NIC quality - 3com or will any brand do?

[jeffoxiam]

Title pretty much says it all.

I want to know if I should shell out the extra cash for a 3com nic or just buy some lesser brand. Is there that much of a performance difference(if there is one at all)?

 

[Paulson]

Any cheap NIC 10/100 will do (if it has the realtek chip in it)

or whatever it's called again.

Get a d-link or whatever. Don't spend $60 for something you can get for $10.

 

[Jex]

I agree, pretty much any old card will do. Several out there are fine. I like Dlink because they work great in both Windows and Linux.

Some people will try to convince you that would should get a 3COM or Intel card, ESPECIALLY if you're gonna run in Linux. The truth is that it's just not necessary.

 

[SackOfAllTrades]

get netgear. that's the only thing in my computer i don't need to upgrade and won't for awhile. I've had the netgear310TX for about 3 years and i have had no complaints.

 

[jeffoxiam]

How about the "Linkskey" brand over on newegg?

I ask because I'm already buying something else from them, so it would be easiest to just buy it all from them.

Thanks for the help guys

 

[LXi]

Want brand name quality with low price? Try NetGear, LinkSys and D-Link.

 

[PliotronX]

Linksys and Netgears are just as good as 3Com's $100 counterparts IMO

 

[Methusela]

get a D-link dfe-530tx+

You can find it for as low as $12 including shipping and it's one of the best high-fsb overclocking friendly cards out there, and it's perfect in windows and linux, as well as performing splendidly for being so small and cheap. i've purchased literally hundreds of them and NEVER had any problems, EVER.

For the price, there's nothing that compares.

 

[nortexoid]

agreed - the d-link 530tx can be had for super cheap and is widely compatible with linux platforms...

windoze will support any NIC you can throw at it...linux doesn't - not natively anyway...