Networking Cards (NIC)

If you need electronics connectivity and your computer doesn't have factory-installed networking ability, then you need to add network cards. Network interface cards, or NICs, are the hardware that allows computers to connect to each other. Together with drivers (software that runs the NIC) and a router, you can turn any computer into part of a network. And, with the money you've saved at Overstock.com, you can afford a second computer.

Every laptop computer or desktop computer is networking capable if they have an NIC card or space to attach one. Since laptop computers are small, network cards that plug into USB ports were created. There are two types of network adapters--wired and wireless.

The most common wired network uses an Ethernet card and matching computer cable. Ethernet cards were designed for networking computer equipment in the same building and have been popular for more than three decades. Computer equipment that's "hard-wired," as they used to say, can trade data quickly and with a high degree of security.

Wireless cards are a newer technology that works very much like a two-way radio; data is transmitted from one computer to another instead of via computer cables. Install a wireless card in each computer and you can place those computers up to 100 feet apart without losing contact. You will need a wireless router and, since you are broadcasting, computer security is necessary to keep your data private. Wireless cards tend to be slower than hard-wire networking. However, you have more freedom--you don't have to string computer cables all over the place.

Whichever NIC you choose, choose online shopping at Overstock.com--the computer store (and more) that saves you 30, 50 even 70 percent over retail.