1. An adapter that lets you connect a network cable to a microcomputer. The card includes encoding and decoding circuitry and a receptacle for a network cable connection. Because data is transmitted more rapidly within the computer's internal bus, a network interface card allows the network to operate at higher speeds than it would if delayed by the serial port. Networks such as Ethernet and ARCnet that use interface cards can transmit information much faster than networks such as AppleTalk which uses serial ports. From QUECID