---
title: "Network Interface vs. network adapter"
author: "Perrin Yong"
author_profile: https://www.pystone.net/profile/
published_by: "Perrin Yong"
canonical: https://www.pystone.net/notes/network-interface-vs-adapter/
type: note
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visibility: public
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source_path: "10-计算机、信息技术与工程/01-系统基础与网络安全/网络工程/Network Interface vs. network adapter.md"
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# Network Interface vs. network adapter

# Network Interface vs. network adapter

> 创建时间：2021/8/4 1:23

* 概念

## 概念

* * *

wikipedia

A **network interface controller** (NIC, also known as a **network interface card** , **network adapter** , **LAN adapter** or **physical network interface** ) - a computer hardware component that connects a computer to a computer network.

**network interface** is a software or hardware interface between two pieces of equipment or protocol layers in a computer network.

* * *

An "Adapter" is a piece of hardware.
A "network interface" is a software construct.
Usually, there is one network interface per adapter.
But there may be network interfaces which are not from an adapter.
And there may be multiple interfaces per adapter.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4548192/whats-the-difference-between-an-adapter-and-a-network-interface