X21 wifi connection: pcmcia or usb stick or minipci card ???

[OMNIBUS]

hallo,
i would upgrade my X21 with a wifi connection for internet; which would be the best solution, using a pcmcia pc card or an usb stick or replacing the minipci card with a combo card modem - wifi card (maybe combo lan-wifi) ?
can i assembly the internal antenna on the sides of the lcd , inside the lid ? how can i do it?
thankyou
Angelo

[Thinkpaddict]

I have only used PCMCIA and CF Wifi adapters. My favorite is the Ambicom WL1100-C CF adapter. The reasons why I prefer this to PC Cards are that it is smaller (the antenna sticks out of the side of the computer about half as much as most PC Cards do, ) it is lighter, and it uses the CF slot, leaving the PCMCIA slot free for something else.

I like having the PCMCIA slot free because there are more uses for it than for the CF slot.

The Ambicom that I mention is out of production, but you can get them in eBay for around $40.00. The advantage of this one is that it works flawlessly (it gets a better signal than a couple of Wifi PC Cards I have,) and that it has a Prism chipset, so it works in Linux out of the box. Installation in Windows is also very painless, you can get the driver from ambicom.com.

This is not the only Wifi CF card out there, there are quite a few. Even Ambicom has a newer one that might be better (less power consumption, and higher transfer speeds) if you only plan to use Windows. If you use Linux, the one I have is better though, since they moved to a more problematic chipset with the newer one.

[Radioguy]

Does the X21 have a card reader? If not, the CF card is a moot issue. Plus, there's SDIO as well if it does have a reader. Although, I don't know if all SD card readers support SDIO.

I'd say stick with USB, and here's why: It's universal. You can pull it and use it on a desktop, or add a cable to extend the range. I recently purchased a Senao made USB adapter with dual antennas. I can use it on anything, place it near a coffeeshop window while far from it, and even add better antennae. Of course, I'm vying for better coverage of free hotspots on the go. Your needs might not be so....needy.

[Raceboy]

All X2x series has CF reader.

[Thinkpaddict]

If you want to go the USB route first make sure you won't have any power problems with it. I'm saying that because the X21 USB ports seem to output less power than the X24 ports. I am unable to run an external HD out of the X21, with no problems in the X24, even though both are supposed to have the same power rating. I think it's unlikely a USB Wifi adapter might run into that sort of problem, but you should keep that in mind.

USB is more widely used than CF, that's true. I personally don't like USB Wifi adapters because they are clunkier. The CF adapter I am using sticks out of the left side of the computer around 1.2 cm (that's less than 1/2 inch.) If that's not a problem for you, and want to use that same WiFi adapter in other computer without a CF or PC Card slot, then USB would be the way to go. Also note that you can use the CF adapter with a cheap PC Card to CF adapter in any computer with a PC Card slot.

[Raceboy]

I've used LinkSys USB Wifi card on X20 and it worked flaswlessly in both ports.

[Thinkpaddict]

It's good that at least the X20's ports can drive a USB wifi adaptor. I was rather disappointed when I found out my X21 didn't have enough juice for the external 2.5 HD. I'm now using an X24 because of that.

[fixup]

I just bought a Canon K30225 CF WIFi from ebay, $15 shipped. It works fine on my X20. It is very small, only 10 mm outside and the antenna is very cool, never need to pull it up.

The problem is, if also use a S720 EVDO card in the PCMCIA slot, the S720 cannot make a successful dialup. The Canon CF still works fine. Seems the PCMCIA cannot provide enough power to the PC slots once the CF slot is also draining power.

It is not a radio conflict. Not interrupt conflict.

Anyone has any such experience using CF and PC cards at the same time?

[NorrisCell]

Another important thing to think about. If you choose to go with an internal combo card, make sure your machine is listed as being "wireless upgradeable." Otherwise you will need to run antennas to use it. PCMCIA is probably going to be the easiest route overall, IMO.

[virge]

I just bought a Canon K30225 CF WIFi from ebay, $15 shipped. It works fine on my X20. It is very small, only 10 mm outside and the antenna is very cool, never need to pull it up.

The problem is, if also use a S720 EVDO card in the PCMCIA slot, the S720 cannot make a successful dialup. The Canon CF still works fine. Seems the PCMCIA cannot provide enough power to the PC slots once the CF slot is also draining power.

It is not a radio conflict. Not interrupt conflict.

Anyone has any such experience using CF and PC cards at the same time?

A little off topic for this thread... but how do you know its not a radio conflict? I've recently set up a Kyocera KR1 wireless router which uses an EVDO card. With wireless enabled, the card would lose connection every few minutes. After I disabled the wireless and setup a wireless access point 3-4ft away, it was fine. So far its only required one restart in the last 1.5 months. I have no way of determining if it was a radio conflict or what.

[fixup]

I replaced the CF WiFi card with a USB WiFi adapter, put it as close as possible to the EVDO antenna, no problem at all. I have been using an EVDO USB modem and a PCMCIA WiFi card on this X20 for months, never a problem.

The USB EVDO modem is just too inconvenient - too bulky, so I thought to replace them with a CF WiFi and PCMCIA EVDO would be too neat to be true. Unfortunately such a neat comb does not work together.

I might try a different CF WiFi card, there are two or three different brands on ebay, all are deadly cheap, but 11b though. I selected the Canon, because the seller says it is brand new and made in japan, and Canon is a big name, not about computer stuff though.