The best network card

The adapter is at the second, channel layer of the OSI model. For the operating system to know how to communicate with the network card, a driver must be installed. These usually come with the device or are available on the manufacturer's official website. Many Windows versions are able to pick up installed adapters in the system without installing additional drivers. As for Linux distributions, almost all of them can work with the adapter out of the box. So why do you need a network card in your computer and how does it work?

Choosing the best network card for connecting the Internet on your computer and laptop: top adapter rating in 2020

Network adapter is a device that can give a new experience and show that the set speed of the Internet earlier is far from the limit.

*Review of the best according to the editors of Zuzako.com. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective, not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to purchase. It is necessary to consult with a specialist before purchase.

Network adapter is a necessary part for a computer or laptop, because it allows you to create a high-speed connection to the Internet. Such a device works with the drivers installed on the operating system, thanks to which you can configure all the necessary functions. Network cards come in two kinds: built-in and discrete, which go a separate way. According to user reviews, you should only choose a device from a well-known brand, as equipment from unknown companies will be of worse quality. When choosing, it is also important to pay attention not only to the brand, but also to the capacity of the device, the quality of the assembly, the materials of the adapter housing and other things.

The Zuzako editorial team decided to find out which models are considered the best and what criteria users use to rate them highly. It is on the basis of this collected information that she compiled a ranking of the best NICs of 2020.

Popular Network Card Companies

The top models of network adapters were compiled after a detailed study of popular brands that offer external and internal devices for computers and laptops. Among all the companies, you can select the top five that have earned the trust of customers and offer a quality product with excellent value for money. These are:

1. D-Link – Taiwanese brand. For many years produces a variety of computer equipment on the world market.
2. TP-Link – A popular Chinese manufacturer. By right, it is considered the best brand, which produces computer and telecommunications equipment.
3. Intel – A multinational company. Produces a variety of equipment for PC.
4. Realtek – Another company from Taiwan. It does not have its own production, but develops microchips instead.
5. Acorp – brand. Produces a variety of computer equipment for the past 26 years.

There are other good companies like HP or gembird, but the main thing to remember is not to buy a device from a no-name brand, because it can be of low quality.

Rating of the best network cards

Nomination	place	product name	price
Best NICs up to 1Gbps	1	Intel I210-T1	2 399 ₽
2	Intel EXPI9301CT	1 600 ₽
3	ZYXEL GN680-T	–
4	D-link DGE-560T/C1	770 ₽
Top Network Cards up to 10Gbps	1	Intel X550-T2	21 702 ₽
2	D-link DXE-810T	15 298 ₽
3	Synology E10G18-T1	11 211 ₽
4	ASUS XG-C100C	7 090 ₽

Expertology has shortlisted four network cards for the first category, all of which have different features that may be important to choose from. The experts did not consider the most expensive options, focusing on the needs of the most mass target audience.

Intel I210-T1

The nomination opens with the most powerful, functional and expensive network card in this selection. Not the last but not the least price was set by Intel brand, but here there is no brand overpayment, just an adequate assessment of quality, reliability and functionality.

The card is connected via PCI-E. It has one RJ-45 slot for Ethernet wired connection. Supports three speed modes – 100, 100 and 1000 Mb/sec. Gives "true" maximum speed without stuttering. Suitable as a great replacement for regular integrated network card to increase real speed and offload CPU resources.

The device supports Jumbo Frame technology, which is very useful when exchanging data over long distances, additional CPU load reduction or when using PPPoE. When working with a dense stream of data at high speeds additional help in offloading the processor provides technology Interrupt Moderation (coordinating interrupts), TCP Checksum Offload and TCP Segmentation.

Best NICs up to 10Gb/s

In the second Expertology's Best NICs category we take a look at four powerful devices that can efficiently and smoothly transfer data at speeds up to 10Gbps. Our experts did not include the top models in the review due to their prohibitive cost. We present you the best solutions in this segment of telecommunications equipment, which are designed for "industrial" use in the networks of enterprises and organizations, but not requiring an immeasurable budget.

Intel X550-T2

Opens the rating the most expensive network card in the review, but far from the most expensive on the market. Nevertheless, its cost is comparable with the price of not the cheapest modern gadgets or not bad household appliances. Therefore, this purchase is reasonable almost exclusively for the device branched local network medium or relatively large enterprises or in the equipment of specialized companies that provide telecommunications services.

This is a low-profile card with the height of 140 mm, width of 20 mm and depth of 200 mm. Weight is 320g. It is connected via PCI-E 3.0×8 interface. The main factor that determines the purpose of the device and its price – the presence of two RJ-45 ports and support for a number of technologies, due to which the model is one of the most successful solutions for building converged networks.

In this model a number of classic and innovative technologies are implemented. On the hardware level it has QoS and traffic management; VMDq virtualization technology to improve efficiency and reduce the load on the hypervisor and CPU; flexible port partitioning support; direct access to some hardware features of the host (or PC) by SR-IOV technology; intelligent hardware resource offload system; Intel Data Direct I/O proprietary technology to improve data exchange process.

The main characteristics of network cards

There are quite a few characteristics of the adapters. But for home use, most of them are of no use. So let's consider those points that, one way or another, significantly affect the price and scope of use:

• Data rate. Almost all modern devices, even those for 500 rubles, can support transmission speeds of 1 Gigabit. Therefore, there is no significant difference here. However, it is worth paying attention to this parameter;
• The interface or type of connection. This is the way the network card will be connected to your computer. Currently there are three predominant connection types on the market: USB, PCI and PCI-E;
• the number of RJ-45 connectors. If you plan to use the computer to transmit the Internet to the next link in the network or just need a local network, then it is worth looking at the models that have on board 2 or more connectors;
• card profile. There is a misconception that a low profile card, or Low Profile, means that it only takes up one slot. It doesn't. The low profile in networking as well as graphics cards refers to the width of the board. In simple terms, it is the height of the card above the motherboard. Although almost all network cards are low-profile, if there is not enough space inside the system unit, you should stop at a device with a Low Profile.

All other characteristics are not so important, and in most cases they can be ignored.

Network card types by connection method

Earlier we briefly touched the subject of connecting adapters. Let's analyze it in more detail. We can divide all such devices into three big types: integrated, internal and external.

Integrated or built-in

Probably the most common type. These are chips that are mounted on the motherboard. Accordingly, the back panel has all the necessary connectors. Most modern motherboards come with this type of network adapter. It is worth noting that Wi-Fi modules are also network cards for the computer, however, they are usually so called – "Wi-Fi module", of course, if it is not integrated.

Internal PCI and PCI-E network cards

These devices are individual cards that are mounted in specific slots or buses. The most common are PCI and PCI-E. The first form factor is gradually becoming obsolete and gives way to PCI-E. But still these cards can be found on the market. PCI-E can have different lengths. But this parameter is usually ignored when specifying specifications, since it is standardized. PCI and PCI-E can easily be differentiated It is worth mentioning the PCMCIA standard separately. This specification was developed as an expansion module and was very widely used in laptops of yesteryear. With its help it was possible to connect not only network cards, but also many other types of equipment. Nowadays, this standard is practically not supported.

External USB NICs

Relatively new trend in the adapter market. It is an external device connected to the USB port. Outwardly it looks like a flash drive. All chips are hidden in a neat casing. In the simplest case it can have one RJ-45 connector. Very convenient and compact kind of network card.

How to choose a discrete module

In cases where a person needs to buy a device separately, it is important to know the basic criteria. Then no problems with the purchase will not arise, because the user will know in advance what he needs and why.

• It is necessary to determine which connection method is most convenient. After all, constantly climbing into the PCI-E slot is difficult and time-consuming. If you plan to connect the product to several PCs, pay attention to the variants that support USB interface.
• It is important to clearly understand for what purpose you are buying a network card, whether it will only be used on a home computer or designed for installation in a particular company's PC.
• How much money can be spent. A set budget will not allow you to go overboard, but still find a good option that will last for several years and will not overheat from frequent use.

However, most should answer the question beforehand: is a new network card so necessary? It is one thing to buy a model because of a breakdown, which is common, and another because a neighbor or friend uses it. As mentioned above, some manufacturers install not bad integrated modules, which is why replacing them with budget NICs is not the best idea.

Of course, if the user is not satisfied with the bandwidth of integrated models, it is worth thinking about buying high-speed and reliable equipment. But if everything is fine and it is not planned to download or upload gigabytes of information, there is no point in buying a new network card.

Good manufacturers

The advantage of choosing discrete devices is that they are produced by dozens of popular manufacturers. On the store shelf there are models made by companies such as:

It's important to understand that each manufacturer focuses on its customer. For example, Acorp and D-Link produce devices designed for a wide audience. While Intel is more focused on creating models that are used on powerful servers. That is why the cost of the final product is different everywhere.

• Low cost, so their devices can buy almost all users;
• The quality of operation is much higher than that of built-in modules;
• No complicated maintenance is required. You only need to clean dust from time to time. Otherwise, overheating will happen.

Top 4 best external network cards at a low price in 2023

The device is small and doesn't take up much space, so it's easy to take with you. It's also quick to connect to, which saves a significant amount of time.

• compactness;
• design;
• folding cable;
• quality materials;
• appearance;
• transmission stability;
• universal compatibility;
• supports Plug & Play.

The device is suitable for those whose computer does not have an additional network port.

Compact equipment that will provide users with uninterrupted access to the "Internet".

Adapter automatically detects the speed of the connection. In addition, users have access to one-way and two-way exchange at supported rates of information.

An ordinary adapter, does its job well, transmits information quickly and does not slow anything down.

• appearance;
• quality;
• durability;
• reliability;
• No need for drivers;
• no effort is needed to connect;
• availability of the necessary functions.

Users in such devices, above all, appreciate the ease of use. A particular model has everything you need, so there will be no need for additional expenses.

The device works even at a distance, the speed remains the same even when performing several actions on the Internet simultaneously (for example, watching a movie and playing an online game).

With built-in CCA technology, users avoid channel confusion because the technology is automatically able to select free channels.

Top – 5 best expensive external network cards in 2023

The model leaves only a positive impression when working.

High-quality adapter, which will be an indispensable thing for those who do not have the opportunity to access the Internet with a network cable.

A compact LAN adapter for which you can connect without opening the system unit.

The device saves computer power. The card has no external power, so it is compact compared to other devices.

The card is designed to connect to household appliances and devices to the Internet.

The famous brand has distinguished itself in the production of adapters. There is no doubt that the product is of high quality and meets all the necessary requirements of users.

The model works without any problems or complaints. The conductor is branded, suitable for equipment of the same manufacturer, because it often happens that products from other brands worsen the condition of the "socket".

A universal model that will provide the Internet not only a PC or laptop, but also a tablet. Accordingly, it is an ideal addition for any device.

• quality;
• you do not need to install any additional software;
• speed;
• PXE network boot function;
• lightweight;
• LED power-on indicator;
• has remote on Wol;
• Wake-on-LAN support.

The adapter is compatible with almost all devices, saves power at low load.

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