Wired Ethernet Cards
If you are using windows 2000/XP/Vista you can probably get by with a
You really don't need a gigabit NIC if you are only hooking up broadband (Cable, DSL, FIOS, Satellite, Wireless). in fact, it may or may not mess things up. some devices don't like gigabit and some gigabit cards don't like slower devices. best to match things up.
Gigabit cable (cat-6 or cat-5e) is safe for 10/100 ethernet.
Realtek 8139D chipset-based ethernet network card (NIC). just plug it in and the OS should recognize it. but if you are on Win95/98/ME, you will need drivers! (unless you are using the old venerable 3COM 3c905tx or 3c509 card). In that case, always read the System Requirements label on the side of the box before buying and make sure it supports the operating system you are using (for instance, Windows 9x)! newegg seems to be a mite expensive lately... You really don't need a gigabit NIC if you are only hooking up broadband (Cable, DSL, FIOS, Satellite, Wireless). in fact, it may or may not mess things up. some devices don't like gigabit and some gigabit cards don't like slower devices. best to match things up.
Gigabit cable (cat-6 or cat-5e) is safe for 10/100 ethernet.
LINKSYS LNE100TX 10/ 100Mbps PCI EtherFast LAN Card - Retail, available from newegg $17+5
Rosewill RC-400-LX 10/ 100/ 1000Mbps PCI V2.2, 32/64-bit, 33/66MHz Networking LAN Card - Retail, available from newegg $13+6
quality gigabit NIC
TRENDnet TEG-PCITXR 10/ 100/ 1000/ 2000Mbps PCI Copper Gigabit Network Adapter - Retail
, available from newegg $16
Intel PWLA8391GT 10/ 100/ 1000Mbps PCI PRO/1000 GT Desktop Adapter - Retail, available from newegg $34+5
reliable old standard
SIIG Single port Gigabit Ethernet PCIe adapter Model CN-GP1021-S1 - Retail, available from newegg $30+5
Koutech IO-PEN121 10/ 100/ 1000Mbps PCI-Express Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express (x1) Card - Retail, available from newegg $24+5
Zonet ZEN3200 10/ 100Mbps PCI Network Adapter 1 x RJ45 - Retail, available from newegg $5+5
inexpensive card. does the job. you can probably get something similar at the local computer shop for about the same price.
LINKSYS UTP510 10ft Cat5 Network Cable - Retail, available from newegg $4+5
10/100 ethernet cable
BELKIN A3L791-10-BLU 10 ft. Cat 5E Blue RJ45 CAT5e Patch Cable - Retail, available from newegg $4+5
10/100/1000 ethernet cable. Safe for 10/100-only connections.
Wired Ethernet Routers
LINKSYS BEFSR41 10/100Mbps Router - Retail, available from newegg $50
good basic wired-only router. included in case you need a router that doesn't do wireless. been around a long time.
Linksys BEFSX41 EtherFast® LINKSYS BEFSX41 10/100Mbps Cable/DSL Firewall Router with 4-Port Switch/VPN Endpoint 10/100 (Half Duplex) 20/200 (Full Duplex) WAN Ports 10/100 (Half Duplex) 20/200 (Full Duplex) LAN Ports - Retail, available from newegg $63+9
I would get this one. it has a firewall. you may have to turn the firewall on.
Wired Ethernet Switch (hub/bridge)
there are a LOT of switches out there! Linksys is a division of Cisco.
LINKSYS EZXS55W 10/100Mbps Workgroup Switch 5 x RJ45 - Retail, available from newegg $23
5-port 10/100 switch with 1 extra 10/100 uplink port. reliable.
LINKSYS SLM2008 10/100/1000Mbps Switch - Retail, available from newegg $110+11
8-port 10/100/1000 switch. 802.1x - RADIUS Authentication. MD5 Encryption. 8K MAC address table.
LINKSYS SRW2008P 10/100/1000Mbps Managed Gigabit Switch with PoE - Retail, available from newegg <$340+14
8-port 10/100/1000 switch. IEEE 802.1x: 802.1x - RADIUS Authentication. MD5 Encryption Access Control: ACLs - Drop or Rate Limit based on: Source and Destination MAC-based Source and Destination IP address Protocol TOS/ DSCP Port VLAN Ethertype. 8K MAC address table. Standards: 802.3 10BASE-T Ethernet, 802.3u 100BASE-TX Fast Ethernet, 802.3ab 1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet, 802.3z Gigabit Ethernet, 802.3x Flow Control, 802.3 ad LACP, 802.1d STP, 802.1Q/p VLAN, 802.1w Rapid STP, 802.1s Multiple STP, 802.1x Port Access Authentication
NETGEAR GS105 10/100/1000Mbps ProSafe Gigabit Desktop Switch - Retail, available from newegg $47
5-port 10/100/1000 switch. no VLAN. 128K on-chip packet buffering.
NETGEAR GS724T 10/100/1000Mbps ProSafe Gigabit Smart Switch - Retail, available from newegg <$300
24-port 10/100/1000 smart switch., probably unmanaged, given the price.
NETGEAR GSM7224 10/100/1000Mbps ProSafe Gigabit L2 Managed Switch - Retail, available from newegg <$700
24-port 10/100/1000 managed switch. 8K MAC address table. rs-232 console port.