PCMCIA vs USB

What are the relative advantages of each for client adaptors?

With USB you can get a longer USB cable to attach the USB wireless adapter
to. If the signal is weak you can move the USB adapter on the extended cable
to where the signal may be stronger without having to move the laptop or
move around in the room looking for a strong signal.

I've even had to hang one out the window to get a stronger signal.

The down side is that most peripherals now come with USB connections.
Depending on how many USB devices you use, and how many USB connections
your computer has, taking up the USB connection with wireless may be a
problem.


hth
DDS W 2k MVP MCSE


"MikeJ" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:dpmo0v$amo$(E-Mail Removed)...
> What are the relative advantages of each for client adaptors?

Ok, but what's the difference if you use a longer usb cable or a longer
coax cable say to a pcmcia card? Also have read in some forums that usb
is flakey with wifi connections compared to pcmcia?

"Danny Sanders" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:#(E-Mail Removed):

> With USB you can get a longer USB cable to attach the USB wireless
> adapter to. If the signal is weak you can move the USB adapter on the
> extended cable to where the signal may be stronger without having to
> move the laptop or move around in the room looking for a strong
> signal.
>
> I've even had to hang one out the window to get a stronger signal.
>
> The down side is that most peripherals now come with USB connections.
> Depending on how many USB devices you use, and how many USB
> connections your computer has, taking up the USB connection with
> wireless may be a problem.
>
>
> hth
> DDS W 2k MVP MCSE
>
>
> "MikeJ" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:dpmo0v$amo$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> What are the relative advantages of each for client adaptors?
>
>

Danny Sanders wrote:

> With USB you can get a longer USB cable to attach the USB wireless adapter
> to. If the signal is weak you can move the USB adapter on the extended cable
> to where the signal may be stronger without having to move the laptop or
> move around in the room looking for a strong signal.

This is a HUGE advantage of USB. I have a linksys wusb11 on a 20 foot lead,
hanging out of the window -- borrowing someone else's network

> Ok, but what's the difference if you use a longer usb cable or a longer
> coax cable say to a pcmcia card? Also have read in some forums that usb
> is flakey with wifi connections compared to pcmcia?

The coax is subject to signal loss, the USB isn't (as far as the wifi
signal is concerned).

David.

On 7-Jan-2006, David Taylor <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> The coax is subject to signal loss, the USB isn't (as far as the wifi
> signal is concerned).

And a lot of us haven't any free slots, so prefer USB, and occasionally
XP can lose the network, unplugging the USB dongle, then plugging
it in again wakes things up..

Adie wrote:

> Danny Sanders wrote:
>
>
>>With USB you can get a longer USB cable to attach the USB wireless adapter
>>to. If the signal is weak you can move the USB adapter on the extended cable
>>to where the signal may be stronger without having to move the laptop or
>>move around in the room looking for a strong signal.
>
>
> This is a HUGE advantage of USB. I have a linksys wusb11 on a 20 foot lead,
> hanging out of the window -- borrowing someone else's network

It's nice this works for you. the spec calls for max cable length of 5
meters (16 feet) unless you're using active cables or multiple hubs.

"MikeJ" wrote in message ...
> What are the relative advantages of each for client adaptors?

My most recent laptop has built-in wifi (802.11g), but I still use a PC Card
(PCMCIA) for at home as my WLAN is 802.11a. PC Card is just more
convienent, don't have anything dangling so can easily walk around, but my
WLAN signals cover the entire house fairly well.

Besides PC Cards and USB adapters, there is another option you could also
consider. There are now wireless-ethernet adapters small enough and
streamlined to fit in a laptop bag. Some are even full blown "routers" and
"access points", allowing you to do all sorts of stuff on the road like
being able to put together a WLAN, repeat a hotel's WAP, etc.

I've taken one of my DWL-7100AP's along with me on several trips and used it
so co-workers and I could throw a quick WLAN together for multiplayer
gaming, repeat the hotel's AP, etc. Thought about picking up one of those
"travel routers/AP's" though, as some of them are like the size of just a
pack of smokes. They also have "client modes" too. Pretty cool.

Lem wrote:

> Adie wrote:
>
>> Danny Sanders wrote:
>>
>>
>>>With USB you can get a longer USB cable to attach the USB wireless adapter
>>>to. If the signal is weak you can move the USB adapter on the extended cable
>>>to where the signal may be stronger without having to move the laptop or
>>>move around in the room looking for a strong signal.
>>
>>
>> This is a HUGE advantage of USB. I have a linksys wusb11 on a 20 foot lead,
>> hanging out of the window -- borrowing someone else's network
>
> It's nice this works for you. the spec calls for max cable length of 5
> meters (16 feet) unless you're using active cables or multiple hubs.

try it, specs be damned.

"MikeJ" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:dpmo0v$amo$(E-Mail Removed)...
> What are the relative advantages of each for client adaptors?

PCMCIA (cardbus) adapter basically is same as PCI or mini-PCI.
Their only drawback is a tiny built-in antenna, so you either have to put
your laptop in a right place for good signal, or attach an external antenna
(rarely possible).
Once you have achieved a good signal, Cardbus adapters give best
performance and are rock solid.

The drawback of USB adapters is that they require much more CPU overhead.
Usually they work pretty well, but are less robust if some other app or driver
keeps the CPU busy.

But there is another important point. Cardbus adapters tend to be more expensive
than USB, so check the specs carefully. A cheap cardbus on sale can be a discontinued
model no longer supported by it's creator and lacking features.

Regards,
--PA