120MhZ Pentium w/80Mb RAM - 16bit PCMCIA - Need USB and Wireless Card

sillyfreak · 05-30-2004

I have an old Fujitsu 420D Pentium 120MHz laptop with 80Mb RAM and (2) 16-bit PCMCIA cards. I want to use this instead of my high-dollar hp laptop for war driving. Does anyone have a recommendation for 16-bit PCMCIA cards that can provide USB and/or wireless connections to this dinosaur?

Barry · 05-30-2004

Can't help you with the usb, all the ones I've seen are cardbus. The only wireless cards that are cardbus are the G's, so any B cards supported by netstumbler will work for you. I'd reccomend Orinoco.

seinman · 05-30-2004

USB on 16 bit PCMCIA is impossible, because USB is a 32 bit bus.

As far as the network card goes, be VERY careful. While cardbus isn't nessesary, most cards require it anyway because it's cheaper to manufacture. So when shopping for cards, make sure that it's 16 bit BEFORE you buy it. I got stuck buying two cards which didn't clearly mark the requirements on the box, and didn't work on my system because of this. Your best bet is to get an Orinoco Classic, as the previous poster mentioned, as they'll work just fine on 16 bit slots.

Barry · 05-30-2004

If you're just using it for stumbling what do you need usb for?

sillyfreak · 05-30-2004

I have an Earthmate GPS with a USB connection, so I want to connect it as well as a wireless card. Any ideas on a cable connection that would let me connect the Earthmate GPS to my COM port. It sounds like I will be able to get 16-bit wireless card to work with my PCMCIA slot.

Eyecannon · 05-30-2004

I will confirm that most if not all 802.11b cards are 16-bit PCMCIA, including for sure the ORiNOCO Gold and Senao 2511. Like was said before, there are no PCMCIA --> USB adapters that are 16-bit, period. There are, however, PCMCIA --> serial adapters, but they are pretty pricey. I finally got one off ebay for just under $50.

seinman · 05-30-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eyecannon

I will confirm that most if not all 802.11b cards are 16-bit PCMCIA

Most perhaps, but certainly not all. I own (or at owned at one point) four 802.11b cards, and two were 16 bit and two were cardbus. Dell Truemobile 1150 and Microsoft MN-5something were 16 bit, Asus somethingoranother and SMC cheapo were cardbus.

05-30-2004	#1 (permalink)
sillyfreak Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 4	120MhZ Pentium w/80Mb RAM - 16bit PCMCIA - Need USB and Wireless Card I have an old Fujitsu 420D Pentium 120MHz laptop with 80Mb RAM and (2) 16-bit PCMCIA cards. I want to use this instead of my high-dollar hp laptop for war driving. Does anyone have a recommendation for 16-bit PCMCIA cards that can provide USB and/or wireless connections to this dinosaur?

05-30-2004	#2 (permalink)
Barry Managing the iTards. Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 5,873	Can't help you with the usb, all the ones I've seen are cardbus. The only wireless cards that are cardbus are the G's, so any B cards supported by netstumbler will work for you. I'd reccomend Orinoco. __________________ Never do anything you don't want to explain to the paramedics.

05-30-2004	#3 (permalink)
seinman Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 73	USB on 16 bit PCMCIA is impossible, because USB is a 32 bit bus. As far as the network card goes, be VERY careful. While cardbus isn't nessesary, most cards require it anyway because it's cheaper to manufacture. So when shopping for cards, make sure that it's 16 bit BEFORE you buy it. I got stuck buying two cards which didn't clearly mark the requirements on the box, and didn't work on my system because of this. Your best bet is to get an Orinoco Classic, as the previous poster mentioned, as they'll work just fine on 16 bit slots. __________________ http://www.seinman.net

05-30-2004	#4 (permalink)
Barry Managing the iTards. Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 5,873	If you're just using it for stumbling what do you need usb for? __________________ Never do anything you don't want to explain to the paramedics.

05-30-2004	#6 (permalink)
Eyecannon Ward River Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Santa Monix Posts: 679	I will confirm that most if not all 802.11b cards are 16-bit PCMCIA, including for sure the ORiNOCO Gold and Senao 2511. Like was said before, there are no PCMCIA --> USB adapters that are 16-bit, period. There are, however, PCMCIA --> serial adapters, but they are pretty pricey. I finally got one off ebay for just under $50. __________________ No, officer, YOU are under arrest! http://eyecannon.com/wardrive.html

05-30-2004	#5 (permalink)
sillyfreak Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 4	I have an Earthmate GPS with a USB connection, so I want to connect it as well as a wireless card. Any ideas on a cable connection that would let me connect the Earthmate GPS to my COM port. It sounds like I will be able to get 16-bit wireless card to work with my PCMCIA slot.

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