How To Install a Network Interface Card (NIC)

A network interface card (NIC) is easy to install. The only considerations for installation are that you have an available slot and that the NIC is designed for the slot type you have. Most PCs use a PCI or a PCIe ("e" for express) slot for a NIC. Older PCs used an ISA slot; which is now obsolete. Check that you have an available slot and the slot type, before purchasing a NIC.

Caution:Please read our safety information before attempting any testing or repairs.

 Before installing the network interface card, unplug the PC to avoid an electrical shock hazard. Exercise caution as there are sharp edges on a PC and its components. Always wear a static electricity discharge strap when working with your PC's components to avoid damaging your PC. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions that were supplied with your modem.

1. Unplug the PC
2. Remove the cover
3. Remove the cover plate adjacent to the slot for your NIC
4. Align the NIC over the slot with the jack facing toward the outside of the PC
5. Set the NIC into the slot and press down firmly. Make sure the mounting bracket is properly aligned with any slot that might be present. It may be necessary to gently rock the card from end to end to secure it in the slot. The gold contacts at the bottom of the NIC should nearly or completely disappear into the slot. The card should be level and straight.
6. Secure the NIC mounting bracket to the case with a screw (or replace the securing mechanism your case uses.
7. Replace the cover
8. Plug in the PC
9. Plug in the ethernet wire to the RJ-45 jack and plug the other end into the your DSL modem, hub, router or if using a crossover wire, directly to another PC.

That completes the hardware installation, next you will need to start the computer and complete the software installation. Your NIC should have come with a disk which contains the appropriate drivers.

Follow the manufacturer's instructions for installing the software. Windows will detect the NIC and start the hardware wizard; simply follow the prompts. Some manufacturers require you to cancel the hardware wizard and complete the installation using their own installation instructions.

To connect your PC to a local area network, you will have to configure your operating system software. In Windows, use the Network Wizard or read our article on the topic.

How to install and configure a network card in Windows 7

If you want to add your computer to a network or a network device like a router then you need to install or configure your network card. Every new computer and motherboard you buy nowadays has a built in network port known as RJ45 socket. If you have an older computer or a motherboard that does not have a built in RJ45 socket then your only option is to add a PCI or USB network card if you wish to connect to a network. For this guide i will assume that you do not have a network card installed. If you already have a network card then you can skip step 1 to 3.
Step 1: Install a network card. This could be PCI card or USB network card adaptor.
If you are installing a PCI card you need to open your computer case and push the PCI network card into an empty PCI slot. It is quite simple and straight forward. If you are using a USB network adaptor you simply need to plug it into an empty USB port.

PCI Network card :	USB Network Adaptor:

Step 2: Install the device driver for the network card. Windows will detect that you have installed a new hardware. In most cases it will install the drivers automatically. If not, you need to install the drivers manually from the CD supplied with the network card. I am using Windows 7 operating system to demonstrate each step. If you are using Windows Vista the steps will be very similar. If you are using Windows XP it will be slightly different sofollow this guide instead.
Step 3: After the drivers have been installed successfully you can see a network card listed under windows device manager. To go to the device manager click Start -> Control Panel -> System and Security -> Device Manager.
You will see a network card listed under the device manager similar to the image below:

Step 4: Go to network sharing center by clicking Start -> Control panel -> Network and Internet -> Network and Sharing Center. As you can see from the image below the computer name tiger is connected to a network and has access to the Internet. This indicates that our network card is installed correctly and managed to get connection to our network. In this case it is connected to a ADSL router.

Step 5: Check your local area connections by clicking on change adaptor settings link on the left side of Network and Sharing center. You will get an icon similar to below:

Step 6: Double click on Local Area Connection icon which will display your LAN status. It shows the network connection duration, the speed of the connection, number of bytes sent and received etc.

Step 7: Click Details to see the Network connection details. You will see some very import connection details. Inside the red highlighted area you will see DHCP Enable is set to Yes and your IP Address listed. DHCP means (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). Basically its a feature built into most Routers or server operating systems which automatically assigns an IP address to the client computer. In our case the Router is the DHCP server and our computer is the client. Please note the dynamic IP address assigned by a DHCP server is random and can change next time you reboot your computer or the router.

Step 8: Close the Network connection details. Click Properties -> (on Network area connections status) -> Internet protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4) -> Properties. As you can see everything is set to automatic. This means the DHCP server assigns everything automatically as mentioned above.

Step 9: If you have many computers on a network i.e. your Desktop PC, Your Laptop, and your PS3 console its a good idea to fix the IP Address for each device. This is called static IP address. By fixing the IP address you can easily identify each computer on the network. This is what i will do below. I will choose my IP address as 192.168.0.100. The subnet mask will be automatically set to 255.255.255.0. Default gateway is 192.168.0.1. The gateway IP address is normally the IP address of your router. Preferred DNS server is also the IP Address of your router, although you can use other DNS server like Open DNS IP address.

Step 10: You can now check if the static settings have taken effect by clicking on Detailson Local Area connection status as you have done on Step 6. Finally you will see all the settings that you have made in the previous step has taken effect. You will notice that the DHCP enable is set to No, as we have set each value manually.

That’s it, you have managed to install and configure your network device successfully. You have also learned how to use dynamic and static IP Address to connect to a network.

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How to Install Network Interface Card in Desktop Computer

Questions and Answers

You have a network interface card (sometimes called an Ethernet Card), but it is not installed in the computer. The installation steps below can be used for most models of PCs.

Steps

1. 
   1
   Installing Network Card

   • First step is to read the users guide and familiarize yourself with the new card.
   • Power down PC and remove the AC power cord.
   • Open the computer case.
   • Find an available Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) slot on the motherboard and remove slot insert if one exists.
   • Carefully remove the network card from its static-proof plastic envelope, and slide it into the slot.
     • Seat the card in the slot firmly with gentle pressure along the length of the card, especially right about the slot itself.
     • Snugly, screw the card to the computer frame, but do not over tighten.
   • Close the computer case.
   • Plug your computer in and power it up.
2. 
   2
   Follow this procedure to verify Windows XP recognizes the new card.

   • Click Start, then click Control Panel.
   • In Category View (vs. Classic View) click Performance and Maintenance.
   • Click "System" icon at bottom of window.
   • Click the Hardware tab.
   • Click the Device Manager button.
   • Double-click Network Adapters.
     • Beneath it should appear the name of your Ethernet card.
   • Next, double click the name of your Ethernet adapter.
     • If the text in the "Device Status" box says "This device is working properly.", then you successfully installed the card and are finished.
     • If the text in the "Device status" box doesn't say "This device is working properly.", then write down on a piece of paper what it says and continue with next step.
   • Click the Troubleshoot. Button and follow instructions.

How to Install Nic Card

Questions and Answers

In this article, you will learn how to remove and install a NIC Card where NIC stands for Network Interface Card. This card is found on the motherboard of a computer and as its name says, it is used to connect to the internet.

Steps

1. 
   1
   Open the PC case. The power should be off when you do this.
2. 
   2
   Ensure that you have an antistatic wrist strap attached to your wrist and grounded to the PC when working with it.
3. 
   3
   Remove the strap before you switch on the power.
4. 
   4
   Now take the NIC card and install it into one of the PCI slots by aligning the guide notches with the PCI slot.
5. 
   5
   Press straight down with gentle pressure until the card snugly fits into the PCI slot.
6. 
   6
   Secure the card with a single screw used to attach the card to the PC.
7. 
   7
   Check the card whether it moves from its position. If it does, it could damage itself when the PC is turned on.
8. 
   8
   Close the PC case and turn on the power.
9. 
   9
   Check if the internet works or not. If not then check the connections and repeat the above steps.

How to Fix Registry Errors in Windows 7

Two Methods:Performing a System RestoreUsing CCleanerQuestions and Answers

Your Windows 7 registry contains the entire "blueprint" of your Windows installation. If your registry gets corrupted, either through a bad driver, a failed uninstallation, or a variety of other reasons, you can usually quickly fix it by performing a system restore to a time when the computer was working properly. You can also use registry cleaning programs like CCleaner to scan for and fix errors.

Method1

Performing a System Restore

1. 
   1
   Open the System Restore window. If a recent change to your system caused errors in your registry, you can revert your computer's settings using a Restore Point. There are a couple of different ways to open the System Restore window:

   • Click the start menu and type "restore". Select "System Restore" from the list of results.
   • Press ⊞ Win+Pause and click the "Advanced system settings" link. Click theSystem Protection tab. Click the System Restore button.
2. 
   2
   Select a restore point. If your computer has System Restore enabled, Windows will select the most recent restore point. Restore points are created when major changes to the system are made. If you don't have any restore points, click here to try another method.

   • Click the "Show more restore points" box to see previous restore points if the error has been around for a while.
   • Each restore point will have a timestamp as well as a brief description of why the restore point was created.
3. 
   3
   Click the .Scan for affected programs. This will show you all of the programs and drivers that will be deleted from the computer, as well as programs that will likely not work correctly after restoring.

   • A system restore will not affect any of your personal files.
4. 
   4
   Click .Next and then Finish to start the restore process. This may take a few minutes. Your computer will reboot once the restore is complete.

Method2

Using CCleaner

1. 
   1
   Download and install CCleaner from the developer's website. CCleaner is a free utility made by Piriform. You can download it from piriform.com/ccleaner/. The free version is sufficient for repairing the registry.

   • When installing CCleaner, most users can leave the settings as they are.
2. 
   2
   Run CCleaner. This program will scan your registry for errors, and then attempt to fix them for you.
3. 
   3
   Click the "Registry" option in the left menu.
4. 
   4
   Ensure that all of the boxes are checked. This will make CCleaner scan for as many errors as possible.
5. 
   5
   Click the "Scan for Issues" button CCleaner will begin scanning your registry, and any errors will be displayed in the right frame.
6. 
   6
   Click the "Fix selected issues" button. By default, all of the problems that are found will be checked.
7. 
   7
   Make a backup of the registry when prompted. This will help ensure that you can restore your settings if something goes wrong with CCleaner.
8. 
   8
   Click the "Fix All Selected Issues" button. You can review each fix manually, but you can typically trust CCleaner to make the correct repair.
9. 
   9
   Click "Close" after everything is fixed.
10. 
    10
    Reboot your computer. If the problems persist, you may need to reinstall Windows 7.

    • You can try to manually fix your registry using the Registry Editor, but this is only recommended for advanced users as one wrong edit can render your computer inoperable until the system is restored or reinstalled.

Description of the Windows Registry Checker Tool (Scanreg.exe)

SUMMARY

When you start your computer successfully, the Windows Registry Checker tool (Scanreg.exe) creates a backup of system files and registry configuration information (including user account information, protocol bindings, software program settings, and user preferences) once daily. Files that Windows Registry Checker backs up include System.dat, User.dat, System.ini, and Win.ini. This article describes the Windows Registry Checker tool.

MORE INFORMATION

Windows Registry Checker automatically scans the system registry for invalid entries and empty data blocks when it is started. If invalid registry entries are detected, Windows Registry Checker automatically restores a previous day's backup. This is equivalent to running the scanreg /autorun command from a command prompt. If no backups are available, Windows Registry Checker tries to make repairs to the registry. This is equivalent to running the scanreg /fix command from a command prompt. If the registry contains more than 500 KB of empty data blocks, Windows Registry Checker automatically optimizes it. 

Windows Setup runs the Windows Registry Checker tool to verify the integrity of the existing registry before it performs an upgrade. If it detects registry damage, it tries to fix it automatically. 

The protected-mode version of the Windows Registry Checker tool (Scanregw.exe) can create a backup of the system files and scan the registry for invalid entries. If invalid entries are detected, it refers to the real-mode version of the Windows Registry Checker tool (Scanreg.exe) for a resolution. 

You can configure Windows Registry Checker with a Scanreg.ini file. Settings that you can configure include:

• Enabling or disabling the tool
• The number of backups maintained (no more than five is recommended)
• The location of the backup folder
• Settings to add additional files to the backup set

For additional information about the Scanreg.ini file, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

183603 How to Customize Registry Checker Tool Settings

To start the Windows Registry Checker tool, click Start, click Run, type scanregw.exe in the Open box, and then click OK. 

NOTE: To use the Windows Registry Checker tool with the /restore parameter, you must run the tool from a command prompt running outside of Windows. When you do so, you can choose up to five registry backup files listed for you to restore.

To Restore Individual Files

To restore individual files, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.
2. In the Named box, type rb0*.cab, and then click Find Now.
3. Double-click the cabinet file that contains the file that you want to restore.
4. Right-click the file that you want to restore, click Extract, and then choose the folder where the new file is to be placed. Microsoft recommends that you place the file in your Temp folder.
5. Restart your computer in MS-DOS mode (in Windows Millennium Edition, this requires that you restart with the Windows Millennium Edition Startup disk).
6. Copy the file that you extracted to the appropriate folder. Note that registry .dat files are typically marked as hidden and read-only, so you need to use both the attrib and copy commands to replace the existing file with the newly extracted one.

Known Issues for Windows Registry Checker

If your registry contains an entry that references a file (such as a .vxd file) that no longer exists, it is not repaired by Windows Registry Checker. Such errors are not typically damaging, and you can manually remove the entry. For additional information about such errors, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

132008 Err Msg: Cannot Find a Device File That May Be Needed...

The amount of conventional memory that is required by Windows Registry Checker is determined by the size of your registry. Windows Registry Checker may require 580 KB or more of free conventional memory to complete the repair process. If you encounter an "Out of Memory" error message, optimize your free conventional memory. For additional information about optimizing memory, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

134399 How to Increase Conventional Memory for MS-DOS-Based Programs

NOTE: Extended memory is required for Windows Registry Checker to operate properly, so it does not run when you start your computer with the Safe Mode Command Prompt Only option. The exception to this is thescanreg /restore command, which is the only Scanreg function that can run without extended memory memory.