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?
>
>

> 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.

"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