Using the standard Raspbian package, the essential drivers are included; most of the other drivers are also preloaded.
We will start by plugging in a network cable between the Pi and the router provided by your ISP. By default, this router has a DHCP server that automatically assigns an IP address to your Pi.
You may also use network switches to make a more complex network, but because the Pi has a 100 MB network port, it may downgrade the entire network to 100 MBs. Some switches can negotiate separate connections for lower-speed interfaces without downgrading the entire network, but you need to refer to the specifications of the device.
To check whether your LAN network is up and running, just type ifconfig, and you will get text containing your current settings:
