Best Network Adapter For Windows 7: Top Picks
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Key notes
- If your internet is giving you headaches on a Windows 7 PC, you need a new PCI Ethernet controller driver.
- We've included some great network adapters and links for their best Ethernet drivers below.
- The best ethernet controller will provide uninterrupted connection at high speeds.
- Note that our selection is compatible with a wide range of operating systems.
Hardware devices and peripherals designed to help your Windows 7 PC connect to the web could not function properly without Ethernet controller driver devices.
In our article today, we will be presenting you our top picks for the best Network adapters for Windows 7 available to buy right now on Amazon.
There is a wide selection of Ethernet controllers, and each one of them uses different chipsets and manufacturers, henceforth why the drivers are different from one product to another.
Therefore, when you search for the latest drivers, you’ll need to know the product’s name, and look for the specific driver made for that said product.
What are the best Windows 7 Ethernet controller devices?
TP-Link TG-3468 Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express Network Card
- Ultra-Fast 10/100/1000Mbps PCIe Adapter
- Wake on LAN supporting Auto-Negotiation and Auto MDI/MDIX
- IEEE802.3x Flow Control for Full-duplex Mode and backpressure for Half-duplex Mode support
- The range is not great
As with any other TP-Link product, the TP-Link TG 3468 is one great device which provides a stable and smooth connection. It is easy to install and supports high internet speeds.
You can go about installing the drivers on this device in two ways. You either use the CD and let the product install the default firmware driver, or you download the latest one yourself.
Simply go to the Realtek official site, and search for the RTL8168 chipset driver in the downloads section. You will find the latest available version of this network adapter for Windows 7 right there.
EDUP Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express Network Card
- Fits any PCI Express x1, x2, x4, x8, or x16 socket
- Provides simple connection to a Gigabit Ethernet network, and is fully compatible with 802. 1Q virtual LAN (VLAN) tag
- Suitable for any server or workstation, supporting high-Performance Dual-channel networking and maximum data transfer speeds of 1000Mbps in each direction
- The prongs don’t align properly with the PCIE socket on some PC cases
Yet another powerful Ethernet network card that works with high internet speeds, the EDUP Gigabit Ethernet is perfect for those who are limited by their on-board card.
As with any other such product, it doesn’t require any installation. You simply plug it in the PCI slot and it should start working. Your OS will download the drivers after you turn the PC on.
However, if you really wish to install the latest drivers manually, you’ll find them on EDUP’s official website. Download the EP-9602GS Driver (that’s the name of the chipset) and install it.
Rosewill Ethernet network adapter card
- Wake-on-LAN supporting auto-negotiation and auto MDI/MDIX supports IEEE802
- Compatible with FreeDOS/Win98SE/Me/2000/XP/Vista/Linux/Novell Netware
- Led indicators that indicate the status of data transmission
- Some users stated that the Tx is faster than Rx
The Rosewill Ethernet network adapter card will greatly improve your internet download speed compared to the on-board adapter that comes with your motherboard.
Naturally, the card is ready to go after you plug it in, and the installation process is pretty easy. You PC will also install the driver by itself.
As it’s the case with the other network adapter cards, if you really wish to install the latest driver manually, you’ll have to go to the manufacturer’s website, in this case, Rosewill’s official site.
StarTech 32-bit Gigabit Ethernet Network Adapter Card
- Compatible with IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3ab, and 802.3x standards
- Supports Linux/Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/XP-64bit/Vista/Vista-64bit/7/7-64bit and Mac OSX
- Speeds up to 10/100/1000 Mbps
- No technical details on the product’s description
This card provides a simple connection to the Gigabit internet, which will ensure you won’t get random disconnects or other internet-related issues.
Oviously, it is more potent than a normal on-board network adapter cards, reaching higher speeds then the ones you’ll normally find incorcporated into motherboards.
As for the drivers, StarTech has got you covered. Go to their official website, navigate to Find Drivers, enter your product ID and you’re good to go. Download the latest driver and enjoy your brand new card.
What is an Ethernet controller?
A computer or laptop’s Ethernet controller allows it to connect to the internet via an ethernet cable. The internet speeds provided by these cables surpass those of normal wireless connections.
These controllers also have different speed capabilities, and most of them are incorporated into the motherboard by the manufacturer.
Specialized Ethernet adapter cards can be bought separately and inserted into the PCI slot, alongside the motherboard. They are usually faster than those in-built ones and provide a better connection
Why do I need a Windows 7 network adapter?
Ethernet controller drivers serve as the manual that the PC uses as a guide to instructing your Ethernet hardware on how to behave in various circumstances.
That means your PC depends on those instructions to the hardware devices through these drivers loaded in the hard disk.
Without these driver tools, your PC won’t recognize a hardware device you attach to the motherboard. Simply put, drivers are as equally important as the hardware itself.
How do I install an Ethernet controller?
Installing them is quite easy. You just have to open up your PC case, remove one PCI slot and just plug the adapter into the respective slot.
It is as simple as that. We do have to mention that some network adapters come with a CD that contains drivers for the product, and some rely on your Windows to automatically search and install them.
Either way, it is safe to say that you can manually install the latest drivers by going to the manufacturer’s website and searching for them.
Is your Wi-Fi network adapter giving you trouble? Easily fix this issue by checking out this helpful article about fixing Wi-Fi network adapter problems.
That’s about it for this article. There are many ethernet adapters out there, and each one of them has special drivers made them.
That being said, we do hope that our products and the information you’ll find here will help you. Feel free to tell us about your experience and which was the best Network adapter for Windows 7 PCs from the list for you.
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