An Ethernet card is a piece of computer hardware that enables communication between two or more computers on a network. Creating a network allows multiple computers to share resources. Previously networks were only used for business-related tasks. However, with the proliferation of home computers, it is becoming more and more common for home computers to be networked so they can share Internet connections, printers, files, and other resources. Also, a computer must be equipped with an Ethernet card in order to use a cable or DSL modem.

A computer can be purchased with an Ethernet card already installed. If you want to have a high-speed Internet connection like cable or DSL, you may want to purchase your next computer with a pre-installed network card.An Ethernet card can be added to any computer that has an open slot. If the computer has no open slots, an Ethernet adapter can be added via the USB port. Laptop computers can use an Ethernet USB adapter or a PCMCIA card Ethernet adapter.