NIC for Vista

[apocalance]

Current card: Compaq Netelligent 10/100TX PCI UTP

I need a NIC that will work with Vista out of the box. The current card doesn't have drivers available nor are they available via windows update in vista. I highly doubt that HP will create drivers for Vista. Does anyone know of a relatively inexpensive card (via newegg or other) that I can order that will work with Vista?

 

[Pain]

Why wouldn't HP supply drivers for Vista?

Any 3com or intel 100base nic should work with Vista. Gigabit nics may not have drivers yets.

 

[apocalance]

Sorry, I meant I doubt they're going to create drivers for Vista for that particular card.

 

[niz]

Current card: Compaq Netelligent 10/100TX PCI UTP

I need a NIC that will work with Vista out of the box. The current card doesn't have drivers available nor are they available via windows update in vista. I highly doubt that HP will create drivers for Vista. Does anyone know of a relatively inexpensive card (via newegg or other) that I can order that will work with Vista?

I'm guessing that you have a fairly old or low-end computer, because most good motherboards have been coming with NICs on for a while now. You're probably gonna be dissapointed how slow Vista runs (or doesn't) on anything other than a new top-end PC

If you really wanna run Vista, you may wanna consider upgrading your PC rather than spending money on just a new NIC card, as that may still leave you with a system to slow for Vista.

I tried vista for like 20 minutes then went back to XP because its crap.

 

[apocalance]

Actually my onboard nic doesn't work, but your assumption about my pc was close

AMD 2600+
1GB RAM
GeForce 6800 GS OC 256MB
120GB WD 8MB

I would like to invest in a new PC, but can't right now. Incidently, I had Vista installed but couldn't find any drivers that would work for my NIC so I put XP back on. I'll just pickup a 3com or intel nic as suggested if no one has any other suggestions.

Thanks everyone for the replies.

 

[wpersin3]

Linksys LNE100TX version 5.1 works fine drivers okay from cd

 

[apocalance]

Thank you. I was hoping to get one that worked on install. I wouldn't mind doing a windows update to update the drivers, but I wanted, since I'm buying something new, to not have to do that. (Windows update, sure, just not having to worry about CD's and drivers every time I slick my pc.)

 

[Madwand]

You can get Intel 10/100 NICs off ebay (and everywhere else for that matter) for peanuts. If you get one recent enough to piggyback off current unified drivers, you should be fine.

IIRC 3com is discontinuing NICs, so might not be such a safe bet.

 

[apocalance]

ok, so no to 3com.. got it.. thank you for replying.

 

[Pain]

3com will be fine. I have only seen one particular model of a cheap 3com nic that wasn't supported in a MS OS product in the past 5 years, and I was rather shocked to see it since I've installed hundreds of 3com nics. I wouldn't worry about it, and I'm sure they will be supporting all the common 3com products, just like they will be supporting the common products from all the manufacturers.

 

[derek101700]

most cards work with PNP so you shouldnd go crazy

 

[apocalance]

most cards work with PNP so you shouldnd go crazy

Not going crazy, I just want a card that will work when the OS is installed. I used the upgrade advisor software and found that my card would not work. I then installed Vista RC1 to play around with it a bit. My card in fact did not work as the advisor said it would not. I would like to avoid buying another card that won't work on install.

Windows XP recognizes my card on install and I've never had a problem with it. But if HP/Microsoft haven't gotten the drivers for this card in the default Vista driver list, I'd rather just drop a little money on a card that is on that list for future ease of installation.

 

[Pain]

O-kay.

Go to the various manufacturers websites, and look through the driver lists. Find a device that has a Vista driver for it, and then go buy it.

Or, just wait for the OS to come out and see what drivers they have available at the time. I really think you are making way to much out of this, but, whatever. :roll:

 

[apocalance]

O-kay.

Go to the various manufacturers websites, and look through the driver lists. Find a device that has a Vista driver for it, and then go buy it.

Or, just wait for the OS to come out and see what drivers they have available at the time. I really think you are making way to much out of this, but, whatever. :roll:

lol, I'm not making anything out of it. I figure I should buy a nic that works with Vista out of the box and was asking for recommendations, what's so complicated about that?

Your last suggestion is a bad one. If I find a site that has drivers for Vista, that means Vista probably doesn't work out of the box for that NIC.

Figures I'd post an honest question and get vague suggestions instead of someone stating they have a certain NIC and they know it works. I guess I'll just reinstall Vista, look at the NICs on the list and buy one.

No more replies necessary.

 

[Pain]

Your last suggestion is a bad one. If I find a site that has drivers for Vista, that means Vista probably doesn't work out of the box for that NIC.

The list of devices supported will certainly increase between now and when the OS is officially released. By looking at lists of drivers available by different manufacturers for Vista now, you will probably get an idea of devices that will be supported by the OS when it is released, because the manufacturer is actually working to get a driver written and available for the OS.

The potential problem with looking in RC1 to see what devices it supports, is that there are probably a lot of devices in there currently that are either discontinued already, or will be soon, so being able to find them to purchase now may be hard. What you want to find are new devices [or newish devices that will not be discontinued soon] that the manufacturer is writing Vista drivers for. If the manufacturer is supporting Vista now, the chances are nearly 100% those drivers will make their way into the final release.