setting up wifi for a laptop

[frankcastle]

Okay I have a router that works for my ps3 and wii. My buddy has a card so that his laptop works at my place (I gave him my password). I want to get a card for my GF's laptop. Looking at futureshop I see that there are ones that connect by

a) USB e.g. D-Link Xtreme-G USB 2.0 Adapter
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10056425&catid=

b) cardbus e.g. D-Link Wireless N Laptop Adapter (DWA-642)
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10076844&catid=

c) PCMCIA e.g. Linksys Wireless-N Laptop Adapter (WPC300N-CA)
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10075042&catid=

Obviously her laptop has a USB port but I imagine that the usb style would be the slowest and least desireable.

Now here's the dumb question but how do I know if the slot with the springloaded cover on her LP can accomodate cardbus or pcmcia?!!?

I went to the control panel on windows hoping to find some info there but left a bit disappointed. I wasn't 100% sure but I did find mention of PCMCIA but didn't feel confident enough to run out to the store to buy one.

google left me unsatisfied as well.

So I turn to the collective intellect of terb to figure this one out.

So how do I figure this out and what is the fastest one to choose?

 

[Twister]

Access the 'Device Manager' by the means appropriate to the version of Windows installed. Typically right clicking on the computer icon 'My Computer', selecting the 'Hardware' tab, and clicking the 'Device Manager' button will present the device manager dialog.

Scroll to locate an entry entitled 'PCMCIA socket' or 'PCMCIA adapter.' Expand the entry and read the device string that is displayed (two slot machines have two entries). If the string contains the term 'CardBus Controller', then it has a CardBus bridge and you can utilize CardBus PC Cards.

Otherwise, the slot is a 16-bit slot and cannot use CardBus Cards. Many manufacturers make CardBus controllers, which would appear in the 'Device Manager.' Here are some PCMCIA adapter listings that are examples of CardBus controllers: Toshiba ToPIC97 CardBus Controller; Texas Instruments PCI-1420 CardBus Controller; Ricoh RL5C466 CardBus Controller; O2Micro OZ6832/6833 CardBus Controller.

If not look up the model online and see the hardware specs.

 

[l69norm]

Are there any laptops left that can only take PCMCIA? I thought just about every laptop made in the last 5-7 years can take cardbus (32 bit PCMIA)?