Another though on 3Com PCMCIA

[Randal Whittle <whittle@chaph.usc.edu>]

	I too got my 3Com PCMCIA card recently and have had a great deal of
luck with making it work (once I figured out how to make a crossover cable--
since I have only 2 computers and no hub on a 10BaseT setup!).  I didn't post
anything here because it seemed like everyone else also got there's and there
was plenty of reviews flying around--so no need for mine.

	But one thing that seems to have been left out is this comment:
Many people have mentioned that their PCMCIA cards of other devices (usually
modems) have had to be "hot-plugged"--re-inserted so they would re-activate
after the machine had gone into suspend or hibernate mode.

	The good news is that I have never had to that with the 3Com card.
I can suspend and wake-up with impunity and never have to re-plug the card.
I presume this has to do with the fact that it bypasses card services and
"talks" directly to the port (don't ask me how, but 3Com has it figured out).
My guess is that it also makes the card less useful in a wide-variety of
machines, since it probably has to play with some special commands that maybe
not all (specifically, cheapee) notebooks have.  It lists on the box some
specific machines it will *not* work with.

	On another thought--I have a question for those of you who got the
3Com "Combo" PCMCIA card:  Does it have 2 different "tails"--one for 
10BaseT and one for 10Base2, or what exactly?  I am considering getting
the combo card for flexibility purposes and returning the 10BaseT only card,
but I do not want to have to deal with a big, floppy 10Base2 combination
tail when I need only 10BaseT.  If I can "choose" the tail I need for the 
type of network I'm on, I'm willing to spend the extra $30 for the flexibility.

	Comments, please?

-----
Randy Whittle    whittle@scf.usc.edu
University of Southern California School of Business (Fight on, 'SC Trojans!)
 - Motorcycle nut, HP 48GX & 100LX user, & lover of fine chocolate...
 "It's not denial, I'm just very selective about the reality I accept!" -Calvin
 "Consensus is the negation of leadership." - Margaret Thatcher