How to set up a network card?

What is a network card?

 

A network card or wired network adapter is a connecting element that allows a device to connect to a network. You can connect both via cable, Wi-Fi network, and using a special program, since the operation of this device directly depends on the installed drivers. Sometimes, network cards are also called Ethernet adapters or network cards, based on how the connector and data transmission systems are called.

 

Why do I need a network card?

 

The purpose of the network card is to create a local and wireless network, where it forms a connection between a PC (laptop) and other important elements in this chain.

 

Network card features:

 

- transmission and reception of data;

- creating data packages;

- traffic tracking (incoming and outgoing);

- encryption and decryption of data that has been sent and received;

- device control in a remote format, for example, such a function as Wake-On-Lan (PC wake-up).

 

How to connect a network card?

 

If you have a question about how to connect a network adapter, then this section is for you.

In the case of the first connection of a network card, the device system will detect new equipment, make a certain selection of drivers for the Ethernet adapter and indicate the appropriate option for this automatically. You can also take an installation disk with a driver or simply download it from the official website of the hardware manufacturer.

It is important to understand here that the parameters of the network card and driver are an important detail and they need to be checked for operability. After checking, you need to connect the network adapter with a cable in order to connect to your home network.

If you see that there is no connection, you need to check if the cable is correctly inserted into the PC connector, if it has any mechanical damage, and also make sure that the modem or router is working.

 

How to properly configure the network card?

 

Setting up takes some time, but the process itself is not difficult. Consider detailed instructions on how to configure a network card.

 

Step 1.

Before setting up the card, it is important to check that the drivers are working properly. For this you need:

 

- go to the “Control Panel” through the “Start” button;

- click "Device Manager" - "Network adapters".

 

To the left of the section name is a “triangle”. If it shows an exclamation mark, then the driver for the network card is not installed and you will need to download them yourself.

 

How to find drivers?

 

- on the official website of the network card manufacturer;

- on a disc that sometimes comes with the device;

- If you see a “down arrow” opposite the network adapter in the “Device Manager” window on the left, the network card is turned off by software;

- In this case, you need to enable it by hovering over the name of the network card, right-clicking "Enable".

 

Step 2.

Now directly setting up the network card itself:

 

- go to the "Control Panel";

- then to the "Network and Sharing Center";

- and “Change adapter settings”;

- open the “Network Connections” menu, select the desired network card;

- right-click on the name and go to "Properties";

- at the end, you need to check the boxes “Obtain an IP address automatically” and “Obtain DNS server address automatically”.

 

Step 3.

If the network card setting is correct, when you hover over the computer icon, the inscription "Internet access" will appear.

However, if you see a computer label with a red cross on it, this means that the computer is not connected to a network cable from a router or directly from an Internet provider.

If the cable is connected, but you still see that LAN with a red cross, the problem may lie in the connector or the network card itself.

It happens that there is a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark on the computer icon - this may indicate that the Internet is not connected for one of the following reasons:

 

- upgrades or repairs of the provider's network;

- incorrect settings of user equipment;

- failure of the functions of network protocols.

 

How to replace the network adapter?

In case you have a problem with the network adapter, you can always try to replace it yourself, as the process is not complicated and absolutely any PC user can handle it.

 

Replacing the network adapter on a PC

To begin with, it is necessary to turn off the device systemically and preferably from the power source itself (socket). Unscrew the bolts on the back cover of the system unit. Then, in the PCI bus, remove the unusable card, and install a new one instead. The installation process is completed (fix the back cover of the system unit).

 

Replacing the network adapter on a laptop

In principle, this process does not differ from what is described above, but there are a couple of small nuances. First, completely turn off the laptop, disconnect it from the network, and after that you can proceed with the installation of the back cover of the laptop - you will need to unscrew all the bolts and find the desired module. It is important to disconnect the antenna, in fact, these are two ordinary wires that come from the adapter (just get it out of the groove). Then replace the component in the reverse order.

After all the manipulations, turn on the PC and go to the network card settings by installing the appropriate drivers.

 

If there are any difficulties with setting up the device or replacing it, it is better to contact the specialized computer service specialists.

 

The network card is an integral part of the PC, which is the link between your device and the network. If there are interruptions in the Internet, contact the support operator to identify and eliminate the cause of the problem.