for the Intel card as well. They are all I use in my home machines. I have DSL with an external modem too.

I hear the 3Coms are good too, though. I haven't ever used a Linksys or Dlink NIC in a destop computer. We use some Linksys PCMCIA NICs at work, and have driver trouble with them sometimes.

DR
🙂
 


<< What advantages do the 3com and Intel nics have? >>

Dealer: Unless you are dealing with an corporate or enterprise network, I would say that the only advantage these expensive NICs have is bragging rights for your friends. When dealing with hundreds of PCs in a corporate environment where performance and reliability are much more important than at home rather where price is important, then I would go 3Com/Intel.

For home, I don't like the ultra-cheap $10 jobbies. I think a good balance between price and reliabililty/name brand is Linksys, D-Link &amp; Netgear I've used these three brands with no problems...but that doesn't mean other people haven't had problems. Give one of those a shot and if you have problems, go to the other. Basically it comes down to which one of those you can get the best price per port on. If you have to go Intel/3Com, be prepared to pay 100 to 300% MORE per 10/100 card.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I just ordered the Netgear FA310TX for $17.95 from Onvia. I know the Linksys one is only $9 after rebate but the netgear card just looks more impressive from hardware point-of-view. Thanks!
 
I'd stay away from 3Com. A lot of people really like them but we have a 3Com network at work and I have to repair it monthly. At the least, I'd say their not worth the extra money.

At home I use Linksys and Intel. Both have been totally reliable.

One reason to go with Intel over Linksys is the grouping that you can do with the Intel cards, combining 2 or more cards in a single machine to act as a single card.

On the other hand the Linksys cards will do 98% of what you want them to do. I have an internet proxy computer set up right now with 3 Linksys NIC's! I've had LAN parties in the past also and I always tell the newbies to get Linksys cards. You can't beat them. Their cheap, easy to install, and perform well.
 
For dsl any nic is fine. I currently have a $0 accton nic (it was free) hooked up to my dsl connection. I get the same speed as anybody on verizon dsl.
 
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