PCI Network Cards

PCI Network Card - Built-in wireless or wired network for your computer

Would you like the option to connect your desktop PC to a larger network, while also getting a good and solid connection?

Then you may need a PCI network card that allows you to connect to several different networks and also provides a faster and more stable connection.

Most modern PCs have a network card built into the motherboard, but this is often used for the internet socket.

If you need access to more than one network, then you may need a network card, as there is often only one network socket available in a PC.

A PCI network card must be installed in the actual motherboard of the PC, which often has a PCI socket that the card fits into.

It can be advantageous if your company has its own network, which you want to ensure your PCs have a good and solid connection to.

This can significantly reduce the waiting time that you might experience if you have to search for large or many files on the network at the same time.

In general, it can also just be an advantage if there are many people on the same network, as it can strain the speed if many are using it at once.

To be able to access a solid network, whether at work or home, you might want to upgrade your PC with a PCI network card.

3 Things You Should Consider When Buying a PCI Network Card

If you would like the option to connect your PC to a network, it may be beneficial to install a network card that can improve the speed of your connections.

Therefore, it might be a good idea to consider a few things before you buy your network card, so you can be sure you are taking the right card home.

Below you can find a couple of examples of considerations to help you evaluate which type of PCI network card best suits your needs.

#1 - The Speed of PCI Network Cards

The first thing you probably should consider is what speed you want for your network, as this can greatly affect how good your experience will be.

The higher the speed of the network card, the greater the possibility you have for achieving a faster network speed.

This can make it quicker to browse through the many folders on the network, as the information doesn't take long to load to your PC, and you won't have to wait long to open the files on the network.

This can give your work a better flow, as you won’t have much waiting time, and the files open almost immediately as soon as you click on them.

Examples of speeds for network cards:

• 1 Gbps
• 1.7 Gbps
• 2.5 Gbps
• 5 Gbps
• 10 Gbps

If you only have a small network for home use or just for documents, then you may not need such high speeds, as file sizes are small and do not take long to open regardless of speed.

Is the network large or do you have many larger files and documents that potentially fill several gigabytes, then you might want a network card with high speed so you don't have to wait several minutes for the document to open.

It is therefore important that you consider what network speed you want, to achieve a good workflow in your daily life and secure access to your files.

#2 - PCI Network Card with Wireless Connection

If you would like the possibility to connect your desktop PC to a wireless network, then you may need to invest in a network card with this functionality.

Generally, desktop PCs have no capability to connect to a wireless network and instead use a cable to connect to the router.

If you would like to avoid running a longer cable through your home from the router to your PC, then you might want to have the option to connect it to your wireless network instead.

This way you can save on cables, as you won't need them for the connection, and you can quickly connect all your other devices on your WiFi network.

The downside of WiFi is that the connection is generally not as stable as a network cable, where you can generally be sure there won’t be any interruptions in the connection.

It can also heavily depend on where your PC is located, as wireless signals can easily be disrupted by walls or other objects around you, and thus get a weak connection to the router if it is too far from your PC.

#3 - Compatible Slots for PCI Network Cards

PCI is a specific type of slot that you can find in your PC's motherboard.

It is also in this type of slot where you can connect other types of cards to your PC, such as sound cards and graphics cards.

Modern PCs will often have several PCI slots, giving you the chance to have both a graphics card and a network card installed at the same time.

However, there are several different types of PCI slots, so you should ensure that your network card fits in the PCI slots that you have in your PC.

Otherwise, you might find that your new network card is not compatible with your PC, and you won't have the chance to use it.

Examples of PCI slots:

• PCI 64-Bit
• PCI 32-Bit
• PCI Express

Most modern motherboards use PCI Express these days, but you may still potentially find older PCs that still require PCI 64-bit or PCI 32-bit slots.

It can therefore be a good idea to investigate which slots your PC has on its motherboard so you can be sure to have the option to install a PCI network card in that slot.