Hi,

I have an older Dell laptop with USB 1.0 ports and a single PCMCIA card slot. I'm currently using the PCMCIA card slot for a wireless internet card (802.11g) connecting to a Linksys Router.

The problem I'm trying to solve is faster throughput from ANY available port on my laptop to my external drives, (which are 2.0 and firewire enabled), while still maintaining connectivity via the wireless card. The only way I'm aware of to convert to USB 2.0 is by using a 2.0 adapter card in the PCMCIA slot. However, If I remove the wireless card to add the USB adapter card, I lose connectivity. Is there such a thing as a PCMCIA card adapter that has dual-function (wireless card AND USB 2.0 port?


alternatively....
Keeping the wireless card in the slot, can I come out of the internal ethernet port on the laptop to the USB 2.0 port on the external drive for Data Transfer?

Or I guess I could put a USB 2.0 adapter card in the PCMCIA slot and then use a 802.11g adapter connected to my USB 1.1 port. However, if I do this, won't I be limited to 11 Mbps throughput on the USB 1.1 port?

Are there other solutions I'm not thinking of? (Other than stepping into the 21st Century and buying a USB 2.0 enabled laptop smile.gif

thanks