PCMCIA 802.11b (or g) WiFi adapter for a PC laptop that doesn protrude beyond the PC card slot?
I use PCMCIA adapter myself, and it does protrude. However, my understanding is that many laptops that were designed with WiFi compatibility in mind, but don’t have it installed, can accept a mini-pci card, which would be entirely internal. Note: I have never actually heard of anyone buying a mini-pci card to install in an existing laptop – but I do suspect it would work. Proceed with extreme caution.
Note: I have never actually heard of anyone buying a mini-pci card to install in an existing laptop – but I do suspect it would work. Proceed with extreme caution. I’m typing this on a laptop that I installed one on right now. It’s my work laptop, I use it every day. Wireless is my primary net connection at work and home. I bought an Intel 2200b/g card, it installed in about thirty seconds (remove the keyboard, slip it into the slot, connect the built-in antenna wires) and Windows recognized it on boot. Yes, if a laptop is designed to use an internal mini PCI slot, you will have antenna wires to attach to the card. There’s usually wires right there in the bay, ready to be clipped on to the antenna points. Anyway, no, a CPi doesn’t have a mini PCI slot. And no, there aren’t any PC/PCMCIA cards that don’t stick out the side, because you need to have an antenna that is outside of the frame of the computer and free from interference from either the frame or internal components. Sorry!
What is the difference between “PC Card” and “PCMCIA”? PC Cards are credit card-size peripherals that add memory, mass storage, and I/O capabilities to computers in a rugged, compact form factor. PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) is a non-profit trade association and standards body that promotes PC Card technology along with Miniature Card and SmartMedia cards by defining technical standards and educating the market.
