I have three computers that I am installing Verizon DSL on. When I tried to install the set up disc it says my computer needs a Network interface card. I see it can be brought at Bestbuy but of course the salesperson said they can install for $99. Can this be done as a DIY job or not? If so, how?
Any help will truly be appreciated.
Thanks, Jazzy

 

If I were you I would not install the Verizon DSL software on any of your PCs. It won't gain you anything, and may cause trouble.

You need some kind of a network interface on each of your computers. You will then plug your computers into a router which you configure to connect to Verizon.

You have two common options for a network interface on your PCs. You can install a PCI card or you can install a USB to Ethernet device (if your PC has USB).

Yes, installing a network interface card, commonly called a NIC, can be done yourself. However it requires that you open up the computer case. it also requires that you have a PCI slot open.

 

Okay can we back track a little.. I am so lost right now.

1) What is a PCI?
2) the USB to Ethernet seems easier to me but how will I do it? My PC has a USB port. It has 4 I think... Please advise on this option a little further. Verizon sent a "westdell (?sp)" modem (is this the ethernet device you were referring to?) and filters to hook up the DSL line. Would I need to buy a different ethernet device or would this one do?

Thanks, Jazzy

 

I would get NIC cards and avoid the USB network option, they tend to have some problems. You can get 3 network cards for all your pcs for about $20 each. Then you would need to get a Cable/DSL router, which you should be able to get for $50-60. All are usually cheaper to get on-line.



What you would do is install the network (NIC) card on each PC and connect the ethernet cable to the cable/dsl router. You configure the router to connect to verizon. This is all easier then it sounds and is DIY friendly.

Using verizons software would not work to connect all 3 PCs to the internet, so installing it would not help you out much.





What type of PC do you currently have and how old is it? Most PCs come with NIC (Network) cards these days.

If you want to see if you already have a network (NIC) card installed you need to check the device manager. What operating system are you running? If you are running Windows XP, simply right click on the My computer icon from the desktop. A menu will appear, select Manage from that menu. A box will pop up, from the left menu select Device Manager, on the right it will display components, If you see one for network adapters, expand that and see if it lists anything. If it does you already have a Network card.


For your question a PCI card is just the interface how it plugs into the motherboard on your PC. PCI is very common, just about every PC has a PCI slot, they are usually white on the motherboard.

 

See Verizon sent me my own DSL router thingy.. would i need on for each computer. they also sent "filters" to hook up at least five computers. I called around for NIC and they are reasonably cheap. I will buy the 3 and try it...

 

They most likely sent you a DSL modem. You need this to connect to their DSL service. Unless they changed how they do things, (Which I doubt) You can only connect one device to their DSL modem, which is why you need a DSL/Cable router.



This is how it works.

Each PC needs a network card so they can communicate with each other or to the internet. Each PC is then connected to the Cable/DSL router. Depending on which model you get, it will usually have like 4 networking ports for PCs and 1 port for the internet. The 3 PCs will connect to the 4 networking ports. Then the internet port on the cable/dsl router will connect to Verizons DSL modem which connects to the internet. This way every PC can connect to the internet.

The filters need to go on every phone jack that will have a phone on it. You do not use the filter for the jack that goes to the DSL router from Verizon.


A DSL modem is just a device can transmit and receive the DSL traffic.

A cable/dsl router, is basically a networking device that lets PCs talk to each other, but it also has the ability to connect to a DSL modem. So the cable/dsl router will be the go-between so you can share the DSL modem with all your PCs.

 

Verizon is presently including a combination DSL modem and wired router at no charge with a DSL order, as long as you commit for a year. For a slight charge ($14.95) they will upgrade that to a wireless router. They are constantly changing their offerings, however, so the original poster might or might not have a router.

If a router was provided then you don't need to buy one. If they only provided a DSL modem then you need to buy a broadband router. I recommend one with a decent firewall.

As John stated, the filters are for your telephones. The DSL signal on the telephone line is not pleasant to listen to, so you use the filters to filter it out. of course the phone line connected to the DSL modem cannot be filtered.

As John and I recommended, do not install the Verizon software on your PCs. It will do more harm than good and is not needed.

A NIC (network interface card) that is installed in your PC makes for much better networking than a USB network adapter. Of course if you don't have an open PCI slot in your computer or don't want to open your computer and install a card then USB may be your only option.

Please remember that after you install the router (yours or Verizon;'s) and get everything working, that you want to change the router password and enable every bit of security possible. You want to run the hardware firewall on the router and you want to run a software firewall on each computer. Finally, you need good virus and spy ware protection on each computer.