A technician is searching through a storage locker and finds a wireless NIC. What is the purpose of this device?

The purpose of a wireless NIC (Network Interface Card) found by the technician is to connect a computer or smart device to an 802.11 network. A wireless NIC is a hardware component that enables a computer or other device to connect to a wireless local area network (WLAN). It uses the 802.11 networking standard, which is the basis for Wi-Fi, and allows the device to communicate over radio waves with a wireless access point or router to access the network and, in turn, the internet.

The other options describe different functionalities:

• It uses radio waves to provide network access to wireless devices: While this is true for a wireless NIC, the statement is more generally applicable to devices like wireless access points or routers, which broadcast the Wi-Fi signal.
• It is a device whose sole purpose is to connect end devices and to microsegment a LAN: This describes a network switch, used within wired networks to connect and manage devices.
• It connects networks and forwards traffic to remote networks by using IP addressing information: This is a description of a router, which routes data between different networks, such as a local network and the internet.