66 Ethernet Adapters

Our application tests identify the best NICs, PCMCIA cards, and parallel-port adapters for Ethernet networks

Anthony J. Lennon

Whether you're setting up an Ethernet client workstation or just trying to connect your notebook to an in-house LAN, here's a guide for finding the best network adapter for your needs. We examined 35 16-bit NICs (network interface cards) for ISA systems, 15 portable adapters that connect via a parallel port, and 16 credit-card-size PCMCIA cards. Using our application benchmarks, we ranked the best products in each technology class for both speed and how easily each can be installed and used on a network. Our tests focused on Ethernet because it is the most popular networking scheme.

Standard 16-bit NICs, the best solution for desktop client workstations, ar e mature products. Their prices continue to fall, and installation problems centered around tedious jumper and DIP-switch settings are becoming a thing of the past (see "The Best 16-bit NICs" on page 248). Compared to their portable counterparts, NICs cost less (by an average of $135), but each NIC is tied to one desktop unit.

PCMCIA adapters are relatively expensive ($257 on average), but they are the ideal solution for mobile systems that have PCMCIA Type II slots. We found that installation and compatibility problems are a rarity if C&S (Card and Socket Services) software is installed on the host and if only one PCMCIA card is installed (see "The Best PCMCIA Cards" on page 252).

The major benefit of parallel-port adapters is that they can be installed in just seconds on either desktop or mobile systems. Pocket adapters are self-configuring. With EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port) support, these adapters cost the same on average as their PCMCIA counterparts, but they cannot match their speed: In our suite of tests, the PCMCIA adapters outperformed the portable adapters (in EPP mode) by an average of 11 percent.

How to use this guide

To find the best network adapter for your needs, follow the main headings until you come to the appropriate hardware category (i.e., 16-bit ISA, PCMCIA, or portable). Then look at the summary charts (like the example below) to find our choices for the best overall and the best low-cost adapters. We selected adapters by choosing the ones with the best mix of performance, features, usability, and, for the low-cost category, price.

A performance index relative to our standard NIC, a National Semiconductor InfoMover NE2000plus. A higher number equals faster speed.

An evaluation of the simplicity of configuration and driver installation, and documentation quality.

Higher ratings indicate products that had complete sets of installation and diagnostic software, among other factors.

Important software that configures the adapter so it doesn't conf lict with other devices in the host system.

---

Illustration: Essential Elements Portable Adapters EPP Support For fastest speed, choose adapters that offer EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port) support. These adapters offer throughput levels that are as much as 50 percent higher than those for adapters with only unidirectional support, although prices for EPP products average about $100 more. Network Interface Card Boot-ROM Socket With a boot ROM, you can boot a diskless DOS workstation from a network. Keeping DOS and all your software on the network makes software maintenance a lot easier, but it places a heavier load on the server. Central Processor The National Semiconductor Ethernet chip set is the most popular choice among 16-bit ISA adapter manufacturers, followed by chip sets from AMD and Winbond. Many newer cards use single-chip processors, which is a cleaner NIC design, but they showed few performance differences when compared to multiple-chip designs. Jumpers Almost all 16-bit ISA adapters are software-configurable. Many can also be configured using jumper settings. The ideal setup offers a software option that automatically configures the adapter with settings that don't conflict with devices already installed in the system. Status Lights Some 16-bit ISA adapters have no status lights; others have up to four (to indicate link integrity, transmit/receive data, collision detection, and polarity). The full set of status lights isn't important if you never find yourself debugging a network. However, if you are in charge of keeping a network running, these lights provide essential information. RJ-45, BNC, and AUI Ports Most networks use either UTP (unshielded twisted-pair) or coaxial (thin Ethernet) cabling. These cabling schemes can be mixed, since most UTP hubs have a coaxial connection. Buying a NIC with both RJ-45 and BNC connectors will allow you future flexibility. A third type of connector--AUI, or thick Ethernet--is available on many cards. PCMCIA Cards LEDs Cle ar status lights are essential for fast diagnosis of network problems. Media Access Module (MAM) For easiest installation, look for modules that can plug directly into an Ethernet hub. The adapters in our test sample from Boca, CNet, 3Com, and Xircom offered this feature.