What do the link and activity lights on a Network Interface Card (NIC) indicate?

The link and activity lights on a Network Interface Card (NIC) are crucial indicators of the operational status of the network connection. The link light typically shows whether the NIC is successfully connected to a network, indicating a physical connection between the NIC and the network device it is connected to, such as a switch or router. When this light is on, it signifies that a connection is established.

The activity light, on the other hand, indicates data transmission activity. When the activity light is blinking, it means that data is being sent and received over the network. This is important for diagnosing network issues because if the activity light is off, it may suggest that there is a problem with the connection or that the device is not communicating with the network.

Additionally, while the speed of the connection is not directly indicated by these lights, some NICs have specific lights that change colors or patterns to indicate connection speeds, but this varies with manufacturers. However, the main role of the link and activity lights clearly revolves around providing visual feedback on the connection status and the activity level of data transfer.

Other options do not relate directly to the primary functions of the link and activity lights. The color of the cable, the model of the NIC, and total bandwidth allocation do not