Which NIC to buy?

[wkabel23]

EDIMAX Gigabit PCI Ethernet Adapter

INTEL PRO 100 S

3com 10/100Mbps PCI Ethernet Adapter

I need a good, fast NIC that doesn't use too much of the CPU. My old NIC had a problem with too many incoming connections and would often crash whenever BT was open. I'm not sure if I should go cheaper because the last time I went cheap the NIC sucked.

The Edimax is the only gigabit one out of those 3 but I hadn't heard of them untill I searched newegg earlier. Of those 3 which one is the best? All 3 are the same price. Or should I buy a different one?

Thanks for the help

Don't think the Intel link is working, heres some more info on it if the link is broken:

INTEL PRO 100 S Desktop Ethernet Adapter, Model PILA8460C3 - OEM

Model# PILA8460C3
Item # N82E16833106110

Specifications:
Standard: 802.2, 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3x, 802.1p/Q
Data Transfer Rates: 10/100Mbps
Connectors: RJ-45
Encryption: DES(56bit)/3DES(168bit)
Bus: 32-bit PCI
On-board Memory: 18KB
Drivers: Microsoft Windows 9x/Me/2000/NT/XP, Novell NetWare 3.x/4.11/4.2/5.x, SunSoft Solaris 2.6/7.0, SCO UnixWare 2.1.2/2.1.3/7, Linux 2.2.5 or later
Special Features: Integrated security co-processor, Advanced management for lower support costs, intel® SingleDriver? technology simplifies installation and maintenance

 

[n0cmonkey]

I personally like Intel, but I'd consider going gigabit in this situation. Not sure though.

 

[Torghn]

I would go with the gigabit card. The best performance I've seen over a fast ethernet network was with gigabit cards.

 

[jackschmittusa]

I have installed a lot of nics over the years and the most trouble free inexpensive ones in my opinion are from D-Link.

 

[DaTT]

In a somewhat related note......is there any advantages/disadvantages to using the on-board ethernet adapter?

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: DaTT
In a somewhat related note......is there any advantages/disadvantages to using the on-board ethernet adapter?

not really. they all perform very close to each other.

 

[Boscoh]

Only problem I see with using the onboard NIC's is when you're using dual onboard NIC's. If you're looking for redundancy I'd add a NIC to the system. With a lot of boards, if one onboard NIC fails, they both do.

That said, I like Intel NIC's for servers. As well as pretty much anything that's got a Broadcom server chipset in it.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Broadcom scares the open source zealot in me. So does Marvell.

 

[skyking]

I've only had netgear NICs outright fail, two of them now. I killed an 3com, but everything else that was on that mobo is dead too.................

 

[Vette73]

Either go giga, or get the 10/100 version of the giga card and save some money


10/100 reltek Cheap

 

[wkabel23]

Thanks for all the replies, looks like I'll go with the giga

 

[ToeJam13]

I'd only consider the Gigabit NIC if you have or will soon be getting a 1000BaseTX switch, or plan on just hooking two desktops together with a back-to-back crossover cable. Just because it can go faster, doesn't mean that its better.

The Intel PRO/100 NICs are one of the best Fast Ethernet NICs you can get. I use them in all of my workstations and desktops that don't have Fast Ethernet built in, and even a few that do. With the PROSet drivers, you can adjust between performance and CPU useage. Also, unlike cards from companies like D-Link and Netgear, my systems don't chug or stall when doing huge downloads under 9x/Me on my older P2 or K6 systems. I even get drivers to use under DOS 6.22 or 9x in DOS mode when I feel like playing a little Duke Nuke'Em or Doom in multiplayer mode. You can even pick them up 2nd hand on eBay.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: ToeJam13
I'd only consider the Gigabit NIC if you have or will soon be getting a 1000BaseTX switch, or plan on just hooking two desktops together with a back-to-back crossover cable. Just because it can go faster, doesn't mean that its better.

The Intel PRO/100 NICs are one of the best Fast Ethernet NICs you can get. I use them in all of my workstations and desktops that don't have Fast Ethernet built in, and even a few that do. With the PROSet drivers, you can adjust between performance and CPU useage. Also, unlike cards from companies like D-Link and Netgear, my systems don't chug or stall when doing huge downloads under 9x/Me on my older P2 or K6 systems. I even get drivers to use under DOS 6.22 or 9x in DOS mode when I feel like playing a little Duke Nuke'Em or Doom in multiplayer mode. You can even pick them up 2nd hand on eBay.

While you are definitely right, generally gigabit nics are built for higher speeds and handle the lower speeds even better than fast ethernet cards.

 

[Kristi2k]

Why not go with an Intel Giga NIC?

 

[mamisano]

Don't bother with that Piece-o-crap Edimax "Gigabit" card. It uses the Realtech chipset and is not a great card at all. I picked up 2 of them and they did not work well at all in my network. Returned them to NewEgg and picked up on Intel Gigabit cards from Ebay. The throughput on the cards was terrible. Be warned

 

[ToeJam13]

While you are definitely right, generally gigabit nics are built for higher speeds and handle the lower speeds even better than fast ethernet cards.

A cheap chipset is still a cheap chipset. Remember the old adge: You get what you pay for.

A lot of the lower priced cards will have cheaper logic chip on them. You might see problems with autonegotiation, increased error counts with poor cables due to inexpensive tranceivers, higher CPU utilization, conflict with other cards, and a host of other problems.

Granted, a cheap Gigabit card will most likely be better than a cheap Fast Ethernet card. However, in my experience as a sysadmin for ten years, I've ground more cheap cards under my heel than ones from companies like DEC, Intel, or 3Com.

 

[wkabel23]

So the Intel Pro 100 S is the one to buy?

 

[Brazen]

I like using all Intel Pro/100 at work and plan on eventually moving to Intel Pro/1000. At home, for something cheap, Linksys or onboard.

 

[mamisano]

Yes, the Pro 100 S. Check out Ebay for Intel Gigabit, might be close in price. Think I paid around $30 for Gigabit Intel. Nice card.

 

[cmetz]

Intel PWLA8390MT Pro/1000MT is $34 shipped from ZipZoomFly. Good choice.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: ToeJam13

While you are definitely right, generally gigabit nics are built for higher speeds and handle the lower speeds even better than fast ethernet cards.

A cheap chipset is still a cheap chipset. Remember the old adge: You get what you pay for.

A lot of the lower priced cards will have cheaper logic chip on them. You might see problems with autonegotiation, increased error counts with poor cables due to inexpensive tranceivers, higher CPU utilization, conflict with other cards, and a host of other problems.

Granted, a cheap Gigabit card will most likely be better than a cheap Fast Ethernet card. However, in my experience as a sysadmin for ten years, I've ground more cheap cards under my heel than ones from companies like DEC, Intel, or 3Com.

Makes sense. I haven't messed with gigabit much, just heard they were generally better than 10/100 cards at 10/100 speeds. Of course, I probably heard it from someone that uses decent cards, and I tend to favor intel cards myself.