Hi guys, I have a question, can I use this: arduino ethernet for sale | eBay to send and receive data over the internet,, like the arduino ethernet shield? Or should I use the ethernet shield. Essentially, I'm new to arduino, like copying other's code and trying to learn from it new. So, what do you suggest for a noob like me?
Generaly speaking: Yes, you can use an ENC28J60-shield to send and receive data over the internet with Arduino, but you need to install a suitable library to do so as the stock Ethernet-library that comes with the IDE doesn't work with this IC.
The library that implements the same API as Ethernet-lib is to be found here: GitHub - ntruchsess/arduino_uip: UIPEthernet: A plugin-replacement of the stock Arduino Ethernet library for ENC28J60 shields and breakout boards. Full support for persistent (streaming) TCP-connections and UDP (Client and Server each), ARP, ICMP, DHCP and DNS. Build around Adam Dunkels uIP Stack. Further developed version can be found on https://github.com/UIPEthernet/UIPEthernet.
There are others having build-in functionality for WebServer use (EtherCard), but these don't support persistent tcp-connections but single-Packet request-response style communication only.
All libraries for ENC28J60 have in common that they require significantly more flash-memory than the stock Ethernet-lib. (This is due to the W5100-chip being used on the original Ethernet-shield doing all tcp-handling while with ENC28J60 this is to be done by the µC).
BTW: your eBay-link doesn't point to a particular item, but an eBay-search for 'arduino & ethernet'.