Best Network Card ?

Rampage2884 · Post by **Rampage2884** » Tue Oct 09, 2001 4:39 pm

Can anyone please recommend a good network card for a cable modem user ?

I'm currently using a DLINK card, (forget what model, but the company gave it to me and it sux) ?

Just curious. Currently i'm 29 times faster then a 56k modem, by upgrading to a better network card, will my speed be faster ?

Thanks in advance

Lobo · Post by **Lobo** » Tue Oct 09, 2001 4:44 pm

I use LINKSY"s and it about 20 bucks or less and you can have it if you kill me

Rampage2884 · Post by **Rampage2884** » Tue Oct 09, 2001 4:51 pm

What model Lobo ?

anybody else with suggestions, I heard 3com was good.

Lobo · Post by **Lobo** » Tue Oct 09, 2001 5:04 pm

I have 7 of them and the 3Com is collecting dust like the other 6

Go to http://www.Linksy's.com or http://www.pricewatch.com

Lastest version I believe is 5

LINKSY's 10/100 LNE100TX

Rampage2884 · Post by **Rampage2884** » Tue Oct 09, 2001 5:07 pm

Thanks Lobo, you've been a great help.

Carla C · Post by **Carla C** » Tue Oct 09, 2001 5:09 pm

HIya,

He is absolutely right. I bought the linksys NIC Card as lobo suggested and it's great!

Carla

Lobo · Post by **Lobo** » Tue Oct 09, 2001 5:11 pm

Carla the new NIC Buffer setting for Medium BufferSize is 1805

EdTo · Post by **EdTo** » Tue Oct 09, 2001 7:58 pm

Nope its not 3Com or Intel whose NIC are the most expensive !
Seems like Netgear FA-310/311/312 has the overall best performance and cost.

You should read this review:
http://www.dslwebserver.com/nictest.html

funky · Post by **funky** » Tue Oct 09, 2001 8:02 pm

Realtek is what I am using, and it's great.

Rampage2884 · Post by **Rampage2884** » Tue Oct 09, 2001 8:08 pm

great guys. I read some reviews and the linksys NIC Card seems to be great. But then the Netgear FA-310/311/312 beats the linksys nic card in the review that edto gave me. Would you guys suggest the Linksys or the Netgear card ?

Lastly, if i install a new NIC Card, do i have to reinstall all the patches and configure the RWIN and everything else ?

ace · Post by **ace** » Tue Oct 09, 2001 8:20 pm

i like the linksys myself, i use them at almost every job. i can get those cards for nothin.

we also use smc1211 and the realtek. and in the very rare times that i use a isa slot i give them an smc or linksys. seems that i have better luck with the smc isa over the linksys isa.

EdTo · Post by **EdTo** » Tue Oct 09, 2001 11:12 pm

Rampage: I would get either the Netgear or the Linksys depending on the availability and cost in your area. Future Shops has both here in Canada and the the Linksys cost like $5 more at $34.95cdn compared to the NetGear A-311 at $29.95cdn. So if both cards were side by side, I would get the NetGear without wasting time and gas going around town looking for them. I myself got the the D-Link-DFE-530TX which has the VIA Rhine chip rather than the Realtek controller chip on the DFE-530TX+, but that was before I read this review.

Grimson · Post by **Grimson** » Tue Oct 09, 2001 11:44 pm

I use a realtek8029(as) and seems to be a decent card.

drdoug99 · Post by **drdoug99** » Wed Oct 10, 2001 12:33 am

I got a SMC 1211TX, seems to do good. no problems, speeds are fine, (although capped) so I can't really tell if a different NIC card would matter, since I'm capped and all.

EvilAjax · Post by **EvilAjax** » Wed Oct 10, 2001 2:20 am

Linsys LNE200TX Fast Ethernet Adapter has never given me problems

(Fingers are crossed)

And yup, $19.95 plus tax, comes out to about $22.45

Sting · Post by **Sting** » Fri Oct 12, 2001 1:17 am

I was using a Realtek RTL8139, which was built into the motherboard. It wasn’t too bad, but I wanted a little better. I tried a 3Com, and to tell you the truth it didn’t perform as well as the Realtek, so I removed it.
Then I had taken Lobo’s advice and purchased a Linksys LNE100TX ver.5. My download speeds have “Doubled”. I paid $19.95 for it at Best Buy and so far it’s been my best investment.

Lobo · Post by **Lobo** » Fri Oct 12, 2001 8:05 am

I've got the NETGEAR too, but not as fast as the LINKSY's, you people with the @home special &6.00 apiece is what @Home pays for them and I would rather marry your granmother than have one of those

Rampage2884 · Post by **Rampage2884** » Sat Oct 13, 2001 1:33 pm

Hey Lobo, is the Linksys LNE100TX-CA (version 4.1) the same as the LNE100TX (version 5) ?

Can I upgrade to version 5 and lastly, do both cards perform the same ?

Rampage2884 · Post by **Rampage2884** » Sat Oct 13, 2001 1:40 pm

One more thing Lobo,
Im using win xp, so do i use the win2000 drivers or install no drivers ?

cablenut · Post by **cablenut** » Sat Oct 13, 2001 2:16 pm

The Netgear FA310/FA311/FA312 are probably the best price/performance cards out there. In LAN speed testing where a ethernet card really shows it's true colors the Netgear attains one of the fastest results.

Ethernet Testing Guide:
http://www.dslwebserver.com/main/testing.html

The Intel line of Ethernet adapters (8460b chipsets) aren't all too hot in the performance, or price category, but they are excellent at cpu usage/utilization. Their drivers are not the most user friendly.

Linksys, Realtek, and SMC cards fall into the bottom dollar line of ethernet cards. The only one of these cards I can recommend is the Linksys, but only because it isn't as horrible as the SMC/Realtek cards, and it is supported in Linux nativlely.

3Com makes some great cards also like the 3C509x model line, which sport Checksum offloading for decreased processor usage. Most of their drivers are all PnP in Windows, and Linux also.

I'd recommend a 3Com 3C509b, or a Netgear FA310 to someone both are cheap, fast, and highly supported.

Lobo · Post by **Lobo** » Sat Oct 13, 2001 4:18 pm

Yes WIN XP has drivers for these cards

NotFastEnough · Post by **NotFastEnough** » Sat Oct 13, 2001 10:02 pm

Linksys man, Linksys!