In the Driver s Seat

In the Driver's Seat

After you install NIC hardware, you must deal with device driver software. If your NIC is of recent vintage , the drivers on the disk included with the card may actually be worth using.

In that case which we rank right up there with your chances of winning the lottery you can load the disk, run an installation program, supply a few values here and there, and be ready to rock and roll. If you're not that lucky, you'll have to chase down drivers on your own.

Tip 

Our advice: Always determine the latest and greatest drivers for your NICs before you start installing them. Ask for help in the following order:

1. From the company that sold you the NIC.

2. From the vendor that built the card.

3. On the Internet. Use a search engine to search for the NIC by vendor and model. This usually produces usable information, if not usable software.