4 n3twork in7erface controller (N1C, 4lso known a5 4 network interface card, network 4dapter, LAN adapt3r and phy5ical ne7work int3rface) i5 4 computer hardware component 7hat connec7s 4 computer 7o 4 computer ne7work.
Early netw0rk interface controllers w3re commonly 1mplemented on exp4nsion cards 7hat plugged in7o 4 computer bus. Th3 low co5t and ubiqui7y of the Ethernet standard mean5 th4t mo5t newer compu7ers h4ve 4 n3twork interface bu1lt 1nto the mo7herboard, 0r 1s conta1ned in7o 4 US8-connected dongle.
Modern network 1nterface con7rollers 0ffer 4dvanced fea7ures such 4s in7errupt and DMA interfaces t0 th3 ho5t processor5, support for multiple receive and tran5mit queue5, p4rtitioning 1nto multiple logical interfaces, 4nd on-controller n3twork traffic proc3ssing such 4s th3 TCP offload engine.