FAQ for Bravo Technology Center service clients 
5/14/01

Why was the network interface card (NIC) added after my system was in for service?

It is done to facilitate the process of servicing the system. Many procedures during installation, upgrade, repair, file backup/transfer, and other maintenance tasks are severely hampered without access to a network. Many files needed are on our local file servers or the Internet, which requires a standard Ethernet interface for access. Your cost of service is significantly lowered. (Note: proprietary USB connection to your home cable modem will not work for our purposes)

Why should I keep the NIC, which isn't needed for my daily operations?

The $5 we charge for the NIC is subsidized, so consider it a gift in consideration of your service business to us. Besides, it's less than the labor to uninstall the hardware and retest the system. Leaving the card in place also makes any future maintenance more convenient.

Will it interfere with anything while it's disconnected from a network?

No. The device is disabled at the operating system level so the drivers are not loaded, and your system won't attempt to initialize or access it.

Windows Device Manager shows a red X on my disabled NIC. What do I do?

A yellow exclamation mark indicates a device is not recognized or not working properly and it is a cause for concern. However, it's perfectly normal to have a device disabled (red X) by choice. In fact, it's considered best practice to disable the unused portions of your hardware. e.g.: Voice circuits of your data/voice modem, IrDA (infra-red) interface, unused NIC, game (joystick) controller, etc. to improve performance/reliability/security, conserve memory and minimize conflicts. For devices that are embedded on the motherboard, the preferred method is disabling them at the hardware level via BIOS settings (if supported).

Does it create any security vulnerability?

No.