Thinkpads Forum

I have a T30 which has factory USB 1.1 port and no built-in wireless network.

In the upper PCMCIA slot is I have Linksys WPC54G V3 wireless NIC.

I am thinking that I need a flush-fitting USB 2.0 CardBus with a dongle in order to use both PC Cards at the same time (in both upper and lower PCMCIA slots). Is this true?

Even though that might not be true, I like the idea of a flush-fitting PC Card that doesn't stick an extra inch out the side of my machine.

The only flush-mounted USB 2.0 PC Cards that I can find are:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=63834

1- AKE USB2.0 CardBus BC168
2- Apricorn EZ USB 2.0 CardBus Card - Part #: EZUSB2CB - 2-Port
3- I read somewhere that IBM used to sell one, too.

I am planning to use USB2.0 CardBus to use for external HDD adapter and charging a cell phone.

The AKE PC Card has two 5V 100mA ports without AC power supply and two 500mA ports with.

The Apricorn PC Card has one full-time 5V 500mA port and one full-time 5V 100ma port. It does not require a AC power supply.

If I am understanding this correctly, the Apricorn PC Card would more convenient to use.

The problem is that the Apricorn PC Card has been discontinued. Thru "Google" I've found a few dealers that still have them in their inventory, but they cost $20 more than the AKE PC Card. I guess that my question is -- Is it really more convenient to have USB 2.0 PC Card that doesn't require a AC Power Supply?

I had an A20m and used a PCMCIA card for USB 2.0, I never needed an external power supply. I did have to use the two usb-to-one cable though. I also had a PCMCIA wireless card. The wireles card was in the bottom, and the USB card was on the top slot. Both stuck about an inch. Both were no name- cheap cards but worked fine. I would not get hung up on brand names, most cards are made by the same manufacturer.

Scott

Do a search on E-Bay for "laptop hide usb", you'll find a ton of them, cheap. I bought one for my A31 and it works great. Nothing sticking out, no power cords, very neat. It's in the bottom slot with my Linksys wireless N card in the top slot - no interference with the reception that way.

I just found some photos of AKE product in use...

http://www.bst-cable.com/img/cable/57.jpg
http://www.szsunpc.com/smallImg/570.JPG
http://www.auctiva.com/hostedimages/sho ... 0&format=0

I was wrong. It does NOT require AC power supply.

1- AKE USB2.0 CardBus BC168
-- two USB ports default to 100mA without power supply
-- both ports become 500mA, when 5V cable is connected to machine's USB 1.1 port
-- quick connect, a dongle (pigtail) is NOT needed for two USB ports

I love those flush cards. There's no reason people should EVER buy a dongled card. There's too much risk of damage or loss of dongle, which was why modem and network cards eventually went X-Jack and flush (for Type III slots).

However, a laptop USB port may not always put out 0.5A (500ma) whether it's 1.0/1.1 or 2.0. Plug two 2.5" external HDs onto that card, and even 0.5A may not cut it. That jack on the card also can take a AC 5V adapter with the same gauge plug and polarity, and if you use high drain devices like HDs or high power wi-fi adapters, that's what I'd buy with this.

Here is some information on the hard-to-find IBM USB2.0 cardbus adapter (IBM p/n 33L3245)
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 41060.html I have been been looking for this specific card for use with my ThinkPad T23 for about a year. I finally found a used one on eBay for $19.95.

I had tried one of the "AKE" brand USB 2.0 cardbus adapters with the the "hidden" 2-port connection. The price, including shipping from Hong Kong, was $11.00. Unfortunately, the PCCard itself was poorly made and would NOT fit in the standard PCCARD slot in any of my ThinkPads! The vendor did refund my the full cost of the transaction. I would NOT recommend the AKE cards.

This 8 year old ThinkPad, running Windows XP, is still in use with an IBM Wireless G adapter (IBM p/n 31P9101) http://www5.pc.ibm.com/bd/products.nsf/ ... ite=lenovo This wireless antenna for this PCCard adapter extends externally from the PCCard slot, so I needed a USB 2.0 adapter with a dongle.

I use this ThinkPad for my work as a Scoutmaster. My "tech savvy" Scouts are amazed that I have an 8 year old notebook computer that still works. They have Dells and HP notebooks that usually die iafter 2 or 3 years.

The IBM USB 2.0 PC Card is just a relabeled Apricorn EZ-USB 2.0 card. There were a bunch of these IBM and Apricorn PC Cards available at low cost on Ebay a year ago.

Note that the IBM USB 2.0 PC Card/Apricorn EZ-USB 2.0 card has two ports, one high power and one low power. I have successfully used this card with older unpowered external 2.5" notebook drives that use an ATA hard disk. However, a recent attempt to use this with the newer Seagate external 2.5" notebook drives that use a SATA disk failed. The Apricorn PC Card senses when an attempt to use excess power has been made and disables the driver.

-msbaker