How to find out if your computer is equipped with an Ethernet port:

Nowadays, most computers come with an Ethernet port as a standard feature. If you have an older computer, you should be able to add a network card to your workstation.

Follow these steps to see if you have an Ethernet port or need to add one. You can use either of the two methods to verify this:

Method 1

See if you have an Ethernet port (RJ 45 jack).
Generally, an Ethernet port is found at the back of your computer where all of the cables plug into your machine. As you can see from the pictures below, an Ethernet port is wider than a telephone jack (RJ 11 jack).



Shown above are an Ethernet port (left) on the back of a computer and an Ethernet port (right) on a NIC that has not yet been installed in a computer.

If you are still not certain, try the second method.

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Method 2

Check the hardware profile of your computer
On Windows 95, 98 or Me computers:

• Click the ‘Start’ button and select ‘Control Panel’ under ‘Settings’.        
• Click the ‘System’ icon.
• Click the ‘Device Manager’ tab.
• Double click on ‘Network Adapters’.
• If you see ‘Ethernet’ under ‘Network Adapters’, you have a NIC installed that should have an Ethernet jack.

On Windows 2000 computers:

• Click the ‘Start’ button and under ‘Settings’ choose ‘Network’ and ‘Dial- Up Connections’.
• Click ‘Network Identification’ on the left side of the screen.
• Click the ‘Hardware’ tab.
• Click the ‘Device Manager’ tab.
• Double click on ‘Network Adapters’.
• If you see ‘Ethernet’ under ‘Network Adapters’, you have a NIC installed that should have an Ethernet jack.

On Windows XP computers:

• Click the ‘Start’ button and choose ‘My Computer’.
• Click ‘View System Information’.
• Click the ‘Hardware’ tab.
• Click the ‘Device Manager’ tab.
• Double click on ‘Network Adapters’.
• If you see ‘Ethernet’ under ‘Network Adapters’, you have a NIC installed that should have an Ethernet jack.

 On Macintosh computers:

• Access Control Panels from the Apple Menu Items.
• Access the TCP/IP control panel from the Control Panels dialog box.
• Under the field Connect Via, select Ethernet from the menu.
• With the TCP/IP control panel selected, go to the File menu and select Get Info (Ctrl-I).
• The ‘Get Info’ dialog box will list a Hardware Address, which is the MAC address. If a MAC address is listed, you have a NIC installed that should have an Ethernet jack