1. Network Interface Cards
NICs

2. Interface?
“The means by which two systems or devices are connected and interact with each other ”
So a Network Interface Card (NIC) allows a computer to connect to and interact with a network

3. NIC physical connections
At least two physical connections
Connection to the computer
Connection to the network

4. NIC computer connection
Internal cards
PCI-Express slot
PCI slot
ISA slot
PC Card (PCMCIA)
Integral socket
Dongle
USB -> Ethernet
On motherboard

5. NIC LAN connection BNC coaxial RJ-45 Radio Fibre 10Base2 10BaseT
802.11g,
802.11n (draft)
Fibre
Fibre channel
Combination (combo) cards supporting, say, 10Base2 and 10BaseT used to be common but no longer due to faster speeds only being supported by twisted pair variants.

6. NIC protocols Most NICs on sale today fall into two groups
Ethernet (IEEE 802.3)
WiFi (IEEE )
There are a few others such as Fibre Channel, Bluetooth & Home PNA
Token Ring which used to compete with Ethernet seems to have almost entirely disappeared