What is a Network Interface Card?

A Network Interface Card (NIC) is a field-installable expansion module that adds Ethernet, Power over Ethernet (PoE), ADSL2+/VDSL2, or T1/E1 ports to a Versa Cloud Services Gateway (CSG) appliance beyond its built-in ports, letting one fixed chassis be ordered with the WAN or LAN interfaces a given site actually needs.

Key takeaways

• NICs add Ethernet, PoE, DSL, or T1/E1 ports beyond a CSG’s built-in ports.
• CSG700 series appliances ship with a NIC preinstalled; none are field-swappable.
• Gigabit Ethernet NICs come in copper, PoE/PoE+, and SFP fiber variants.
• ADSL2+/VDSL2 NIC modules add a single DSL WAN interface for xDSL circuits.
• The NIC fitted is fixed at order time through the appliance’s SKU suffix.

On this page: Why it matters · How it works · Types · NICs & Versa · FAQ

Why are NICs important?

A branch appliance has to match whatever circuit the site was sold – copper Ethernet, fiber, a T1/E1 line, or a DSL loop where fiber never arrived. A separate chassis per combination would multiply SKUs for no real gain. NIC modules solve this by moving the variable part – the physical WAN or LAN interface – into a small card selected at order time, while the chassis and VOS software stay identical across the fleet.

That matters operationally too: a design validated on one CSG700 model behaves the same on every other, since the NIC only changes which ports are present, not how VOS processes traffic. It also keeps the line lean – rather than separate PoE-only, fiber-only, and DSL-only chassis, Versa stocks a handful of platforms and a set of NIC options, and the order picks the combination a site needs, from a PoE NIC for VoIP phones to a T1/E1 module for a circuit not yet retired.

What is a NIC?

A NIC is a small pluggable board that occupies an expansion bay on supported CSG models and exposes physical ports – RJ45 copper, SFP fiber cages, or DSL/T1 connectors – the base chassis doesn’t provide. On the CSG700 series, the platform is fixed and FIPS 140-2 Level 2-ready: the NIC is selected and installed at the factory and cannot be added, removed, or swapped afterward. Which NIC, if any, ships with a unit is encoded in the SKU.

Not every CSG family treats NICs alike. ADSL2+/VDSL2 modules on the CSG300 series are field-installable – insertable or removable while powered off – the exception to the CSG700’s fixed-platform rule. The idea still holds: the NIC turns a generic chassis into a device provisioned for one WAN technology.

Types of NICs

Three NIC families appear across CSG700 series appliances. Gigabit Ethernet NICs cover copper and fiber: NIC-4GP and NIC-4GP-120 W are 4-port RJ45 PoE/PoE+ modules (60 W and 120 W budgets), NIC-8GE is an 8-port copper module with no PoE, and NIC-4GF is a 4-port SFP fiber module. ADSL2+/VDSL2 NICs add a single DSL port: NIC-1VA supports Annex A (POTS) and NIC-1VB supports Annex B (ISDN), both over 200 Mbps on twisted-pair copper. T1/E1 NICs – the 4-port NIC-4DS – bring legacy leased-line connectivity, with PPP, HDLC, and Frame Relay encapsulations for TDM circuits.

NICs & Versa

The NIC a CSG700 appliance ships with sets that site’s physical WAN or LAN options from day one, since VOS runs identically regardless of which module is fitted. PoE-capable Gigabit Ethernet NICs power access points, phones, and cameras from CSG ports; SFP fiber NICs extend uplink options beyond copper; and ADSL2+/VDSL2 NICs let VOS run SD-WAN, security, and performance-management features over a DSL circuit, including PPPoE, PPPoEoA, and VLAN encapsulation. Because the choice is locked in at order time, matching the right module to the circuit is part of selecting the CSG model itself – separate from headend-side Director, Controller, and Analytics interface planning, which follows virtual-NIC guidance instead.

Frequently asked questions

Can I add or remove a NIC after purchasing a CSG700 appliance?

No. The CSG700 series is a fixed platform with no field-replaceable parts, so the NIC is selected and installed at the factory, not afterward. Which module is fitted is encoded in the SKU suffix and stays fixed for the unit’s life.

What port types can a NIC module add to a CSG appliance?

Gigabit Ethernet in copper, PoE/PoE+, or SFP fiber variants; a single ADSL2+/VDSL2 port in Annex A (POTS) or Annex B (ISDN) form; or four T1/E1 ports for legacy leased-line connectivity – the mix depends on which NIC model the appliance was ordered with.

What is the difference between NIC-4GP and NIC-4GP-120 W?

Both are 4-port copper Gigabit Ethernet PoE/PoE+ modules where each port supplies up to 30 W. NIC-4GP caps the module’s total power budget at 60 W, while NIC-4GP-120 W raises that ceiling to 120 W for sites running more PoE devices at once.

Are ADSL2+/VDSL2 NIC modules field-installable on every CSG model?

Not uniformly. On the CSG700 series, ADSL2+/VDSL2 NICs are factory-fitted and fixed like every other module on that platform. On the CSG300 series, by contrast, ADSL2+/VDSL2 modules can be inserted or removed while the appliance is powered off, which makes them field-installable there.

Does the NIC installed affect a CSG700 appliance’s power consumption?

Yes. The NIC module itself typically draws about 10 W, and fitting a PoE-capable NIC raises the chassis’s draw further: a CSG700 series unit consumes roughly 35 W with PoE disabled versus roughly 60 W once PoE is enabled and powering devices.

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