Network Interface Card
Content
Introduction to NIC
Types of NIC
Verify the presence of NIC in your PC
History OF NIC
Basic functions of NIC
Working of NIC
Steps followed by NIC
Functional parts of NIC
Major Manufacturers
Cost Of NIC
Introduction
A network interface card (NIC) connects a system to
a network. It is a card with a connector port.
Also known as Ethernet card or Network adapter.
Network interface cards provide a dedicated, full-
time connection to a network.
It allows your computer to "talk" to the network and
the network to communicate with your computer.
As the name suggests it is an Interface between your
computer and any other network your PC/System is
connected to.
Connects to:
Motherboard via one of the following:
1)PCI connector
2)ISA connector
3) PCI-E
4) FireWire
5)USB
6) Thunderbolt
Network via one of the following:
1)Ethernet
2)Wi-Fi
Types of NIC
• Provides interface between computer
Ethernet and the local network or the other
networks on internet.
• 5baseT,10baseT,100baseT,Gigabit
NIC
Wireless • Wireless network adapters
enable devices to
Network communicate with each other
over WiFi or other wireless
NIC networking protocols.
How to Verify The Presence
To check the availability of NIC on your system we
can type the Following command in the DOS
window.
Ipconfig/all
output
Components of NIC
Memory:
An external Memory is used to store the data temporarily and uses the
stored data whenever required while processing the communication
Connectors
used to make the physical link between cables and plugin with the board,
this type of connection is especially seen in Ethernet type of NIC cables
A Processor converts the data message into a signal format for
communication to take place easily.
Components of NIC
Different types of standard Buses are plugged into Buses
Connector slots, based on the compatibility of the operation
process buses are chosen
Jumpers or Dual in package switches are used to control the
communication operation, which is either by turning on or turning
off the switch.
A router is an NIC device that is used to connect wirelessly to the
internet
MAC address
NIC has unique identifier,called Media Access
Control(MAC) address.
It is a 48-bit number , when written as six two-digit
hexadecimal numbers separated by colons.
First part identifies the manufacturer.
Second part is unique to each NIC.
00-04-AC-F3-1C-D4
Working of NIC:
1. Gather the data that is to be sent from the
appication.
2. NIC gathers that data from the motherboard and
tranfers it to small buffer on the card.
3. NIC adds its own address plus the destination
address where the data is to be send.
4. NIC calculates the checksum for the data in the
buffer.
5. This information is then arranged into a frame.
Cont..
6. Then it transmits that frame to the network.
7. Receiving NIC calculates a checksum for the
received frame using the same algorithm (e.g.,
CRC) that was used by the sending NIC.
8. If no errors then the acknowledgement is sent.
Major Manufacturers:
Advantages
NIC allows us to share bulk data among many users.
It helps us to connect peripheral devices using many
ports of NIC.
Communication speed is high.
Network Interface cards are not expensive.
NICs are easy to troubleshoot.
Disvantages
NIC is inconvenient as compared to the wireless
card.
For wired NIC, a hard-wired connection is required.
NIC needs a proper configuration to work efficiently.
NIC cards are not secure, so the data inside NIC is
not safe.
Applications
The computer uses NIC for data exchange over a
network like documents, images, files, etc.
Applicable for wireless communication devices like
Firewalls, Bridges, Repeater.
Applicable for wired communication devices hubs,
switches, router, smartphones, etc
Cost Of NIC:
The cards can range in price from $10 to $800.
Most cards are actually around $20.
Conclusion:
NIC provides interface between computer and
networking medium.
It prepares, sends and controls data flow across the
network.
Each NIC has a unique hardware network address.
Have profound effect on the overall network
performance.
RS232 Protocol
RS232
RS232 is a standard protocol used for serial
communication
Provide asynchronous full duplex communication
oldest interface standards was first introduced in the
1960s.
Used for serial communication between devices, typically
between a Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) device (such
as a computer or terminal) and a Data Communications
Equipment (DCE) device (such as a modem or printer)
Handle serial communication upto 50 feet with the rate
of 1.492kbps.
RS232
is a serial communication standard that uses a single wire for
transmitting data from one device to another.
voltage levels for RS232 are typically defined as +15 volts and -15
volts, with positive voltage representing logic 0 and negative voltage
representing logic 1.
The data is transmitted in a bit-by-bit manner, with the start bit, data
bits, parity bit, and stop bit forming a single byte
RS232- Hardware Specification
main types of connectors that are used are DB-25 and DB-9
These ports are of two types: male connector (DTE) & female
connector (DCE). It is also known as D-type connector
RS232 Handshake
most common handshake signals used in RS-232
communication are the Request to Send (RTS) and Clear to
Send (CTS) signals
When a device is ready to send data, it sends an RTS signal
to the receiving device, indicating that it is requesting
permission to transmit.
The receiving device responds with a CTS signal,
indicating that it is ready to receive data. Once the
transmitting device receives the CTS signal, it can begin
transmitting data.
RS232 Handshake
The Data Terminal Ready (DTR) and Data Set Ready
(DSR) signals indicate that the connected devices are
ready for communication.
Carrier Detect (CD) signal is used to indicate that the
receiving device is detecting a carrier signal from the
transmitting device.
Once the data transmission has started, the Data Carrier
Detect (DCD) signal is used to indicate that the
transmission is in progress.
Procedural specifications
Assume a computer (DTE) is connected to a Modem (DCE) through
RS232 interface. In order to send data from computer to Modem, the
following procedure must be followed.
When Modem (DCE) is ready to receive, it will send a DCE ready signal.
When the computer (DTE) is ready to send the data, it sends a Ready to
Send (RTS) signal.
The Modem (DCE) then sends a Clear to Send (CTS) signal to indicate
that data can be sent by computer (DTE).
Finally, the Computer (DTE) sends data on Transmit Data (TD) line to
the Modem (DCE).
RS232 protocol in embedded system
Majority of ES work with voltage range of 0 to 5V and RS
232 works with ±15V.
MAX232 is a type of IC that is commonly used in serial
communication applications.
It is specifically designed to convert the RS232 voltage
levels (-15V to +15V) to TTL voltage levels (0V to +5V) and
vice versa
Applications
used in industrial and commercial applications such as
data acquisition and control, process control systems,
and factory automation.
RS232 is still being used in some Servo Controllers,
CNC Machines, PLC machines and some
microcontroller boards use RS232 Protocol.
