Problematic Topics
- Network Interface Card (NIC)Â - A NIC physically connects the end device to the network.
- Physical Port - A connector or outlet on a networking device where the media connects to an end device or another networking device.
- Interface - Specialized ports on a networking device that connect to individual networks. Because routers connect networks, the ports on a router are referred to as network interfaces.
To me, the difference between a port and an interface is hardware and software. The port is where you plug in the physical cable connector. The interface is what you configure in the Cisco IOS, therefore is the software representation of the physical port.NIC or network interface controller is the hardware itself dedicated to network operations. The physical port is the female RJ-45 connector on your NIC. The interface is how physical ports are represented virtually
. Each interface has a physical port attached to it.