|  | 1.1 | The Basics of Computer Hardware
| 1.1.4 | The installation of a NIC in a PC

The NIC allows hosts to connect to the network and is, therefore, considered a key component. From time to time, you may need to install a NIC. Some possible situations that may require you to do so include the following:

- adding a NIC to a PC that does not already have one
- replacing a bad or damaged NIC
- upgrading from a 10 Mbps NIC to a 10/100 Mbps NIC
- altering settings on a NIC using a jumper – a jumper is a metal bridge that closes an electrical circuit; typically, a jumper consists of a plastic plug that fits over a pair of pins.

| Lab Activity
| In this lab, you will learn how to properly install a NIC in a PC.

In order to perform the installation, you should have the following resources:

- knowledge of how the network card is configured, including jumpers, plug-and-play software, and EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory is a type of memory that retains its contents until it is exposed to ultraviolet light)
- use of network card diagnostics, including the vendor-supplied diagnostics and loopback test (see the documentation for the card)
- ability to resolve hardware resource conflicts, including IRQ, I/O Base Address, and DMA (direct memory address is used to transfer data from RAM to a device without going through the CPU)

| Web Links
| Configuring a PC NIC - IRQ
| Installing a Network Interface Card