Wireless PC card question

#1 Sat, 30 Mar 2013 - 02:28 68kMLA

I know it's a longshot but, has anyone here had any luck running one of these:

http://www.macwireless.com/html/products/wireless_cards/11g_11b_cards/11bPCCard.php

On a PowerBook 500 series notebook with the rev c module?

#2 Sat, 30 Mar 2013 - 08:44 68kMLA

5 Volt 16bit Type II PCMCIA Compliant PC Card.

Slot-compliant. Don't see any sign of 68k drivers though.

You are far better off getting an old Orinoco Silver or Gold. For starters they're a bunch cheaper, and for finishers - there are known 68k drivers. Out there. On the web. Someplace.

#3 Sat, 30 Mar 2013 - 08:57 68kMLA

Google sez:

Your search - 68k site:macwireless.com - did not match any documents. Your search - 68040 site:macwireless.com - did not match any documents.

Your search - 68040 site:macwireless.com - did not match any documents.

Your search - 68LC040 site:macwireless.com - did not match any documents.

But wait! "Powerbook 520" returns:

http://www.macwireless.com/html/help/card_chooser/PB_older.php

http://www.macwireless.com/html/help/compatibility_cards.html

Both of which mention both the 5x0 series, and the 190 (the other PCMCIA-packing 040 Powerbook), and lead back to the card you have above. So presumably there *are* 68k drivers in their downloads.

You could always download the driver and see what error you get when you install or run it.

Still, Orinoco cards ... $10 or so.

#4 Sat, 30 Mar 2013 - 14:35 68kMLA

Seconded. If you want WLAN you need a Orinoco/Lucent waveLAN card. They're cheap, the drivers are easy to get and they will work with damn near anything. Even the Newton 2x00 supports them.

#5 Sun, 31 Mar 2013 - 03:00 68kMLA

Thanks for the responses. I will be getting a second rev c module soon so wlan is on my future projects list.

Is this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/230901332586?redirect=mobile

the card you all speak of?

#6 Sun, 31 Mar 2013 - 06:54 68kMLA

If its the same slot as the original G3 then the original airport is compatible. Ill try it in my 540 and see when I get home.

#7 Sun, 31 Mar 2013 - 07:06 68kMLA

I mean the card out of an original airport as it has the built in antennae and all.

#8 Thu, 4 Apr 2013 - 00:01 68kMLA

If its the same slot as the original G3

It's not. It's PCMCIA aka PC Card (16 bit), not Cardbus (32 bit). They are however backwards compatible. A 16 bit card will work in a 32 bit slot, but not the other way round. IIRC, the card from the original UFO Airport is 16 bit - and is in fact a rebadged Orinoco.

#9 Thu, 4 Apr 2013 - 00:53 68kMLA

Thats what I meant Bunsen that the card from the airport should work in the 5xx series.

#10 Thu, 4 Apr 2013 - 06:09 68kMLA

Is this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/230901332586?redirect=mobilethe card you all speak of?

Never used the Proxim cards. They supposedly work with the Orinoco PC drivers but I've never tried myself. Don't think a mac would like them at all.

This however is the card you would need:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lucent-WiFi-Orinoco-11Mbit-s-Gold-PCMCIA-Card-/221203999477?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item3380c92af5

I also recommend trying with the lastest AirPort software installed. Legend has it that the latest AirPort driver sees the card as an Apple AirPort card, which in a way makes sense because they are the same card internally but Apple removed the external antenna, reflashed it to a point you can't flash it back and rebadged the exterior.