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Network adapters are hardware devices that connect your system to remote systems using specialized data communication cables, IEEE 802.11b wireless technology, phone lines, or satellite links. Network adapters can be either adapter cards in system slots or chip sets on your system motherboard. They can also be serial communication ports, although these network adapters are not supported in SCO OpenServer Release 5.0.7.
Network adapter drivers provide the software interface between a network adapter and the operating system. A network driver manages data flow and control between the operating system kernel and the various protocol stacks.
The SCO OpenServer network adapter drivers provide a standard way for many different protocol stacks and networking products to communicate with your computer's networking hardware. Because these drivers conform to a standard set of parameters and interfaces, you can use a single configuration tool, the Network Configuration Manager to configure them.
Many network adapter vendors provide SCO OpenServer-compatible network adapter drivers. Most of these vendors are listed on the SCO Certified and Compatible Hardware web page (CHWP). To use an adapter not listed there, contact the vendor.