3Com 3CSOHO100 manual Understanding Network Interface Cards, About the OfficeConnect NIC

Understanding Network Interface Cards 15

Understanding Network Interface Cards

A network interface card (NIC) is a printed circuit board that plugs into a PC expansion slot in your computer to provide a connection to a network.

Once the NIC is installed in your PC, you connect it to the network media (cabling, such as unshielded twisted-pair [UTP]), which in turn connects to all the devices on

the network.

About the OfficeConnect NIC

The OfficeConnect NIC is a 10/100 Mbps PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) NIC. It connects your PC to a 10 Mbps Ethernet or 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet network.

Figure 2 OfficeConnect NIC

TX

RJ-45 port

DATA

LEDs

ACT
10	L
100	N
	K

The OfficeConnect NIC backplate has three light-emitting diodes (LEDs):

■10 LNK (link)

■100 LNK (link)

■ACT (activity)