Additional USB Ports for Laptop

[Guest]

Hi, I currently have a Latitude DELL C510 laptop but this only has 1 USB port
and this is not a hi-speed one either. I am shortly going to receive an ADSL
modem for my new broadband package that I have ordered. The modem has a USB
connection though and obviously this is going to take up the USB port most of
the time. I also have a printer and Ipod which I would like to connect to my
laptop without the hassle of having to unplug my modem everytime. 1).
Firstly will it be a problem to connect the modem to my current USB port as
this is not hi-speed? 2). What kind of device can I purchase, that will
simply plug into my current USB port and give me extra USB ports?

 

[R. McCarty]

Best solution is a PC Card USB 2.0 unit. Usually around ~$40 US.
Most have either 3 or 4 USB 2.0 sockets available. This way you
would get both more ports and the faster High Speed USB 2.0. The
only downside is the additional PC Card may cause your battery time
to decrease. Having USB 2.0 will speed up access to your iPod.

 

[Guest]

Hi, I have 2 card slots in my laptop but they are both Type I. Most of the
USB Cards I have seen only comply with Type II slots.

Regards

 

[R. McCarty]

Are you sure, a C500 series Latitude has two Type-II slots or
a single Type-III in the bottom slot.

 

[Yves Leclerc]

I would look into checking to see if you can "exchange" the ADSL modem for an
Ethernet based unit. This type of unit would allow you to connect the ADSL
modem to a wireless router and permit you to use the laptop almost anywhere in
office/home (providing the laptop also has a wireless adapter, which most do
nowadays.)

If you can not add a PC Card USB 2.0 to the laptop, you could always add a
powered USB hub. Hubs give you more ports off one port.

 

[Guest]

It may be a C610 model, I am not sure?

Are you sure, a C500 series Latitude has two Type-II slots or
a single Type-III in the bottom slot.

 

[R. McCarty]

Turn the notebook upside down. There will be a Dell sticker on it
that has both an Express Service Code and a shorter Service Tag.
You can go to Dell's support site and get details, software and the
documentation for the notebook by entering the code.
Website for personalized service:
http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/index.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen

I'm reasonably sure that the 500/600 series Latitude units have
Type-II PC Card support.