USB 2.0/PCMCIA Adapters?

August 24, 2005 2:21 PM

I've got an older laptop, and would like to connect a couple of USB 2.0 devices to it (the laptop only has USB 1.0 ports). Is there some kind of USB 2.0/PCMCIA adapter? Ideally, it would plug into my PCMCIA socket, and have a cable leading out to a large USB 2.0 hub (with 6-8 USB ports). Does such a thing exist?
posted by ruwan to computers & internet (6 comments total)

Very much so. Though you'll have to buy the hub part separately.
posted by cillit bang at 2:30 PM on August 24, 2005

I am too slow but at least I'll post a link to a really cheap one.
posted by smackfu at 2:32 PM on August 24, 2005

I recently bought such a device for my laptop, and it works really well. I would offer two cautionary notes, however:

1. It requires a functional USB 1.0 port to work, because the Cardbus slots don't provide enough power for the USB 2.0 ports. It comes with a cord that connects on one end to a USB 1.0 port, and on the other to a small jack in the middle of the ports on the card itself.

2. If you use a wireless network card for your laptop, you will almost certainly find that you can't have both the wireless network card and the USB 2.0 card in your laptop simultaneously. This has nothing to do with the OS's handling of things, but rather is because each has a fairly thick external presence, so they simply can't physically both be put in the computer at the same time.
posted by cerebus19 at 2:54 PM on August 24, 2005

Do make sure to verify that you have CardBus slots and not just plain old PCMCIA slots. Odds are that since your laptop has USB at all, you have CardBus slots, but it would be wise to verify that.
posted by j.edwards at 4:18 PM on August 24, 2005

Note that if you use a hub, you probably won't need extra power for the card itself. Also, some cards steal power from the PS/2 port (mouse/keyboard) -- which you probably aren't using if you have a USB mouse. Better than wasting a USB port.

You can also get more exotic stuff, like this USB and Firewire card.
posted by krisjohn at 5:20 PM on August 24, 2005

And don't forget that USB 2.0 devices will work in USB 1.0 ports. Obviously, if you're dealing with a scanner or an external hard drive, the extra bandwidth matters, but if you don't need the speed you don't have to spend the money.
posted by musicinmybrain at 11:17 PM on August 24, 2005