NICs to use with 2003

I am building a server to get use to windows 2003 and to begin hosting some
simple services on, mainly a company informational webpage as well as making
files available to associates and employees who are in office or off site.

Right now we are using a Peer-to-peer network on cable but will be upgrading
to T-1 next year, if all goes well.

The server computer, which will handle small business intercompany email,
web and fileshare will be a single processor machine for early next year.

Now to my question, at this point, what NICs would be of use to me for a
simple server like this. I would have gone with a server appliance, but
none of the ones I looked at could give me more than 120GB (non-upgradable)
of HDD space while my current peer to peer file share system has 400GB of
HDD space.

Can I use standard $5 to $20 NICs, or do I need to use the $100+ server 2003
rated NICs for this implementation?

Any suggestions from current Windows server 2003 users or Techs would be of
great value to me. Good information with explinations would be of great
benefit and may be met with a small commission, if provided within next 24
hours.

Thank you

"greyhwk" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Can I use standard $5 to $20 NICs, or do I need to use the $100+ server
2003
> rated NICs for this implementation?

To tell the truth,...just one that works that's all,..if it works use it.
There's no point in an expensive NIC for your small a system.

Our system spans the continental US and Puerto Rico and we just use simple
older 10/100 3Com NICs that you can't even buy anymore. I don't think I've
even had one ever go bad.

--

Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com

So, effectively, If the NIC works FDuplex for Win2k/NT/XP then it should be
just fine for 2k3?

I was looking through the HCL and many of the companies whos items I have
grown to trust are not showing as 2003 compatible. D-Link, Linksys, Netgear
do not tend to show up and the 3Com and Intel cards showing are only the
$100 end cards.

I have a few spare 3C905C TX cards left around from a lot I bought a few
years for personal/business use. If these will work just fine, great, but
they do not show as 2003 rated, only 2000 server/NT. This is the only
reason I have come to question my equipment. I was just trying to verify
the "need new hardware" sales gimick.


"Phillip Windell" <@.> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "greyhwk" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Can I use standard $5 to $20 NICs, or do I need to use the $100+ server
> 2003
> > rated NICs for this implementation?
>
> To tell the truth,...just one that works that's all,..if it works use it.
> There's no point in an expensive NIC for your small a system.
>
> Our system spans the continental US and Puerto Rico and we just use simple
> older 10/100 3Com NICs that you can't even buy anymore. I don't think
I've
> even had one ever go bad.
>
> --
>
> Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
> www.wandtv.com
>
>
>

I have (literally) $5 NICs in 3 WS2k3 servers and XP clients in my lab. They work just fine ... although, if you are going to use the super-cheap NICs, be aware that, server or client, they can cause porblems on your wire if they start to "chatter", as they do occassionally. You just have to be aware of the traffic patterns and watch for anomalies. Quite simply, if your switch light for a particular connection seems to blink so rapidly that it's almost solid green wihtout any breaks, you most likely have a chattering NIC which is bombing your wire

If you're in a production environment, you can get very inexpensive 3com (or whatever their name is now) or Linksys NICs that work just fine, and are more advisable than the $5-$10 no-names

Good luck

Regards

Medicine Ma

Thank you, Med Man and Mr Windell. That answered my question very nicely. I
never go with no-names unless I see good ratings posted over a course of 3-6
months. For me, building PCs is all about compatibility first and numbers
second.

If you would both email me at (E-Mail Removed), I would like to
discuss a little further, and draw on your knowledge a little as I get
things set up.

"Medicine Man" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:303780E6-ACFD-479E-8709-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I have (literally) $5 NICs in 3 WS2k3 servers and XP clients in my lab.
They work just fine ... although, if you are going to use the super-cheap
NICs, be aware that, server or client, they can cause porblems on your wire
if they start to "chatter", as they do occassionally. You just have to be
aware of the traffic patterns and watch for anomalies. Quite simply, if your
switch light for a particular connection seems to blink so rapidly that it's
almost solid green wihtout any breaks, you most likely have a chattering NIC
which is bombing your wire.
>
> If you're in a production environment, you can get very inexpensive 3com
(or whatever their name is now) or Linksys NICs that work just fine, and are
more advisable than the $5-$10 no-names.
>
> Good luck.
>
> Regards,
>
> Medicine Man
>

On Tue, 8 Jun 2004 12:31:42 -0700, "greyhwk" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>So, effectively, If the NIC works FDuplex for Win2k/NT/XP then it should be
>just fine for 2k3?
>
>I was looking through the HCL and many of the companies whos items I have
>grown to trust are not showing as 2003 compatible. D-Link, Linksys, Netgear
>do not tend to show up and the 3Com and Intel cards showing are only the
>$100 end cards.
>
>I have a few spare 3C905C TX cards left around from a lot I bought a few
>years for personal/business use. If these will work just fine, great, but
>they do not show as 2003 rated, only 2000 server/NT. This is the only
>reason I have come to question my equipment. I was just trying to verify
>the "need new hardware" sales gimick.

3C905C cards work fine on Server 2003. There are managment functions
and such you may not get on an older card, but you'd never notice
those on your network.

Jeff

>"Phillip Windell" <@.> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>> "greyhwk" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > Can I use standard $5 to $20 NICs, or do I need to use the $100+ server
>> 2003
>> > rated NICs for this implementation?
>>
>> To tell the truth,...just one that works that's all,..if it works use it.
>> There's no point in an expensive NIC for your small a system.
>>
>> Our system spans the continental US and Puerto Rico and we just use simple
>> older 10/100 3Com NICs that you can't even buy anymore. I don't think
>I've
>> even had one ever go bad.
>>
>> --
>>
>> Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
>> www.wandtv.com
>>
>>
>>
>