Network Interface Cards 101

I am thinking of dumping dial-up for directv's wireless internet. I have been told that I don't have a Network Interface Card (NIC). Can anyone out there tell me what this is and if (how) I would be able to install one on my machine? I consider myself pretty knowledgable with computers but I'm in the dark on this wireless stuff. Thanks in advance.

A network interface card is a piece of hardware which enables your computer to operate on an ethernet-based network. Normally, these would be CAT5 or BNC wire based (Lately, more CAT5 as BNC has depreciated). There are also Wireless Network Interface Cards.

However this depends on what you mean by wireless. I'm assuming wireless being from satellite to satellite dish type wireless, which means you will have a 'modem', similar to a cable modem (probably also needs a phone-line attachment). In this case you would require a normal wired CAT5 Network Card you can find at any Best Buy, or Circuit City for under $10.

Now, if they give you a free 'wireless router' in the package, that means you would need a Wireless card for your computer (Some also allow wired connections as well), which is again available at any corner computer store as well as Walmart, Best Buy, Circuit City, Target, etc...

Make sure before you buy however, if it all possible post pictures of the hardware as to remove confusion.