Summary

44 IT Essentials: PC Harware and Software Companion GuideDescribe How to Configure a NIC and a ModemA network interface card (NIC) is required to connect to the Internet. The NIC may comepreinstalled, or you may have to purchase one. In rare cases, you may need to update theNIC driver. You can use the driver disc that comes with the motherboard or adapter card, oryou can supply a driver that you downloaded from the manufacturer.After the NIC and the driver have been installed, you can connect the computer to the network.In addition to installing a NIC, you may need to install a modem to connect to the Internet.After completing this section, you will meet these objectives:■■■Install or update a NIC driver.Attach the computer to an existing network.Describe the installation of a modem.Install or Update a NIC DriverSometimes a manufacturer publishes new driver software for a NIC. A new driver mayenhance the functionality of the NIC, or it may be needed for operating system compatibility.When installing a new driver, be sure to disable virus protection software so that none ofthe files is incorrectly installed. Some virus scanners detect a driver update as a possiblevirus attack. Also, only one driver should be installed at a time; otherwise, some updatingprocesses may conflict.A best practice is to close all applications that are running so that they do not use any filesassociated with the driver update. Before updating a driver, you should visit the manufacturer’swebsite. In many cases, you can download a self-extracting executable driver file thatautomatically installs or updates the driver. Alternatively, you can click the Update Driverbutton in the Device Manager toolbar.The + next to the Network adapters category allows you to expand the category and showthe network adapters installed in your system. To view and change the adapter’s properties,or update the driver, double-click the adapter. In the adapter properties window, click theDriver tab. Figure 8-24 shows an example of a network card adapter properties page inDevice Manager.When the update is complete, it is a good idea to reboot the computer, even if you do notreceive a message telling you to do so. Rebooting the computer ensures that the installationhas gone as planned and that the new driver is working properly. When installing multipledrivers, reboot the computer between each update to make sure that no conflicts exist. Thisstep takes extra time but ensures a clean installation of the driver.