2 or 4 port PCMCIA cardbus USB adapter for Linux?

[thinkpad1]

I am having a problem with my usb ports. I posted in the 'T41' section and it was recommended I buy a USB PCMCIA (cardbus) adapter. This would be satisfactory if it solves the problem but I would like to know if it's likely it will work in Linux.

How exactly do those work? The problem is that I can use the ports in Windows XP. It is mysterious, though, as it doesn't work as it should. I get pop-up messages that I should use a USB 2.0 port for greater speed and then a pop-up comes up showing there's like 6 ports. I only have TWO usb ports in the Thinkpad T41! So, I can use my usb thumb drive and hard drives connected to usb but there is some delay until it detects. I also assume it's only working at 1.1 speeds.

I have determined my problem in Linux to be the 2.0 functionality. Something is wrong with the ports and Linux doesn't know how to handle it? I've only had some detection in Debian Squeeze and after a bunch of commands in CLI. I don't want to do that each time. I've tried a few of the *Ubuntus and it never detects at all.

I tried my desktop and booted up a live CD of Ubuntu 10.04 and it detects my usb Hard Drive (SATA HDD in an enclosure connected via USB) right away on boot. So, it must be my Thinkpad's hardware!

If a PCMCIA card doesn't solve it, then what? Is it almost assured that the card will solve this problem? Can I solve it by ordering a $6 card on ebay? I was recommended a brand name card that's about $17 but that's a lot of money to waste unless the problem is solved. I think they're all made in China and probably have similar chipsets?

I as hoping a Linux user here has an older T4x series Thinkpad, uses Linux and has used or uses a PCMCIA cardbus card for USB functionality. Maybe they have a 4-port card and need the extra ports? Here's hoping...

It would be nice to have some reassurances that the card should work or some info about this issue (the usb ports failing or being defective is a common issue for this generation of Thinkpads, I understand).

Any comments????

[Volker]

The USB ports on my T41 also failed a long time ago, but its still being used by my mom

You can unload the USB-2.0 driver (rmmod ehci_hcd) and use USB 1.1, that was somewhat more reliable for me. But then it is often too slow to be of use... Also, slightly bending the main chassis works sometimes (e.g. put a pen under one of the corners).

I think most pcmcia->USB cards work out of the box, but you can always check on the linux-usb list (http://www.qbik.ch/usb/devices/). Make sure you don't get an express card! The pcmcia card is a reliable fix, once you get that one working you won't have usb troubles in the future.

[Shank]

Getting a new USB CardBus card is certainly worth a try. Don't spend more than $10.00.

Most of those cards protrude from the card slot, which is pretty lame in my opinion. If you look carefully, you can find ones that have no "bulge" at the end, and sit flush with the slot's edge. I've bought two off eBay in the past, and they work great.

Are they cheap, no-name gadgets from China? You bet. They work, though, so that doesn't bother me.

How do you find these? First, search eBay with the following string:

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usb (pcmcia, cardbus, pc card)

Then, search North America only, and set your price range for $9.00 to $10.00. They're usually right in that small range. I've not found this particular device any cheaper.

Setting NA-only is a good idea. You can find these from many Hong Kong or China-based sellers for perhaps $0.50 less, but then you'll wait 2 weeks for shipping. I see from your profile that you are in Canada. I checked, and I can't find these from any Canadian sellers for less than $20, including shipping. However, you may have better luck (and faster shipping) from a US seller rather than one in Asia.

Anyway, that's been my experience.

[thinkpad1]

But, how do these cards work?!? I understand they work with a cable that plugs into it and the other end plugs into a usb port on the laptop?!? If the usb laptop ports don't work or don't work properly, how will the card work (properly)? I guess I am confused about how these cards work. I thought they just give you extra usb ports using the laptop's hardware. If the hardware in the laptop are defective or whatever the problem is with these Thinkpad hardware ports (there's threads about it), how can I be sure the card will work when I use it?!?

[thinkpad1]

Getting a new USB CardBus card is certainly worth a try. Don't spend more than $10.00.

Most of those cards protrude from the card slot, which is pretty lame in my opinion. If you look carefully, you can find ones that have no "bulge" at the end, and sit flush with the slot's edge. I've bought two off eBay in the past, and they work great.

Are they cheap, no-name gadgets from China? You bet. They work, though, so that doesn't bother me.

EDIT: I was wondering what you meant about the bulge... Maybe you mean something like this?:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/New-PCMCIA-USB-2-0-C ... 4cf08c86ba

I don't mind too much where I order from since the card is cheap, I'm not expecting any duties or extra charges. At least, I hope not.

I agree, it might be nicer to order from NA so I don't have to wait so long for shipping but the cards available in China/HK will be cheaper.

The only concern is the quality of them since there seems to be so many to choose from (from CH). I think they're all made there, even the brand name cards but the 'brand' name ones might have a better QC. I've read on some reviews (newegg, for e.g.) of some brands of certain cards sticking or causing various issues/problems. I think I'll be okay or at least I hope so. I'm concerned about how the card works right now. I am just wondering what the card's cable does when the one end is plugged in the usb port of the laptop. It doesn't matter if the laptop's ports aren't working properly? I think it's the usb 2.0 functionality although I'm not sure what is exactly happening with it. Just that it can't initialize properly and the problem seems to be worse in Linux than Windows? I think in Windows, usb devices will work but the usb 2.0 functionality is gone or not working properly.

[Shank]

EDIT: I was wondering what you meant about the bulge... Maybe you mean something like this?:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/New-PCMCIA-USB-2-0-C ... 4cf08c86ba

I'm referring to that plastic housing on the end of the card that (on the majority of USB PC Cards) protrudes from the edge of the card slot. Search Newegg for "usb pcmcia" and you'll see what I mean. That type of card is very common. The item that you linked is actually the "no-bulge" variety. I lack a better term for this.

I agree, it might be nicer to order from NA so I don't have to wait so long for shipping but the cards available in China/HK will be cheaper.

On eBay, you can find lots of these generic no-name unbranded gadgets from sellers in China (where they are made, of course), but you can generally also find the exact same ones from US sellers for only slightly more. They probably just order in bulk from China. In this case, they only seem to charge about fifty cents more, on a $9-10 item.

I am just wondering what the card's cable does when the one end is plugged in the usb port of the laptop.

If you're referring to the black cable that's included with the card - It's a power cable. This brings us to one drawback that's common to all USB PC Cards. The USB standard specifies that USB prts can draw up to 500mA each. Yet, I'm pretty sure CardBus/PC Card only gives 400mA per slot - not even the full power for one regular USB port. To make up for this, at least partially, the card includes a power cable that simply connects to one of your laptop's USB ports. All USB CardBus cards include a cable like this, for that reason.

That power cable should be able to get some power from your broken USB ports, assuming the voltage is still there on the +5VDC pins of your built-in USB ports. If the USB controller is bad, the port may still be able to provide power.

At any rate, the card will work without the power cable, and low-power devices (like a flash drive or a media reader) shouldn't have any trouble.

It doesn't matter if the laptop's ports aren't working properly?

Right - the card has its own controller, and operates independently of the other ports, but can pull power from them if necessary via the included cable.

[thinkpad1]

Thanks so much, Shank, for your replies! I really appreciated them! I ordered one of those usb cardbus ones. The 'flat' kind. It has 2 usb ports. I noticed that Amazon sells the same thing, basically, for a bit more, $11 or so. I ordered one from CH/HK for $9 total including shipping. If it is the same as the picture, it should be the same thing. 'AKE' brand is on the card. It'll either work or it won't but hopefully, it will. For under 10 bucks, it seems like a good deal. The main negative is the wait for it. At least two weeks?

Anyway, thanks for that idea. I probably wouldn't have had that idea if it wasn't for your reply. I like the concept of it not sticking out the laptop.

Edit: the pro for ordering from CH/HK seller is the saving on shipping. The U.S. sellers probably buy from them (like you say) in bulk and decide to charge more for shipping? There were some charging from $10 and up for just shipping. I might want to order from them but not when the shipping cost is more than the device.

[thinkpad1]

Btw, sorry to follow up to myself but I had another question. I don't know if it should be a separate thread but it might be related to the usb ports situation.

This is especially applicable to Thinkpad owners with 'defective'? usb ports.

I tried Ubuntu and Lubuntu 10.04. I installed Lubuntu 10.04 and Debian Squeeze LXDE.

I have to go through a series of steps to get my usb drive devices to work but they will eventually work with this process. It's a pain but doing the process allows the usb drives to be detected and mount.

If I try the same thing in the *ubuntu 10.04 operating systems, it will not work. There is some difference and I have been unable to pinpoint it. Anyone who uses Ubuntu have any idea? I can't figure it out and yes, I posted to the forums but no one has had any ideas or suggestions. No theories, no confirmations and nothing to go on.

I hope the card makes this concern and mystery moot but I have to wait at least 2 weeks to discover whether the card allows the usb drives to be detected on boot up. I hope so.

I was wondering what Ubuntu 10.04 has done differently though from Debian (why are they always doing that?!?) so that the procedure doesn't work. I have to use grep/tail commands in which I load usb drivers or modules? Also, I remove the ehci_hcd (module?) but apparently it's integrated in the kernel or something with Ubuntu 10.04 but not Debian Squeeze? That doesn't make sense, does it? I really don't know. But, I get a 'FATAL: the module, ehci_hcd' not found when I try the same process in Ubuntu 10.04.

It's very frustrating because you'd figure these distros are very similar and at similar states (of packages and code) so you would assume that one 'solution' would work on the other.

[Shank]

Hard to say what's going on here. I would run the following command in a terminal, then connect the USB device, then copy/paste the output here.

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sudo tail -fn 20 /var/log/syslog

Then, go through that same process (with the same live-CD) on another computer that also has USB 2.0 ports. Once you have these two syslog-dumps, copy them here.

You may also want to try Knoppix, which is yet another Debian live-CD (you may have heard of it). However, Knoppix does not run a syslog, and I'm not sure how to start it (at least on the last version-6 Knoppix ISO I tried...). At least you can see if your USB devices are recognized. You can also try this with earlier Ubuntus, though you may see no change. I personally have a lot more experience with 9.10 than 10.04, since I've been using that version at work for general testing of the computers we refurbish.

If this whole thing is a hardware problem, then yes, the USB CardBus adapter will very likely fix it. Given the circumstances as you have described them, I feel there *must* be a hardware element to this situation, considering you've experienced similar issues in Windows, Ubuntu, and Debian.

Sorry to see you having so much trouble with this. USB 2.0 is a pain to be without, to be honest. Definitely try the syslog comparison, though!