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10

SPECIALIZATION
(COMPUTER SYSTEMS SERVICING NC2)
Quarter 2 – Week 4

Ryan N. San Juan

Author
Lorielin M. Lanot
Validator
Romeo N. Paras
Team Leader

TLE 10 – COMPUTER SYSTEMS SERVICING NC2 AUTHOR: RYAN N. SAN JUAN

Quarter
Department
2 – Week 4 of Education • Republic
TEAM
ofLEADER:
the Philippines
ROMEO N. PARAS
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Module 4
Network Interface Controller (NIC) Configuration

In this module, the learning competency that you will encounter is “Configure
Network Interface Card (NIC) in accordance with the network design”. This
learning competency contains sub-topics that will discuss the details on setting-up
computer networks. The module contains pretest, looking-back, contents, activities to
test your understanding, post-test and reflection.

Read carefully the instructions below

Follow carefully all the contents and instructions indicated in every page of
this module.
Write on your notebook the concepts about the lesson.
Perform all the provided activities in the module.
Let your facilitator/guardian assess your answers.
Analyze conceptually the posttest and apply what you have learned.

Lesson 1: Testing Your Computer Network

You will check network connectivity of each terminal in accordance with network design.
Specifically, this module will help you to:
� describe the functions of network interface card;
� explain the characteristics of network interface cards; and
� learn the proper steps in installing network interface cards.

Directions: Read the questions carefully and choose the letter that corresponds
to the correct answer. Write your answer on the space provided
each number.

___1. Which of the following parts is used to install the network interface cards?
A. USB slot C. AGP Slot

TLE 10 – COMPUTER SYSTEMS SERVICING NC2 AUTHOR: RYAN N. SAN JUAN

Quarter 2 – Week 4 TEAM LEADER: ROMEO N. PARAS
3|Page

B. PCI slot D. RAM Slot

___2. This address is 48 bits (6 bytes) long.
A. MAC Address C. IPV4 Address
B. IP Address D. Subnet
___3. Which of the following connectors is the most commonly used connector for
networking?
A. Coaxial C. Serial Connector
B. Fiber-optic D. RJ-45
___4. This acts as a go-between to convert the signal from serial to parallel format or
from parallel to serial format
A. MAC Address C. RJ-45
B. NIC D. PCI
___5. Newer network interface card systems can now support data speeds up to _____
A. 100 Mbps C. 100 Kbps
B. 1 Kbps D. 1 Gps

Directions: Answer the following questions correctly. Write your answer on your answer
sheet.
___1. Which of the following types of network adapters can be connected or plugged
into a standard USB port to enable computer to connect in wired network connection?
A. network interface card C. integrated network adapter
B. USB network adapter D. Wifi adapter

___2. Which of the following is originally implemented as expansion cards that plugged
into a computer bus?
A. network interface card C. integrated network adapter
B. Wi-Fi network adapter D. USB network adapter

___3. Which of the following types of computer network connection that uses Wi-Fi
signal using the WAP or router?
A. wired network connection C. Local Area Network connection
B. wireless network connection D. Wide Area Network connection

___4. A type of computer network connection that uses ethernet cables to connect to
into a network.
A. wired network connection C. Local Area Network connection
B. wireless network connection D. Wide Area Network connection

___5. Network Interface Controller also known as the following terms, except ________
A. network interface card C. LAN card
B. network adapter D. sound card

TLE 10 – COMPUTER SYSTEMS SERVICING NC2 AUTHOR: RYAN N. SAN JUAN

Quarter 2 – Week 4 TEAM LEADER: ROMEO N. PARAS
4|Page

The Network Interface

Card (NIC)

The NIC is a
physical and logical link for
a personal computer to a
network. It is installed
inside the computer in an
open expansion slot. NICs
are available for most of
the expansion bus

architectures, so getting a card for an available slot is easy. The most used bus for NICs
is the PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus.

The NIC is a translator that works between the network and the personal
computer. Networks transmit data in a serial data format (1 bit at a time), and the data
bus of the PC moves data in a parallel format (8 bits at a time). The NIC acts as a go-

between to convert the signal from serial to parallel format or from parallel to serial
format, depending on its direction. The NIC also formats the data as required by the
network architecture.

TLE 10 – COMPUTER SYSTEMS SERVICING NC2 AUTHOR: RYAN N. SAN JUAN

Quarter 2 – Week 4 TEAM LEADER: ROMEO N. PARAS
5|Page

The NIC attaches a personal computer or any network device to the network
cabling and the network system. The primary purposes of the NIC are to serve as a
transceiver — a device that transmits and receives data to and from other NICs
(installed in the other networked nodes and devices) — and to connect to the network
cabling.

Characteristics of Network
Interface Card

MAC (Media Access Control)

address: Each NIC is physically
encoded with a unique identifying
address that is used to locate it on the
network. This address is 48 bits (6
bytes) long.

Data bus compatibility: NICs are

designed with compatibility to a data
bus architecture. ISA (Industry
Standard Architecture) and PCI
(Peripheral Component Interconnect)
cards are the most common.

Data speed: The NIC must be

compatible with the data speed of the
network. The data transfer speeds of a
network are determined by several
factors, including the cable media, the
network topology, and the network
connectivity devices that are in use. For
example, a Token Ring network uses
shielded twisted pair (STP) cable — the
workstations attach to the network
through MAUs (Multistation Access
Units) — and typically runs at either 4
Mbps or 16 Mbps.

Most of the NICs can sense the

data speed in use. NICs designated as
a 10/100 NIC has the ability to
autosense between a 10-Mbps and a
100-Mbps network. Newer systems now support data speeds of 1,000 Mbps (or 1
Gbps), and newer NICs now support an autosensing 10/100/1000 port.

TLE 10 – COMPUTER SYSTEMS SERVICING NC2 AUTHOR: RYAN N. SAN JUAN

Quarter 2 – Week 4 TEAM LEADER: ROMEO N. PARAS
6|Page

Connectors: Several different connectors are used to join NICs to network cabling. The
type of connector that is used depends mostly on the type of cable in use. Coax cabling
primarily uses a BNC connector. Fiber-optic cabling is rarely used for cabling to
workstations because of its cost. The most commonly used connector for networking is
the RJ-45 connector, which is similar to the connector on your telephone, only a little
bigger.

Installing and Configuring a Network Interface Card

Although many manufacturers nowadays include network interface card as

standard device in newer computer configurations, not every computer comes with a
interface card installed.

Below are the steps that are used to install a NIC in a personal computer. Of
course, we assume that you are wearing your ESD protection and that you used the
proper steps to disconnect the PC from the network.

Step Action
If the personal computer already has a network interface card installed —
even if it is the same manufacturer and model as the new NIC that you are
installing — uninstall the NIC drivers from the operating system.
1
If the network interface card is not yet installed, you must determine the
type of slot that's available for the NIC. On most new computers, expansion
slots are usually available.
If a PCI slot is open, obtain a PCI card. Otherwise, you must use an ISA or
2 EISA (Enhanced ISA) card, depending on the expansion slots that are
available.
Before inserting the card in a slot, study the card's documentation to
determine whether any physical configuration steps are necessary.
3
Most PCI cards are Plug and Play compatible but may still require a DIP
switch or a jumper to be set. You must do this before installing the card. Be
sure to handle the card only by its non-connecting edges.
4 Open the case and install the NIC in the appropriate expansion slot.
The remainder of the installation, aside from replacing the case, is
5 performed
on the operating system.

Network Adapter

You need to identify these expansion

slots by sight on the exam, so take a good
look at this figure.

TLE 10 – COMPUTER SYSTEMS SERVICING NC2 AUTHOR: RYAN N. SAN JUAN

Quarter 2 – Week 4 TEAM LEADER: ROMEO N. PARAS
7|Page

Activity 1: Modified True of False

Directions: Write True if the statement is correct, if False, change the underlined
word/s or phrases to make the statement correct.

____________1. IP Address physically encoded with a unique identifying address that

is used to locate it on the network.
____________2. The most commonly used connector for networking is the Fiber-optic
connector.
____________3. Network interface cards are installed in motherboard’s AGP Slots.
____________4. Network interface controller is also known as Sound Card.
____________5. Network interface card requires device drivers to install in personal
computer.

In this lesson, you learned about the network interface card (NIC). This network
interface card has two purposes: it connects the PC to the network cabling, and it
serves as a transceiver that converts 8-bit parallel data to 1-bit serial data. You learned
primary characteristics of NICS, including the data bus type (PCI or ISA), the format of
its MAC address (48 bits), the system resources it can use (an IRQ, a DMA channel,
and an I/O address), and the different data speeds it can have.

You also learned how to determine whether a computer is networked, how to

prepare a networked computer for service, and how to install a new network card. The
presence of accessible network drives is an easy indicator that a personal computer is
networked, both before and after you have been working on a personal computer. Also,

TLE 10 – COMPUTER SYSTEMS SERVICING NC2 AUTHOR: RYAN N. SAN JUAN

Quarter 2 – Week 4 TEAM LEADER: ROMEO N. PARAS
8|Page

remember to uninstall old drivers, even if you are installing or reinstalling the same
model NIC as was already in the computer.

Directions: Complete the concept maps below:

A. Functions of Network Interface Cards

Functions of
Network Interface
Cards

B. Characteristics of Network Interface Cards

Characteristics of
Network Interface Card

C. Steps Installing Network Interface Cards

TLE 10 – COMPUTER SYSTEMS SERVICING NC2 AUTHOR: RYAN N. SAN JUAN

Quarter 2 – Week 4 TEAM LEADER: ROMEO N. PARAS
9|Page

Directions: Read the questions carefully and choose the letter that corresponds
to the correct answer. Write your answer on the space provided
each number.

___1. Which of the following parts is used to install the network interface cards?
C. USB slot C. AGP Slot
D. PCI slot D. RAM Slot
___2. This address is 48 bits (6 bytes) long.
C. MAC Address C. IPV4 Address
D. IP Address D. Subnet
___3. Which of the following connectors is the most commonly used connector for
networking?
C. Coaxial C. Serial Connector
D. Fiber-optic D. RJ-45
___4. This acts as a go-between to convert the signal from serial to parallel format or
from parallel to serial format
C. MAC Address C. RJ-45
D. NIC D. PCI
___5. Newer network interface card systems can now support data speeds up to _____
C. 100 Mbps C. 100 Kbps
D. 1 Kbps D. 1 Gps

Directions: Complete the concept map below:

I have learned that ______________________________________________________

Learning the functions and characteristics of NIC is important because

______________

TLE 10 – COMPUTER SYSTEMS SERVICING NC2 AUTHOR: RYAN N. SAN JUAN

Quarter 2 – Week 4 TEAM LEADER: ROMEO N. PARAS
10 | P a g e

References:

K to 12 Learning Module – Computer Hardware Servicing NC2. Department of

Education
C.V. Conner, DBA, PhD, (2009). How to Become a Certified Network + Technician in 21
Days (2nd Edition) Networking with Windows. CompTia

TLE 10 (ICT)
MODULE 4

NAME: __________________________ Grade & Section: ________________

Answer Sheet
Pretest
1 4
2 5
3

Looking Back
1 4
2 5
3

Activity 1

1. ___________________________ 4. ___________________________
2. ___________________________ 5. ___________________________
3. ___________________________

Check your understanding

Functions of
Network Interface
Cards

Characteristics
of Network
Interface Card

TLE 10 – COMPUTER SYSTEMS SERVICING NC2 AUTHOR: RYAN N. SAN JUAN

Quarter 2 – Week 4 TEAM LEADER: ROMEO N. PARAS
11 | P a g e

Posttest
1 4
2 5
3

Parent’s Name & Signature

TLE 10 – COMPUTER SYSTEMS SERVICING NC2 AUTHOR: RYAN N. SAN JUAN

Quarter 2 – Week 4 TEAM LEADER: ROMEO N. PARAS