What is a NIC?

• A. A storage controller.
• B. A display controller.
• C. A type of memory.
• D. Network Interface Card providing Ethernet connectivity.

Answer: (D)

A NIC is the hardware that lets a computer connect to a network. It provides Ethernet connectivity by offering the physical interface and data-link functions needed to place and receive frames on a network. It can be built into the motherboard or added as a separate card, usually connected via PCIe. The NIC handles low-level tasks like framing, error checking, and filtering, and it presents an interface to the operating system’s network stack, using a unique MAC address to identify itself on the network. This role is distinct from a storage controller, which manages drives, a display controller, which handles video output, or memory, which stores data. So a Network Interface Card providing Ethernet connectivity is exactly what a NIC does.