A NIC, or
Network Interface Card, is a circuit board or chip, which allows the computer to communicate to other computers
on a
Network. This board, when connected to a cable or other method of transferring data such as infrared, can share resources, information and computer
hardware. Local or Wide area networks are generally used for large businesses as well as are beginning to be found in homes as home users begin to have more than one computer. Utilizing network cards to connect to a network allow users to share data such as companies being able to have the capability of having a database that can be accessed all at the same time, send and receive e-mail internally within the company, or share hardware devices such as printers.