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MsMal · Apr 15, 2006, 03:40 PM

I do a lot of traveling and need Internet access while on the road. I have both 12” & 15” G4 PowerBook models and just purchased a VerizonWireless PC5740 Broadband Access/ National Access PC Card. I have it installed in my PCMCIA slot on the 15" and it works very well. I get Broadband access in most major cities and up to 4 times dialup elsewhere. I am also trying to install the card on my 12" so am trying to find a USB to PCMCIA card adapter that is compatible. I just found a site for a Roalan U132 adapter. It supports both the KPC650 and V620 cards by Verizon and is supplied with a software driver for Windows 2000/3 and XP but the site doesn't mention support for MAC or the new Verizon PC5740 card. I have e-mailed the company but have not gotten a response from them. The website for the Roalan U132 Adapter is:

http://www.roalan.com/USB%20to%20PCMCIA%20Adapter.htm

Has anyone else come across and solved this problem?

mduell · Apr 15, 2006, 04:16 PM

Other options include connecting to a phone over BlueTooth or USB and using it as a modem, or a USB cellular modem. I've seen a few in the news lately because of the lack of ExpressCard cellular modems.

MsMal · Apr 15, 2006, 04:43 PM

I have connected to the Internet via a cellphone using a data cable but the speed is very slow and I use up lots of minutes that way. I think that the PC card is a much better way to go and I get unlimited minutes. It's also much faster. Any other ideas as far as a PCMCIA card adapter that is 32-bit compatible?

mduell · Apr 15, 2006, 04:49 PM

Talk to your cellular company; you should be able to get the same data plan with a phone that you can get with the PC Card.

MsMal · Apr 15, 2006, 05:00 PM

I don't think that I will have the abitity to get broadband access with the phone no matter what connection I use or plan I have. That is the reason for the wireless card. If you haven't checked out the Roalan site at:

http://www.roalan.com/USB%20to%20PCMCIA%20Adapter.htm

you probably won't understand what I am trying to do.

mduell · Apr 15, 2006, 05:49 PM

I understand what you're trying to do, but I thought you could get BroadbandAccess with a phone; after looking at verizonwireless's site again, I see you can only get NationalAccess with a phone.

I wish you luck, but I doubt the adapter is supported by OSX. The next best option would be to get a phone that supports NationalAccess so you can get on the web with dial-up speeds and unlimited data.

MsMal · Apr 15, 2006, 06:16 PM

I just went to the EVDO Information Site and found a card that hooks up to a USB port and supports Verizon and MAC and will give broadband but it won't be available until sometime in May. My apologies for assuming you didn't understand my problem. It looks like I got the card just a little too soon and neglected to research the need to get an adapter that would work with OSX so I could use it on the 12" that has no PCMCIA slot.

Thanks for your help and expertise,

den2

tooki · Apr 15, 2006, 11:49 PM

Just get a mobile router that converts the Verizon broadband to Wi-Fi.

tooki

MsMal · Apr 17, 2006, 09:27 AM

Thanks tooki. I think I've decided to get the KR1 WiFi Router by Kyocera. However, EVDO recommends using the KPC650 instead of the PC5740. The KPC650 looks like a better card anyway because has an external antenna built in and doesn't experience slowdown problems like the PC5740 does. Is there anything else I should consider before making the switch?

den2

tooki · Apr 17, 2006, 07:42 PM

I hope that question wasn't directed at me!

I have never used VZW's wireless broadband, so I don't know their equipment. I'd defer to the advice from the dedicated site.

tooki

slugslugslug · Apr 17, 2006, 10:12 PM

den2, I hope you'll start a new thread with your experiences once you've gotten to kick the tires on that EV-DO router a bit. My parents can't get wired broadband where they live, but they might could get Sprint EV-DO. So I was thinking of getting them a MacBook and a similar router setup, so they can experience decent internet speeds on, y'know, the good OS.

MsMal · Apr 18, 2006, 03:49 PM

slugslugslug,

I just ordered a KPC650 PC card, Booster Antenna for the KPC650, and a KR1 Mobil WiFi Router from EVDOinfo.com. I should receive everything on either Friday or Monday and will begin a new thread after I have put everything thru the paces.

den2

MsMal · Apr 18, 2006, 04:10 PM

I just received word back from Roaland Inc. that their Roalan U132 adapter that uses a USB port to give a 32-bit PCMCIA slot does not work on a MAC, only Windows based machines. I have not been able to locate a manufacturer that supports MAC for this purpose. Anyone else had any luck with this situation?

den2

tooki · Apr 18, 2006, 04:31 PM

Again, why use an adapter like that (adapters, as a whole, tend to be flakier than native solutions) when a solid alternative (the mobile routers) exists?

tooki

MsMal · Apr 18, 2006, 05:02 PM

I agree with you that a mobile router is the way to go for the initial application I was trying to solve. Just trying to follow up on the Roalan U132 adapter I first mentioned. Maybe someone else has a need for a 32-bit PCMCIA slot on a 12" PB for a different application if there is such a thing. Anyway, I want to thank you for steering me in the direction of the mobile router. It's a much better solution.