[geeks] PCMCIA-PCI adapter?

[Ken Hansen]

There once was a grand market for re-using PCMCIA devices on desktop devices, but to be honest, I don't thinkit ever materialized.

In the PC world, currently, there seem to be exactly *two* uses for a PC Card slots, not counting "fringe" security devices (fingerprint readers, Crypto cards, and I suppose SecurID too) - loading pictures off a CF/SmartMedia/other device, and most of these come with PCMCIA adapters. The other market is for adding wireless connections to desktop PCs.

Every vendor of 802.11 *seems* to have a PCI adapter, though few retailers advertise them prominently. (My favorite is PC Warehouse/PC Connection, they have a picture of a Linksys Access Point, and a price balloon that says "starting at $47.95." When you look to the list price, the PCI adapter is $47.95, the 802.11b card is $129, and the Access Point is $249!) Best Buy should have a selection, if you are not afraid of retail prices (check out the Networking Section as well as the Upgrades and Digital Photography sections).

Most of the 802.11b cards I have seen seem to block the second slot with their antenna.

Oh, just realized, the Sun PCMCIA adapter is (I *think*) a standard part, right from SCM, IIRC> You could, in theory, borrow/re-locate one from, say, an Ultra 5 or 10 easily...

HTH,

Ken


-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Bradford [mailto:mrbill at mrbill.net]
Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 11:37 AM
To: geeks at sunhelp.org
Subject: Re: [geeks] PCMCIA-PCI adapter?


On Wed, May 02, 2001 at 11:32:52AM -0400, Ken Hansen wrote:
> I suspect Bill wants it for a PCI-based SUN box - Sun didn't make an 
> ISA-based Ultra 1 did they? Wow, what would Mike/Peter pay for 
> something like that! ;^)

Actually, no, this is for my windows crapbox.

> Tee-hee - anyway, back ot topic:
> Bill, why two slot? The universe is rife with PCI-based one-slot adapters 
> for 802.11b adapters, do you really need a dual-slot? 

Rife?  The only one I know of that is easily available is the
Linksys WDT11, and it *only* works with the Linksys PCMCIA card, at
least according to the box it comes in.  

Given that, an 802.11 card IS what I need this for.

I thought a normal pcmcia adapter card would be easier to find. 

Bill

-- 
Bill Bradford
mrbill at mrbill.net
Austin, TX
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