usb - pcmcia help!

I got a dell e1705 and it does not have a pcmcia card slot. I need a external pcmcia card reader/writer for work because some of the robots and other control devices use the pcmcia slot for network com. I have been looking every were for an external pcmcia card and am having no luck at all.. Can someone please please help me.

Thanks

 

Wow, I've not seen anything like that before. And of course there's no ExpressCard to PCMCIA converter either. EC is so stupid, it should never have been deployed this fast.

 

Is there a way to use a PCI card (those regular desktop ones) via a USB?
If there is, than you can use a PCI card pcmcia adapter, and then connect that thru USB.

Wild idea ... I could be totally crazy to even think of this!

 

Just in case my primary idea is too crazy to even exist. Did you run accross this. Seems to be what you are looking for, but compatibility might be a problem!

http://www.elandigitalsystems.com/adapter/usb.php

 

That looks like what need but I dont think its compatable. The card I need to use is a Data Hwy+. (allen bradley ) Thanks for your help Thats a lot better than I have found. I am guessing that as pcmcia is fazed out someone will start producing an external drive?

 

What exactly do you need the PCMCIA slot for? Audio? Extra USB or Firewire ports?

 

I was planing to use the computer for both work and play. At work I program robots and P.L.C.s. Both of these comunicate thurgh the pcmcia slot with a network card. Now, the robots I have other options, but the Allen Bradley P.L.C 5 is only accessable with "Allen Bradleys Data Hwy+ network card" which is a pcmcia card. I was also wondering if I could just replace the express card slot with a pcmcia slot?
thanks for all help.

 

I'm not sure if this will work for you, but I use this device at work.

http://www.intproducts.com/omnidriveusbpro.html

Take a look and see what you think.

 

Khiamal, At first I thought that was it but... it won't work. I need a full blown external pcmcia slot. the card I am using is a network card not just a flash card. If I could find somthing that would work with a pcmcia modem it would work for me. This is a pain!!!
Thanks for all your help!

 

Maybe contact Allen Bradley and see if they have another version of the interface that runs over USB or something?

 

Get a different laptop.