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How to Determine If Your Computer Has a Network Card

Your computer must have an Ethernet Network Interface Card (NIC) to connect to ABS Wireless Internet Service or DSL.  The instructions below will help you determine whether or not you have a NIC installed.  If you do not have a NIC, you will need to have one installed to connect to our service.

The NIC provides an Ethernet jack on the back of your computer. You can check to see if you have an Ethernet jack either one of two ways.

Method 1: Look on your computer to see if you have an Ethernet jack (also known as an RJ 45 jack).

Method 2: Check the hardware profile of your computer.

Method 1: Look to see if you have an Ethernet jack (RJ 45 jack)

Generally, your Ethernet jack is found at the back of your computer where all of the other cables plug into your machine.  As you can see from the pictures below, an Ethernet jack (or RJ 45 jack) is wider than a telephone jack (or RJ 11 jack).

Ethernet jack examples Ethernet Jack - RJ 45
Ethernet jack
(RJ 45)
Telephone Jack - RJ 11
Telephone jack
(RJ 11)
Shown above are (left) an Ethernet jack on the back of a computer, (right) an Ethernet jack on a NIC that has not yet been installed in a computer.

If you are still not certain after looking at the jack, try the second method, which is to check the hardware profile of your computer.

Method 2: Check the hardware profile of your computer

On Windows 95, 98 or Me computers:
Step 1: Click on the Start button and under Settings select Control Panel.
Step 2: Click on the System icon.
Step 3: Click on the Device Manager tab.
Step 4: Double click on Network Adapters.
Step 5: If you have a line that has the word Ethernet under Network Adapters, you have a NIC installed that should have an Ethernet jack.

On Windows 2000 computers:
Step 1: Click on the Start button and under Settings choose Network and Dial Up Connections.
Step 2: Click on Network Identification on the left side of the screen.
Step 3: Click on the Hardware tab.
Step 4: Click on Device Manager.
Step 5: Double click on Network Adapters.
Step 6: If you have a line that has the word Ethernet under Network Adapters, you have a NIC installed that should have an Ethernet jack.

On Windows XP computers:
Step 1: Click on the Start button and choose My Computer.
Step 2: Click on View System Information.
Step 3: Click on the Hardware tab.
Step 4: Click Device Manager.
Step 5: Double click on Network Adapters.
Step 6: If you have a line that has the word Ethernet under Network Adapters, you have a NIC installed that should have an Ethernet jack.

 

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