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These cards can offload some of the overhead your PC CPU would normally handle. In my family we have a network which has grown and grown. We recently upgraded our primary switch from fast ethernet (10 / 100 ethernet) to gigabit ethernet (10 / 100 / 1000 ethernet).The majority of our older PC's couldn't support gigabit ethernet. I would purchase again in the future is new cards were needed.
It was necessary to have drivers for this card before switching over to it on Windows XP Home. Windows Vista immediately installed drivers on boot, as did the Windows 7 RC.While I don't use Linux, this card has extensive Linux support, great Windows support, and is overall a well built ethernet device. I downloaded drivers for this card from the intel.com website before installing them. It turns out the LED's are flat on the card and shine through the holes in the metal on the back.
These older PC's supported fast ethernet, which is slower than gigabit ethernet.When looking for a new gigabit card to upgrade these PC's, my goal was not only gigabit speed, but also overall performance, then price.There is no shortage of inexpensive ethernet cards, not only here at Amazon, but at other online stores (who shall remain unnamed :). At first I thought they were missing status LED's as there were holes in the back where LED's usually sit. Our LAN has become increasingly significant to us. The result is an improved internet and LAN experience.These are small PCI OEM cards.
The price for this card is slightly higher than other gigabit cards, but we have noticed a performance improvement even when using fast ethernet (the old ethernet). We were using the old ethernet capability which came with the PC's (the integrated ethernet on the PC motherboard). Few had the high reviews of this intel ethernet NIC, and few seemed to claim performance enhancing technology.
Good card, good price.Is NOT compatible with Windows7 - Beta or RC1 :-(
With the great price, I will definitely buy from again. I received the product sooner than I thought. It installed easily and I was able to use it the same day.
like Intel with state-of-the art production, components and quality control. card at thesame speed.This is what to expect from a world-class mfr. I will also try theirnetworking products for workstations and servers I will build next. The assembly and soldering of this NIC are flawless. I will be using it ina 3E Ghz Pentium 4 ASUS with the TRENDnet TWG-BRF114 Firewall Router I'vepurchased from Amazon.com and bet it will beat any other mfr.
Wow, that was easy. I just received my NIC yesterday, installed it today in my computer which did have Windows 98 but I replaced with Unbuntu 8.10. The network card connected me to my cable network without my having to even download the drivers from the CD.
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