Expansion Cards

Expansion card

Alternatively referred to as an add-on card, expansion board, internal card, interface adapter, or just card. An expansion card is an electronic board or card added into theexpansion slot of a desktop computer or other non-portable computer to give that computer a new ability, such as the ability to connect to another computer using a network cable.

Types of expansion cards in a computer

• Interface card (ATA, Bluetooth, EIDE, Firewire, IDE, Parallel, RAID, SCSI, Serial, and USB)
• Modem
• MPEG Decoder
• Network Card
• Sound Card
• Video Card
• Video capture card

Tip: The above devices are available as expansion cards and can also be onboard themotherboard.

Expansion card example

Below is a graphic illustration of an ISA SCSI card. As can be seen by the below illustration, this adapter would enable users to connect Internal and external SCSI drives into their computers.

As can be seen by the above illustration, expansion cards are keyed, which means they will only go in one direction, and only into the expansion slot the card was designed for. On the backs of every expansion cards is also a back slot that allows computer components to plug into the card and interface with the computer.

Related pages

• How do I install an expansion card?
• How do I remove an expansion card in my computer?
• How do I open my computer case?

Also see: Adapter, Expansion slot cover, Expansion, Expansion slot, Hardware definitions, PC Card,Rese