PCIe network card or USB adapter: which do I need?

A PCIe card installs inside a desktop, workstation or server and suits a permanent, high-throughput connection. A USB adapter plugs into a free USB-A or USB-C port, which makes it the quick fix for laptops and compact PCs without an Ethernet jack. Choose by what the machine physically offers and, for USB, match the adapter's connector and USB version to the port.

How do I choose the right speed?

Match the adapter to the slowest link in the path: switch port, cabling and adapter. A 2.5 or 10 Gb/s card gains nothing on a 1 Gb/s switch port, and older cabling can limit higher speeds over long runs. Check your switch and cabling first: upgrading the card, switch and cable together is what delivers the full speed.

Will the adapter work with my operating system?

Most business adapters support current versions of Windows, and many also support Linux and macOS, but driver support varies by model and chipset. Check the manufacturer's compatibility details before you order. If you are standardizing a fleet, name your operating systems in the quote request so your account manager quotes models that match.

Do I need a fibre network card?

Only if your network uses fibre links, usually for long runs, server rooms or high-speed backbones. Most fibre network cards have SFP or SFP+ ports, so you also need a matching transceiver for each one. A standard office desktop is well served by a copper Ethernet card or its built-in port.

Can I order adapters for a whole team, and deal with you in French?

Yes. Send the full list, by model and quantity, through Request a Quote, in English or French. A Canadian account manager on our bilingual team returns a competitive CAD quote for the whole order, usually within hours. Listed prices are the public MSRP, refreshed nightly, so you can budget first. Dataworld serves Canadian businesses and ships within Canada only.

Ethernet Network Cards and Adapters for Business in Canada

A network adapter adds or upgrades a connection: a PCIe card for a desktop, workstation or server, or a USB adapter that gives a thin laptop a wired port. Four details decide the fit: the slot or port your machine offers, the speed your switch supports, copper or fibre, and driver support for your operating system. Dataworld lists adapters from StarTech.com, Allied Telesis, Plugable, Netgear and TP-Link, plus Lenovo, where Dataworld is a Lenovo Authorized Partner, all supplied through authorized Canadian distribution with the public CAD MSRP on every product page, refreshed nightly.

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HP Intel Ethernet I350-T4 4-Port 1Gb NIC

HP Intel Ethernet I350-T4 4-Port 1Gb NIC, PCI Express, China, Business, RedHat EL Linux 5.0, RedHat EL Linux 6.0, SuSE Linux 10, SuSE Linux 11, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows..., 135 mm

SKU: W8X25AA

MSRP

$564.00

Lenovo

Lenovo 4XC0H00338 network card Internal Ethernet 1000 Mbit/s

Lenovo 4XC0H00338, Internal, Wired, PCI Express, Ethernet, 1000 Mbit/s

SKU: 4XC0H00338

MSRP

$116.41

Lenovo

Lenovo 4XC7A08237 network card Internal Fiber 25000 Mbit/s

Lenovo 4XC7A08237, Internal, Wired, PCI Express, Fiber, 25000 Mbit/s, Black, Green, Stainless steel

SKU: 4XC7A08237

MSRP

$1,399.00

Lenovo

Lenovo ThinkSystem Mellanox ConnectX-6 HDR/200GbE QSFP56 1-port PCIe 4 VPI interface cards/adapter Internal

Lenovo ThinkSystem Mellanox ConnectX-6 HDR/200GbE QSFP56 1-port PCIe 4 VPI, PCIe, QSFP56, Male, Low-profile, PCIe 4.0, Multicolour

SKU: 4C57A15326

MSRP

$8,349.00

HP Intel X550 10GBASE-T Dual Port NIC

HP Intel X550 10GBASE-T Dual Port NIC, Green, Silver, Malaysia, Business, 129.5 mm, 15.2 mm, 68.5 mm

SKU: 1QL46AA

MSRP

$968.00

Lenovo

Lenovo AUKP Internal Ethernet 10000 Mbit/s

Lenovo AUKP, Internal, Wired, PCI Express, Ethernet, 10000 Mbit/s, Black, Green

SKU: 7ZT7A00496

MSRP

$1,969.00

Lenovo

Lenovo 4XC7A80267 network card Internal Fiber 25000 Mbit/s

Lenovo 4XC7A80267, Internal, Wired, PCI Express, Fiber, 25000 Mbit/s, Multicolour

SKU: 4XC7A80267

MSRP

$3,839.00

Lenovo

Lenovo Broadcom 57414 10/25GbE SFP28 2-port PCIe Internal Ethernet

Lenovo Broadcom 57414 10/25GbE SFP28 2-port PCIe, Internal, Wired, PCI Express, Ethernet, Green, Metallic

SKU: 4XC7A08238

MSRP

$1,459.00

Lenovo

Lenovo 4XC7A80268 network card Internal Ethernet 10000 Mbit/s

Lenovo 4XC7A80268, Internal, Wired, PCI Express, Ethernet, 10000 Mbit/s

SKU: 4XC7A80268

MSRP

$4,089.00

Lenovo

Lenovo 4XC1K80847 network card Internal Ethernet 1000 Mbit/s

Lenovo 4XC1K80847, Internal, Wired, PCI Express, Ethernet, 1000 Mbit/s

SKU: 4XC1K80847

MSRP

$174.99

Lenovo

Lenovo 4X91H17795 laptop dock/port replicator RJ-45 Black

Lenovo 4X91H17795, RJ-45, Black, CB CE FCC ICE RCM VCCI KCC BSMI EAC Ukraine DoC, Windows 10, 5 - 35 °C, 20 - 80%

SKU: 4X91H17795

MSRP

$47.59

Dell

DELL 540-BBGY network card Internal Ethernet 1000 Mbit/s

DELL 540-BBGY, Internal, Wired & Wireless, PCI Express, Ethernet, 1000 Mbit/s, Green

SKU: 540-BBGY

MSRP

Price on request

Dell

DELL Intel X710 Internal Ethernet / Fiber 10000 Mbit/s

DELL Intel X710, Internal, Wired, PCI Express, Ethernet / Fiber, 10000 Mbit/s

SKU: 540-BBIV

MSRP

Price on request

Dell

DELL 540-BBVM network card Internal Ethernet 10000 Mbit/s

DELL 540-BBVM, Internal, Wired, PCI Express, Ethernet, 10000 Mbit/s

SKU: 540-BBVM

MSRP

Price on request

Dell

DELL Broadcom 57412 Internal Fiber 10000 Mbit/s

DELL Broadcom 57412, Internal, Wired, PCI Express, Fiber, 10000 Mbit/s, Green

SKU: 540-BBUN

MSRP

Price on request

Dell

DELL XH0CP Internal Fiber 10000 Mbit/s

DELL XH0CP, Internal, Wired, RJ-45, Fiber, 10000 Mbit/s, Black

SKU: 540-BBUR

MSRP

Price on request

Dell

DELL 540-BBRG network card Internal Ethernet 10000 Mbit/s

DELL 540-BBRG, Internal, Wired, PCI Express, Ethernet, 10000 Mbit/s, Black, Green

SKU: 540-BBRG

MSRP

Price on request

Dell

DELL Intel X710 Internal Ethernet / Fiber 10000 Mbit/s

DELL Intel X710, Internal, Wired, PCI Express, Ethernet / Fiber, 10000 Mbit/s

SKU: 555-BCKL

MSRP

Price on request

Dell

DELL YH1DK interface cards/adapter Internal Fiber

DELL YH1DK, PCIe, Fiber, Green, Server, 16Gb Fibre Channel, Wired

SKU: 403-BBMU

MSRP

Price on request

Dell

DELL 540-BDDS network card Internal Fiber

DELL 540-BDDS, Internal, Wired, PCI Express, Fiber

SKU: 540-BDDS

MSRP

Price on request

Dell

DELL 540-BCKV network card Internal Ethernet 25000 Mbit/s

DELL 540-BCKV, Internal, Wired, PCI Express, Ethernet, 25000 Mbit/s

SKU: 540-BCKV

MSRP

Price on request

Dell

DELL Broadcom 57414 Internal Fiber 25000 Mbit/s

DELL Broadcom 57414, Internal, Wired, PCI Express, Fiber, 25000 Mbit/s, Green

SKU: 540-BDHY

MSRP

Price on request

Startech

StarTech.com 2 ft Panel Mount USB Cable A to A - F/M

StarTech.com 2 ft Panel Mount USB Cable A to A - F/M, 0.6 m, USB A, USB A, USB 2.0, Male/Female, Black

SKU: USBPNLAFAM2

MSRP

$12.29

Plugable

Plugable Technologies USB to Ethernet Adapter, USB 3.0 to Gigabit Ethernet, Supports Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 7, XP, Linux, Chrome OS

Plugable Technologies USB to Ethernet Adapter, USB 3.0 to Gigabit Ethernet, Supports Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 7, XP, Linux, Chrome OS, Wired, USB, Ethernet, 1000 Mbit/s, Black

SKU: USB3-E1000

MSRP

$29.95

Don't see the exact model? Our account managers will source it and send you a quote.

Request a quote

Equipping a team? Send the full list or click Request a Quote on any adapter. A knowledgeable Canadian account manager, in English or French, returns a real, competitive CAD price, usually within hours. Every adapter is genuine product with a valid manufacturer warranty, never grey market.

Frequently asked questions

PCIe network card or USB adapter: which do I need?: A PCIe card installs inside a desktop, workstation or server and suits a permanent, high-throughput connection. A USB adapter plugs into a free USB-A or USB-C port, which makes it the quick fix for laptops and compact PCs without an Ethernet jack. Choose by what the machine physically offers and, for USB, match the adapter's connector and USB version to the port.
How do I choose the right speed?: Match the adapter to the slowest link in the path: switch port, cabling and adapter. A 2.5 or 10 Gb/s card gains nothing on a 1 Gb/s switch port, and older cabling can limit higher speeds over long runs. Check your switch and cabling first: upgrading the card, switch and cable together is what delivers the full speed.
Will the adapter work with my operating system?: Most business adapters support current versions of Windows, and many also support Linux and macOS, but driver support varies by model and chipset. Check the manufacturer's compatibility details before you order. If you are standardizing a fleet, name your operating systems in the quote request so your account manager quotes models that match.
Do I need a fibre network card?: Only if your network uses fibre links, usually for long runs, server rooms or high-speed backbones. Most fibre network cards have SFP or SFP+ ports, so you also need a matching transceiver for each one. A standard office desktop is well served by a copper Ethernet card or its built-in port.
Can I order adapters for a whole team, and deal with you in French?: Yes. Send the full list, by model and quantity, through Request a Quote, in English or French. A Canadian account manager on our bilingual team returns a competitive CAD quote for the whole order, usually within hours. Listed prices are the public MSRP, refreshed nightly, so you can budget first. Dataworld serves Canadian businesses and ships within Canada only.

HP Intel Ethernet I350-T4 4-Port 1Gb NIC

Lenovo 4XC0H00338 network card Internal Ethernet 1000 Mbit/s

Lenovo 4XC7A08237 network card Internal Fiber 25000 Mbit/s

Lenovo ThinkSystem Mellanox ConnectX-6 HDR/200GbE QSFP56 1-port PCIe 4 VPI interface cards/adapter Internal

HP Intel X550 10GBASE-T Dual Port NIC

Lenovo AUKP Internal Ethernet 10000 Mbit/s

Lenovo 4XC7A80267 network card Internal Fiber 25000 Mbit/s

Lenovo Broadcom 57414 10/25GbE SFP28 2-port PCIe Internal Ethernet

Lenovo 4XC7A80268 network card Internal Ethernet 10000 Mbit/s

Lenovo 4XC1K80847 network card Internal Ethernet 1000 Mbit/s

Lenovo 4X91H17795 laptop dock/port replicator RJ-45 Black

DELL 540-BBGY network card Internal Ethernet 1000 Mbit/s

DELL Intel X710 Internal Ethernet / Fiber 10000 Mbit/s

DELL 540-BBVM network card Internal Ethernet 10000 Mbit/s

DELL Broadcom 57412 Internal Fiber 10000 Mbit/s

DELL XH0CP Internal Fiber 10000 Mbit/s

DELL 540-BBRG network card Internal Ethernet 10000 Mbit/s

DELL Intel X710 Internal Ethernet / Fiber 10000 Mbit/s

DELL YH1DK interface cards/adapter Internal Fiber

DELL 540-BDDS network card Internal Fiber

DELL 540-BCKV network card Internal Ethernet 25000 Mbit/s

DELL Broadcom 57414 Internal Fiber 25000 Mbit/s

StarTech.com 2 ft Panel Mount USB Cable A to A - F/M

Plugable Technologies USB to Ethernet Adapter, USB 3.0 to Gigabit Ethernet, Supports Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 7, XP, Linux, Chrome OS

Frequently asked questions

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