PCMCIA > USB adapter for wireless cards

**RedGTiVR6** · 07-07-2006, 09:22 AM

Please note, I am NOT referring to your typical 802.11G/B PCMCIA access card, I am referring to the 3G broad band access cards from cell carriers.

I'm trying to search for options other than the one in the store: here

But I'm not having much luck.

here's why I need a USB adapter:

Where my computer is located, I have a limited amount of hight to work with and most PCI cards are too tall for the location
I'm not using a case, so I have nothing to secure a PCI card to
I WILL not be using a case as I don't have anywhere to put one
I have to be able to easily access this card so that I can remove it very quickly when entering and exiting the car. I use this card with my laptop as well
Networking with my laptop to share the wireless connection while in the car is not an option. I am not interested in hauling around my laptop every time I get in the car to go somewhere.

Does anyone know of any other options other than this one dongle?

**jeremy480** · 07-07-2006, 12:36 PM

You could just get a USB network card with external antenna and your problems are solved. This way you do not need to remove the pcmcia adapter from your laptop at all.

**GRod** · 07-07-2006, 01:10 PM

I've searched and searched for the same thing, and the only other device that I've come across is this one

http://www.evdoinfo.com/Events/CTIA_...m_20060407720/

**ppgt94** · 07-07-2006, 01:19 PM

My old Lucent USB Wifi AP actually had a USB PCMCIA adapter inside the plastic case with a Orinoco silver plugged into it. I replaced the silver PCMCIA inside with the gold version and added an external antenna. Worked great for a while until I bent the pins and broke a few. I searched for another like adapter but eventually gave up and decided just to mod my antenna plug to fit my Netgear PCI 802.11g card and use that. If you can't find a seperate dongle your best bet might be on one of those Lucent/Orinoco/Proxim USB APs on ebay. You can replace the PCMCIA card with one of your liking, like I did. I made a post about it back in '04 where there's a little more info

Here's what they look like inside:

source - more info

Let me know if you ever find some off-the-shelf adapter for this.

**RedGTiVR6** · 07-07-2006, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by jeremy480

You could just get a USB network card with external antenna and your problems are solved. This way you do not need to remove the pcmcia adapter from your laptop at all.

I'm speaking of a Broad Band Access card, NOT Wi-Fi

this is the stuff where I can be just about anywhere and get access.

**RedGTiVR6** · 07-07-2006, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by GRod

I've searched and searched for the same thing, and the only other device that I've come across is this one

http://www.evdoinfo.com/Events/CTIA_...m_20060407720/

I had a coworker link me to that earlier as well. Too bad there's nothing more about it though...lol

**RedGTiVR6** · 07-07-2006, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by ppgt94

My old Lucent USB Wifi AP actually had a USB PCMCIA adapter inside the plastic case with a Orinoco silver plugged into it. I replaced the silver PCMCIA inside with the gold version and added an external antenna. Worked great for a while until I bent the pins and broke a few. I searched for another like adapter but eventually gave up and decided just to mod my antenna plug to fit my Netgear PCI 802.11g card and use that. If you can't find a seperate dongle your best bet might be on one of those Lucent/Orinoco/Proxim USB APs on ebay. You can replace the PCMCIA card with one of your liking, like I did. I made a post about it back in '04 where there's a little more info

Here's what they look like inside:

source - more info

Let me know if you ever find some off-the-shelf adapter for this.

again, this is NOT for wi-fi - it's for the cell phone access anywhere broad band cards.

**BarryWoods** · 07-07-2006, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by Red GTi VR6

again, this is NOT for wi-fi - it's for the cell phone access anywhere broad band cards.

I'm pretty sure it will work with any pcmcia card. Though on second thought it might not like cardbus cards.

**RedGTiVR6** · 07-07-2006, 02:08 PM

From what I'm gathering, and someone point me to a source if I'm wrong, but the broadband card like what I've got requires something different than a typical wi-fi card.

I really have no idea what could be different, but I'm also not up to speed on the different protocols and data transfer capabilities differences.