Best USB 2.0 PCMCIA Card for T2x?

[starbork]

Hi all,

Anyone have any recommendations for a USB 2.0 card for the T23? Ideally I'd like one that can be installed concurrently with a Linksys WPC54GS wireless card; if anyone has this setup I'd be grateful to hear what kind of USB card you use.

Also, I'm toying with the idea of taking a mostly dead T30 (bashed in screen, keyboard probs, dead batt charger, etc), attaching a USB external HDD, loading up FreeNas or the like on it, and using this headless zombie thinkpad as a low-power always-on network attached storage device! Thoughts?

Ryan
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T22 900 / 512 / 80@4200 / XGA / "Scout"
T23 1.2 / 1024 / 40@5400 / XGA / "SkullTron"
T23 1.2 / 768 / 20@7200 / XGA / "SuperScout"

[schen]

I have a half answer for you maybe. Although I don't use the Linksys card (my T23 has WiFi built in), but I use the Adaptec PCMCIA USB 2.0/1394 combo card. I'm very happy with it and it seems to do an excellent job with connecting to my Sony flashdrive as well as an external HDD enclosure. I have to admit that I haven't used the firewire yet, but I'm sure it will be fine. Actually, most of the time the card is in a Dock's PC Card slot.

[ambientscape]

I have a half answer for you maybe. Although I don't use the Linksys card (my T23 has WiFi built in), but I use the Adaptec PCMCIA USB 2.0/1394 combo card. I'm very happy with it and it seems to do an excellent job with connecting to my Sony flashdrive as well as an external HDD enclosure. I have to admit that I haven't used the firewire yet, but I'm sure it will be fine. Actually, most of the time the card is in a Dock's PC Card slot.

I was curious ifyour PCMCIA independently powered or u need another small power socket to draw power from the built in USB?? Mine....will not function if the PCMCIA USB just plug in to the PC card slot....without any cables powering it.

[schen]

It seems to draw some power from the PCMCIA bus, but apparently not enough for my external 2.5" HDD case or my Canon LIDE30 scanner. Both devices work fine on the USB port on the back but don't fully recognize on the card. Of course, this means that they have to run at the slow 1.1 speed. I use the card regularly as the I/O for my flashdrive and 3.5" HDD case, but it has it's own power adapter.

Oh, I almost forgot; the adaptec does have a "barrel pin" style plugin for external power, but not only is it not provided, but Adaptec doesn't even sell one. The manual says to go buy one at an electronics store (meaning Radio Shack).

[aabram]

Also, I'm toying with the idea of taking a mostly dead T30 (bashed in screen, keyboard probs, dead batt charger, etc), attaching a USB external HDD, loading up FreeNas or the like on it, and using this headless zombie thinkpad as a low-power always-on network attached storage device! Thoughts?

Go for it, it's a nice way to save space (vs regular PC) and money (not buying dedicated box). I made a debian server out of an old X20 with dead battery (lasts 0 seconds and I was reluctant to buy a battery for it) and it's been running 24/7 for months now. T30 seems a bit overpowered for simple fileserver though :)

[starbork]

... T30 seems a bit overpowered for simple fileserver though

Agreed, but that's what's at hand Depending how things go, I'll probably use it for NAS controller, SETI hampster, bittorrent drone, etc etc. I live in California, so having a low-power option for my always-on is pretty key.

If all goes well, I'll outline the project and cost/benefits etc.

[schen]

I feel kinda dumb referring to my own post, but it might be something you would be interested in if you want a low-cost, low-maintenance, low-powered NAS option, you might want to look at my last post on this thread about an NAS I stumbled across:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=22410

There's a pretty good review of it on;

http://www.modthebox.com/review428_1.shtml

Hopefully, it'll be of some use. On top of which, it'd probably cost you less to do than you could get selling the T30 for parts/rebuild.

[starbork]

... USB 2.0 case for 3.5" HDD.... metal case internally that cools via conduction so is very slim (no fan)... added bonus, it's cheap (about $35) and these things come in either silver or ..... a rubber covered matte-black!!!!

Hey, excellent tip schen, thanks!! I still want to have a headless old TP for the controller, but this sounds like a beauty solution for the external HDD... especially the matching case

Thanks man, I will post to your thread or start a new NAS thread once the project gets under way. Cheers!

[Nolonemo]

Back to USB cards....

The only way you will be able to use a wifi card with a USB card is if your wifi card's antenna is no thicker than the body of the card, since the wireless card will have to be in the bottom slot with the USB card stacked above it, and they both extend past the body of the TP. But I bet you knew that already....

BTW, I would get a combo USB/firewire card (probably will have 1 full size USB, 1 mini USB and 1 or 2 firewire ports) unless you are sure you'll never want firewire or will need 2 full size USB 2.0 ports.

[BruisedQuasar]

As far as I can tell, there is no such creature as a PC Card USB 2.0 adapter that can run a USB Wi-Fi adapter, less much an external device such as a scanner or hard drive without external power of some sort. Components just are not that power efficient.

I believe my four port PC Card USB adapter is about as efficient as you can get. It works on PC card slot power to run pen drives but not a Wi-Fi USB adapter or any external device such as a multi-card reader-writer, etc. For that I must plug in the power cable that runs off a USB port.

I do not know of any PC Card USB 2.0 adapter that is narrow enough to let you insert a card in the slot above or below it, (depending on which slot you use). Unfortunately, IBM engineers did not install the two card slots upside down from each other. Had they done so, we could easily insert a USB adapter and something thicker than a PC Card to CF Card Adapter simultaneously.. Not even the thin Roamabout Wi-Fi PC Card will fit under a USB Adapter. Only a CF card in a PC Card Adapter will fit.

Although IBM designers were more practical than most corporate engineers, they were not that practical minded. Being as close together as they are, just a little thought would have led to the conclusion that much flexibility would result from placing the slots upside down from each other.

How long did it take for USB ports to be installed in the front or sides of PC cases, instead of the rear?

[starbork]

...unless you are sure you'll never want firewire or will need 2 full size USB 2.0 ports...

That's a good point, Nolo, but I think I probably only need USB 2.0 these days. It seems pretty ubiquitous, even on Apple gear... firewire is on the way out, no?

BruisedQuasar, good insights man. I was hoping that someone made a card that would plug in "upside down" but I realize after reading your post that it's not the card, but the plug, that determines orientation. Another pain in the [censored] is that external power... hrm.

Well, for the NAS project at least, I'll be cat-5ing straight into the router...

But, isn't this exclusivity between the WLAN and USB2.0 cards a sore point around here? I didn't realize the performance bennies with 2.0 until recently, and now I'm hurting for it on the T23...

[dr_st]

firewire is on the way out, no?

I wouldn't say Firewire is on its way out. More like, it is a very nice technology (superior to USB in some ways), that never really caught the market, due to various reasons.

[Nolonemo]

Wait, wait, you're not reading what I said closely enough. It IS possible to have a USB 2.0 card and a wi-fi adaptor in the PC card slots at the same time, I'm doing it myself as I post this. You need two things:

1. A USB card (or a combo firewire/USB card) that has a "flat bottom" (i.e. the "hump" containing the USB ports does not extend below the bottom of the part of the card that's in the slot. I think most USB cards are designed this way. That card is in the top slot.

2. A wireless card that has an antenna that does not extend above the top surface of the card, in the bottom slot. Right now I have a 3Com x-jack b/g card in the bottom slot (super card, retractable antenna, does Super G with Super G rounters (I have a D-Link). I could also use my old Netgear MA401 wireless card that only does b. I'm sure there are others.

So it can be done, you will just have to use a different wifi card.

BTW, the configuration of my firewire/USB card is 2 full size USB, one full size firewire, 1 mini firewire, contrary to what I posted earlier.

[schen]

The Adaptec card I have has 1 of the regular Firewire Ports, 1 Mini Firewire and 2 Full-Size USB 2.0 Ports. Although I think that the last post makes the correct point and you don't really need two; just a WiFi card in the bottom slot that has a thin enough profile to fit underneath the 2.0 adapter bulge which has a flat bottom.

[starbork]

Outstanding, I'll look into getting one of the Adaptec cards then. Much thanks for the info Nolo, schen, et al!

Side note on the TPNAS project-- it's been sidelined for now. Turns out the junker laptop at work is not a T30, but an old Dell! It would probably still work but... well, you know.

[BruisedQuasar]

Anyone have any recommendations for a USB 2.0 card for the T23?

eBay seller perfectdeal_us (99.8% positive feedback) is an excellent reseller of new USB 2.0 adapter PC cards. He sells a power efficient 4 port Card for under $15 for card, S/H, everything. It comes with a USB port power cable for devices that need more power. I can run my pen drives without the power cable but not any devices such as USB hard disk, Netgear Wi-Fi USB adapter, etc. I have a T23

[starbork]

eBay seller perfectdeal_us (99.8% positive feedback) is an excellent reseller of new USB 2.0 adapter PC cards.

Thanks for the tip BQ, I'll check out what he's got. You know, it would be great if there was a card out there that would lie flush with the side of the pcmcia port with a couple USB ports oriented horizontally, do you don't have the big nub sticking out the side. Who's with me!

[Nolonemo]

Or a dongle, like the PCMICA NICs used to have. Then you could keep the card in all the time and just plug in the dongle when you wanted to hook up.