What Is a Network Interface Adapter?
A network interface adapter links an electronic device to a network by providing a two-way communication system for data flow between the device and the network. A network interface adapter can require an Ethernet cable that runs between the adapter and the network’s router or hub, or it can be wireless. Wireless network adapters must be matched to a wireless router, both sharing a common wireless standard to be interoperable. A network interface adapter can be an internal or an external model. An internal model is also known as a network interface card or NIC. Virtually all computers today are manufactured with a wireless network interface adapter installed internally. Installed NICs for wired networking were standard prior to wireless networking, and for many years computers came with both types of network adapters. The wired NIC is not always present on modern computers marketed to the public, as the call for it has waned considerably with the rise of wireless networking.
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