Unsolved
This post is more than 5 years old
3 Posts
0
2989
Which Network Card?
If I purchase either a XPS 8900 or a Precision Tower 3420 or an Optiplex 7040, can I add a gigabyte Ethernet card after my purchase if I decide I need one? If so, which Ethernet card do I purchase? The Dell 5722? And if I install it myself, will it affect the warranty?
Also, if I purchase any Dell desktop and want to expand the RAM in the future and the unit is still under warranty, if I add extra RAM purchased from Dell, will my warranty be affected?
RoHe
10 Elder
10 Elder
•
43.6K Posts
0
June 27th, 2016 13:00
According to the specs, the XPS 8900, Precison 3420 and OptiPlex 7040 all have onboard Ethernet capable of 10/100/1000 Mb/s. So you shouldn't need to add your own gigabyte NIC.
You can purchase additional RAM from any source you choose, as long as it's compatible with the PC. Most people around here buy from crucial.com because they guarantee it works if they recommended it for the specific PC model, or they take it back.
Adding RAM or PCI-e cards won't void your warranty. Dell may ask you to remove any hardware you installed before providing warranty repairs, but that shouldn't be a problem.
Chiss
3 Posts
0
June 28th, 2016 23:00
Thanks for the reply RoHe,
Apologies if this sounds silly. We currently have two PC's running Windows 7 and a Medical Program for Doctors. Previously we had to purchase a network card so that both PC's could communicate to each other through Windows and the Medical Program. Also, both PC's are connected to a modem for the internet.
Therefore, is the current standard NIC card that is already fitted to the Optiplex 7040 can do this and connect to the internet via a modem? Or do I need two separate network cards; one for the internet and one for connecting to another computer?
RoHe
10 Elder
10 Elder
•
43.6K Posts
0
June 29th, 2016 11:00
You probably need to set up a local area network (LAN) in Windows to allow the PCs to communicate with each other and share software, files, printers, etc. And you'll probably need a router/modem to allow them to share one internet connection.
If the PCs are in different areas, you'd have to run Ethernet cables to the router, so you might consider using a WiFi (wireless) network. The XPS 8900 is the only one of those three models that comes standard with a WiFi card (802.11 b/g/n). You'd need to install an internal PCI-e WiFi card or a simple USB>WiFi dongle for the other 2 models you mentioned to go wireless. You'd also need WiFi cards or dongles for the PCs you already have .
Lots of tutorials on the net for setting up either a wired or secure wireless network, so do some homework and decide which way you want to go.
If this is a medical practice, you might want a licensed professional to set up the network to make sure it's secure and HIPAA compliant...