BIT INTERFACE.FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON THE PCMCIA RELEASES, VISIT...

32-bit interface.For additional details on the PCMCIA releases, visit the PCMCIA website at https://traloihay.net.

Installation and Configuration of PCMCIA Cards

Installation of a PCMCIA card is a fairly simple process. The first consideration is to verify the physical characteristics of the card, such as the type (Type I, II, or III) and device in which it will be used—a notebook computer, for example. The devices need to be physically compatible with each other to ensure correct operation. Another consideration is the device driver. A device driver is software required for a component such as a PCMCIA card to communicate with the computer operating system. The installer should have the latest ver-sion of the device driver accessible. The card comes with an installation CD (compact disc) that contains the device driver. It is best to follow the manufacturer’s installation recom-mendations for the installation process, which may involve updating the driver from the manufacturer’s website. It is important to verify compatibility and minimum system requirements prior to installing a wireless network adapter in a device. Refer to the owner’s manual or manufacturer’s website for this information.

Configuration Using Installer Software

In many cases, a user will be required to first install a software program from the card manufacturer. This software will usually load the device driver within the computer operat-ing system and install the configuration utility for the card.

Configuration Using a Wizard

In some cases, when the PCMCIA card is inserted into the correct slot, the computer oper-ating system will automatically install the required device driver. If the operating system cannot find the correct driver, the user will be prompted to search the Internet or insert a CD or other source from the manufacturer with the software device driver. Figure 3.2 shows a wizard that the Microsoft Windows XP operating system will display to help load the device driver.The manual device driver installation process described in Exercise 3.1 for PCMCIA is also applicable for other types of adapters explained in this chapter.