Your opinion: best NIC...

Brk · Post by **Brk** » Fri Jul 19, 2002 5:06 pm

I'm interested in hearing your opinions on what the best NIC is, in both the lower price ranges and the highest-end.

cyberskye · Post by **cyberskye** » Fri Jul 19, 2002 5:08 pm

realtek or network everywhere. Those are the best damn cards out there. Sure they are expensive, but worth every penny

mnosteele52 · Post by **mnosteele52** » Fri Jul 19, 2002 5:10 pm

I have a Linksys, Intel, 3Com & D-Link and I've tried them all and I recommend the 3Com.

Brk · Post by **Brk** » Fri Jul 19, 2002 5:12 pm

Originally posted by mnosteele52
I have a Linksys, Intel, 3Com & D-Link and I've tried them all and I recommend the 3Com.

Any particular model?

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Fri Jul 19, 2002 5:18 pm

3com 905cx series

example: 3c905cx-txnm

mnosteele52 · Post by **mnosteele52** » Fri Jul 19, 2002 5:23 pm

3C905-TX.

downhill · Post by **downhill** » Fri Jul 19, 2002 5:27 pm

What are you needing it for? For DSL or Cable...whatever's cheap...I have still to see an article that can prove a 40 dollar card is better than an 8 dollar special with most folk have a capped connection anyway.

For networking, I'd go with 3Com also.

Brk · Post by **Brk** » Fri Jul 19, 2002 7:30 pm

Originally posted by downhill
What are you needing it for? For DSL or Cable...whatever's cheap...I have still to see an article that can prove a 40 dollar card is better than an 8 dollar special with most folk have a capped connection anyway.

For networking, I'd go with 3Com also.

Cable modem.

A_old · Post by **A_old** » Fri Jul 19, 2002 7:38 pm

3com or intel.

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Fri Jul 19, 2002 7:53 pm

Originally posted by cyberskye
realtek or network everywhere. Those are the best damn cards out there. Sure they are expensive, but worth every penny

realtek is generic crap

3com is the best next i would say netgear then intel and linksys

LT-73 · Post by **LT-73** » Fri Jul 19, 2002 7:59 pm

I've got an intel Pro 100b and a NetGear FA310TX. The only difference between the 2 is about 8 dollars. To me i see no difference in internet speed or bandwith. So why should i buy a 40$ nic if it aint gonna change my speeds? Just for the sake of saying " oh i got this card or that card"?

Intel Pro 100b- 6 bucks
NetGear FA310TX- 12.99

Sid · Post by **Sid** » Fri Jul 19, 2002 9:02 pm

I perfer 3com nic's. The reason they are more $ is because they are PXE compliant. For a home network just about any card is ok. If your like me and constantly blowing your OS away and have a domain controller with RIS than the few extra bucks is worth it for the PXE nic.

A_old · Post by **A_old** » Fri Jul 19, 2002 9:11 pm

Originally posted by LT-73
I've got an intel Pro 100b and a NetGear FA310TX. The only difference between the 2 is about 8 dollars. To me i see no difference in internet speed or bandwith. So why should i buy a 40$ nic if it aint gonna change my speeds? Just for the sake of saying " oh i got this card or that card"?

Intel Pro 100b- 6 bucks
NetGear FA310TX- 12.99

cpu utilization is probably lower on the intel (as if it matters w/ today's processors

GatoNanashi · Post by **GatoNanashi** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 2:48 am

Originally posted by mnosteele52
I have a Linksys, Intel, 3Com & D-Link and I've tried them all and I recommend the 3Com.

Linksys has been good to me, so I am sticking by them

el bob · Post by **el bob** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 1:42 pm

3Com 3C905-TX hands down

You can get a used one on ebay for less than $15 shipped

Jamie_R · Post by **Jamie_R** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 5:39 pm

Intel or 3Com ... right now I'm using an Intel Pro 100 - no complaints at all.

tHE_0ne · Post by **tHE_0ne** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 6:48 pm

3COM / Linksys

on-board is good as well, If you have a good mobo

koldchillah · Post by **koldchillah** » Sun Jul 21, 2002 5:46 pm

When building a new system for a client, I always try to get a board with on-board LAN (3com, realtek or intel). I've never had a problem with on-board LAN bringing down system performance. At least not on the Asus boards I use for my clients.

When I'm adding a NIC to a client's PC. I use Netgear's FA311 which goes for about $15.

3COM's are really good solid NIC's but I get the Netgear FA311 for less and don't see any difference in the long run.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Mon Jul 22, 2002 9:53 am

You didn't specify "Best NIC for ///what///"

Meaning, just for some desktop to surf the web, or for a gaming machine....or....for a server. Because there is a difference between a workstation NIC and a server NIC. BIG difference in performance when you start getting lots of peeps logging onto your server....a workstation NIC will start gasping for air well before a server NIC even begins to break a sweat.

This is what I do for a living...small to medium sized networks. For several companies...for quite some period of time. I've seen them all.

Top choice for me...3COM...their 905 series is great for workstations, 990XP is great for servers. It's all I sell/install new.

Intel NIC's, their Pro series have been great for years. I use them on OEM machines when they come with them built in, preconfigured. My favorite brand back in the ISA slot days also.

Netgear I'll leave them in clients machines that I work on...trustworthy and great performers.

All other brands, if I come across them on a machine I'm working on, get tossed in the garbage.

While onboard NIC is becoming commonplace, I still prefer using cards....because once in a while you'll have a client who's building or wiring job doesn't survive a surge from lightening, etc. And in this field, my job is to get the client back up and running in a hurry. I carry spare NICs in my bag-o-tricks, and it's easy to simply swap out the bad NIC, get them up and running easy that way...RMA the bad one back to 3COM, when they ship me the new replacement...back into my bag-o-tricks. With onboard NICs...gotta go through the hassle of installing a PCI NIC to get them up and running quickly, (that is IF the motherboard is still good, or if the NIC itself just died) then dealing with replacing the motherboard which requires a second trip back, and unknown install problems if you couldn't replace the mobo with the same exact one.

64bit · Post by **64bit** » Mon Jul 22, 2002 11:52 am

3com for the high end card
D-link for the low end

Netgear NIC's are the worst and Linksys right behind. Wanna try a fun trick. Put a linksys LNE100 or a Netgear fa311 in your box. Then go to http://www.pogo.com and try and play games. Watch your box blue screen. You won't even get to play.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Mon Jul 22, 2002 11:57 am

I agree about the Linksys....flakey driver installs with odd versions...can't begin to remember how many peeps I've helped out at LAN parties trying to install Linksys NICs at the last minute...and having blue screen issues.

I put DLink equip down there below them even...total toys R us material.