Network Card for Soft Router
Network card for Soft Router might be a must if you want to swfit PC or device to Soft Router. As regular PC or Arm-device usually has only one Ethernet port, Soft Router usually needs at lease two ports: one as WAN; others as Lan.
What’s Network Card?
Network card actually is name as Network interface controller, also known as network interface controller, network adapter or LAN adapter, is a piece of computer hardware designed to allow computers to communicate on a computer network.
Because it has a MAC address, it belongs to the second layer of the OSI model. It allows users to connect to each other via cable or wirelessly. Each network card has a unique 48-bit serial number called the MAC address, which is written in a ROM on the card. Every computer on the network must have a unique MAC address. No two network cards produced have the same address. This is because the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is responsible for assigning unique MAC addresses to vendors of network interface controllers.
The network card used to be inserted into the computer bus as an expansion card, but due to its low price and the widespread existence of Ethernet standards, most new computers have integrated network interfaces on the motherboard.
Unless multiple interfaces are required, a separate network card is no longer needed. Even newer motherboards may contain built-in dual network (Ethernet) interfaces.
Network cards for PC
If your PC’s motherboard is ATX or mATX, or some mini-ITX, you have below options to add more Ethernet ports.
Optical Fiber Modem
If you plan to make a strong softer Router for a bid company, you could consider to add PCI-e optical fiber modem as WAN port, which also support multi-module and usualy equipped on high-end servers.
PCI-E Network cards for Soft Router
You can add more Ethernet cards as more as PCI-e slots. If so, your Soft Router could a switch also.
PCI-E Gigabit Network on Aliexpress.com
AliExpress.com Product – Network Card 4 Port Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000M PCI-E PCI Express To 4X Gigabit Ethernet Network Card LAN Adapter for Desktops
AliExpress.com Product – Dual-Port Slot PCI-E X1 RJ45 Interface Gigabit Ethernet Network Card 10/100/1000Mbps Rate Intel 82575 Adapter Drop Shipping
USD3.0 to Ethernet Adapter
You could add more Ethernet port by USB3.0 to Ethernet Adapter if necessary.
USB3.0 to Giga Ethernet adapter on Aliexpress.com
AliExpress.com Product – AJIUYU USB HUB USB 3.0 To Gigabit Ethernet Adapter RJ45 Dock Multi Port For PC Computer Laptop Accessories usb3.0 Hub
AliExpress.com Product – UGREEN USB 3.0 Ethernet Adapter USB 2.0 Network Card to RJ45 Lan for Windows 10 Xiaomi Mi Box 3 S Nintend Switch Ethernet USB
AliExpress.com Product – IOCREST USB3.0 to 4 Ports 10/100/1000M Ethernet Controller Adapter USB RJ45 Gigabit External NIC Network RTL8153 Chipset
AliExpress.com Product – USB 3.0 2.0 / Typc C USB Rj45 Lan Ethernet Adapter Network Card to RJ45 Lan Ethernet Adapter for Windows 10 Macbook Xiaomi Mi PC
AliExpress.com Product – USB3.0 to 4 Ports ethernet controller adapter 10/100/1000M usb to 4 ports LAN rj45 gigabit external nic network RTL8153 chipset
AliExpress.com Product – USB 2.0 3.0 USB Typc C Rj45 Lan Ethernet Adapter Network Card to RJ45 Lan Ethernet Adapter for PC Macbook Windows 10 Laptop
M.2 to Ethernet Adapter as
Network cards for Soft Router
Another option is M.2 to Ethernet Aatper if you don’t use M.2 slot for wireless card.
Motherboard with Dual Ethernet Port
You can find a easy solution: motherboards or PC with two Ethernet ports.
