Windows 7: Wired internet cards?

lightning fried my mobo internet connection. i need some advice on best card to get to replace it with.my wi-fi survived somewhat, but am having to use wifes laptop to get on internet. i just need to find out who makes a really good wired card, so i can plug it into my mobo. thanks for all your help.

I'm assuming this is for a desktop.
My personal experience dictates the kind with a antenna on a chord that can sit on top of the box or even higher up if you can manage get the best reception.
I've never understood why they stick a antenna directly to a pci device behind the case.
I've used them ranging in price from about 15 to over 100 dollars.
I honestly haven't heard back from any of those people that any of them are not holding up just fine.

On the flip side I'm using a belkin wireless n usb device in my front room, and while the signal could be a bit better, it's working very well and has been very stable with win 7 . Allowing me to stream netflix in hd without issue through several walls and about about 40-50 feet. (though it should probably be noted I have it sticking out the front usb slots too.)

yes, it is a desktop. i wouldnt think that it would fry my ethernet hookup without frying the rest of the board. but im not gonna complain. better that than the whole thing. thank you for the timely help. i appreciate it very much.

NICs are fairly simple cards so, to me, one is pretty much the same as another. I'd go with a name brand and make sure it has the drivers you need. No need to buy a 10/100/1000 card unless the rest of your network supports it but it won't hurt to put a 10/100/1000 card in with a network that only supports 10/100.

I don't think it makes much difference. Any wired gigabit NIC is as good as any other, pretty much. Should cost around $10 (modulo shipping).

PCI or PCI Express interface doesn't really matter. 1 gigabit per second = 128 megabytes per second, which is within what a PCI slot can handle. It's more a matter of which kind of slot you have available.

Are you sure the wired NIC is the only thing on your motherboard that got fried? You're really lucky if that's the case. Now might be a good time to consider a whole-house surge arrestor. Powerstrips and even UPSs are not going to protect against a lightning strike.

thanks for the help. the mobo had an 1gb hookup, so i am going to try and find a suitable replacement. i had the telephone people check everything out and the comp guy said that my ethernet and my wifi were fried. everything else seems to be working so far. im trying to remember to check everything, but there is no guarantee i wont miss something. im trying to do this when i get home from work in the morning and then trying to get enough sleep at the same time. is there an program to run that would check everything for me, by chance?

which would be better, PCI or PCI Express?

Go with an Intel Pro 1000 PT PCI Express x4. Pricey but you won't be sorry. Get the server version. It has dual ports, supports teaming and about everything else you can imagine.

An Intel PRO/1000 PT Dual Port Server Adapter Network adapter? No way. That is complete overkill. They cost around $100. There is no benefit to buying server-grade, dual-port wired NIC for a desktop PC, with an extra port you'll never use. The $10-$20 wired NICs are just fine.

Expect to spend $20-$30 for a wireless NIC.

We need to know more about the OP's motherboard to make more specific recommendations. For example, some motherboards have one PCI Express 1x slot but two PCI Express 16x slots, some have more PCI slots, etc.

Um...I would not recommend going this route. That's simply way too much. These standalone cards are about $35 and will very nicely get the job done.

If you want PCI
Newegg.com - Intel PWLA8391GT Desktop Adapter PRO/1000 GT 10/ 100/ 1000Mbps PCI 1 x RJ45 - Network Interface Cards

If you need PCI-Express
Newegg.com - Intel EXPI9301CTBLK Network Adapter 10/ 100/ 1000Mbps PCI-Express 1 x RJ45