A network card (sometimes called a NIC - or network interface card) is a dedicated bit of hardware designed specifically for connecting to a network. This can be over Ethernet (RJ45) or Wi-Fi ...

Also called a "network interface card" (NIC), a network adapter is a plug-in card that enables a computer to transmit and receive data on a local network. Today, the term refers to an Ethernet ...

Also called a "network interface card" (NIC), an Ethernet adapter is a card that plugs into a slot on the motherboard and enables a computer to access an Ethernet network (LAN). In the past ...

The design of this card is a departure from conventional network interface cards (NICs ... system efficiency and flexibility. Unlike older NIC designs that typically feature bulky heatsinks ...

This may mean that it doesn't have a Network Interface Card (NIC), but often means that the machine is simply not required to be connected to a network.