Ethernet Card Drivers

Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks, also known as “LANs” for short. It is also used for access to wide-area networks, or “WANs”. Having been in widespread use since the early 1980s to present-day, it has all but replaced its competing technologies, namely ARCNET, FDDI, and token ring. Ethernet cards communicate with computers through the use of Ethernet card drivers. Ethernet card drivers are software components that make communication between an Ethernet card and a personal computer possible.

When a PC application makes a request to send or receive data through an Ethernet card, it makes the request via an Application Programming Interface (API) which then forwards the request on to the operating system. The operating system sends the request to the corresponding Ethernet card driver. This driver translates the request into a format understandable by the Ethernet card’s hardware. Although every Ethernet card and driver are unique the functions are generally the same, namely send and receive data in a fast, efficient and error-free fashion.

Common Problems Associated with Ethernet Card Drivers

Ethernet cards rarely fail. However, Ethernet cards and their related drivers do sometimes have one or more of the following issues:

1) Incorrectly installed driver. If the Ethernet card is properly installed and cabled correctly, there may be a problem with the Ethernet card drivers themselves. Make sure you follow all instructions provided by the manufacturer. Many Ethernet cards require they be installed before installing Ethernet card drivers. If this wasn’t done, uninstall the drivers, install the Ethernet card, and reinstall the drivers one more time.

2) Outdated drivers. In a race to be first to market, Ethernet card manufacturers often ship Ethernet cards with outdated or buggy Ethernet card drivers. Components in this year’s Ethernet card may be nearly identical to last year’s model, so manufacturers will try to re-use code by porting over driver software from the previous model. This process is almost never a perfect one. Search the Internet to determine if other users have experienced similar problems. If your Ethernet card indeed came with outdated drivers, download the latest updated ones from the manufacturer’s website.

3) Network settings. Having checked for any possible driver problems, it is possible that the driver and associated networking software are just not properly configured. Following the manufacturer guidelines, make sure the driver settings are at their optimal configuration. Also make sure your operating system’s networking software is set up both for the Ethernet card drivers and your Internet provider.

5) Software interaction. One often overlooked problem is not even with the Ethernet card drivers but with software that conflicts with it. Turn off other drivers that may have existed for older Ethernet cards. Better yet remove them completely.

6) Physical defect. When all else has been tested, the problem may ultimately come down to a hardware one. Replace the Ethernet card with another and see if the problem gets resolved. The Ethernet card drivers do not need to be reinstalled. Just swap out the Ethernet card with an exact duplicate and try again.