PCMCIA is it all the same?

[darren99]

Hi

I've got a question regarding PCMCIA slot's.  Bit's of it are Amiga related.  I've just arranged a wireless network around my house, at the moment I have my PC and my sisters PC connected to it, my plan is to also get my sisters laptop and my Amiga 1200 connected as well.  To start the network off I bought the BT Voyager pack with the 2100 router, 1060 PCMCIA card and 1040 PCI card, and also an additional USB thing.  I got nearly all of them plugged in except the PCMCIA card.  At first I thought I'd put it in my sisters laptop and get another one for the Amiga later but it get's so far down and then wont go any further, so I thought as my sisters laptop's really old maybe it could be a different style of PCMCIA slot, I checked the manufacturer and it says it's a PCMCIA Type I,II and III slot (which the card needs a Type II slot), so I thought can't be anything wrong with the slot then, but just to make sure I'll see if it goes into the Amiga (then I could always use it with the Amiga if it does and get her a different one).  And it doesn't fit into the Amiga PCMCIA slot either.  Are there different types of PCMCIA slots other than the Type I, II, and III or is it probably the card that's faulty? and is it ok to use these PC cards with Amiga's? will I be able to add PC connectivity to my Amiga? also is it possibly to add USB to an Amiga in this way?  Also what type of PCMCIA slot is in an A1200, is it a Type I, II and III?

Thanks.

[darren99]

3.3V cards have a special notch that stops them being inserted into 5V-only slots

Ah-ha... maybe that's why this card wont go in either the Amiga or the laptop.  It's a 3.3V card.  I take it that somewhere they do make 5v cards? and why the voltage difference?

[darren99]

Just found another interesting thing out though about PCMCIA cards, which I presume is another affecting factor.  I didn't know that there are two variations of PCMCIA - 16-bit & 32-bit.  I presume the Amiga PCMCIA slots are 16-bit as well as my sisters laptop (it's quite an old laptop).  It seems the 16-bit ones are based similar to ISA and the 32-bit ones are similar to PCI but some silly person decided that rather than change there name to the outside world (like they did with the PCI/ISA cards they'd just change it internally and not bother to tell anyone.  I've also just found out that SD cards for cameras are defined by PCMCIA and so are kind of also PCMCIA cards!  I'm just wondering though why did Commodore use a 16-bit PCMCIA slot in a 32-bit A1200???

[darren99]

looks like now the best way to go wireless on my Amiga is to get a 16-bit ethernet card and plug it into a wireless router 'cos I can't seem to find a 16-bit wireless card.  

Many thanks for your help in getting this problem sorted.