In laptop computing, the XJACK is a type of extendable connector or antenna for a type II PC card, designed by the Megahertz subsidiary of 3Com. When not in use, the XJACK retracts into the PC card for storage.
The XJACK was originally used in modem and network cards, to attach a standard RJ11 or 8P8C plug directly to the PC card. They do not require a separate dongle, which could be lost or misplaced, and do not need to be removed from the laptop when travelling. An alternative approach is to use larger type III cards with a regular modular connector socket, but this approach requires more space. [1]
Wi-Fi PC cards for accessing wireless networks have an external portion containing the antenna for improved reception (as compared with inside the laptop), but this portion of the card may be accidentally damaged while moving the laptop. 3Com manufactured wireless cards with retractable antenna portions, also under the XJACK name. [2] Other companies have since manufactured wireless cards with retractable antennas. [3]
Wireless broadband is a telecommunications technology that provides high-speed wireless Internet access or computer networking access over a wide area. The term encompasses both fixed and mobile broadband.
A local area network (LAN) is a computer network that interconnects computers within a limited area such as a residence, school, laboratory, university campus or office building. By contrast, a wide area network (WAN) not only covers a larger geographic distance, but also generally involves leased telecommunication circuits.
3Com Corporation was an American digital electronics manufacturer best known for its computer network products. The company was co-founded in 1979 by Robert Metcalfe, Howard Charney and others. Bill Krause joined as President in 1981. Metcalfe explained the name 3Com was a contraction of "Computer Communication Compatibility", with its focus on Ethernet technology that he had co-invented, which enabled the networking of computers.
AirPort is a discontinued line of wireless routers and network cards developed by Apple Inc. using Wi-Fi protocols. In Japan, the line of products was marketed under the brand AirMac due to previous registration by I-O Data.
PC Card is a parallel peripheral interface for laptop computers and PDAs.
The Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) was a group of computer hardware manufacturers, operating under that name from 1989 to 2009. Starting with the PCMCIA card in 1990, it created various standards for peripheral interfaces designed for laptop computers.
In computing, an expansion card is a printed circuit board that can be inserted into an electrical connector, or expansion slot on a computer's motherboard to add functionality to a computer system. Sometimes the design of the computer's case and motherboard involves placing most of these slots onto a separate, removable card. Typically such cards are referred to as a riser card in part because they project upward from the board and allow expansion cards to be placed above and parallel to the motherboard.
On computers, a serial port is a serial communication interface through which information transfers in or out sequentially one bit at a time. This is in contrast to a parallel port, which communicates multiple bits simultaneously in parallel. Throughout most of the history of personal computers, data has been transferred through serial ports to devices such as modems, terminals, various peripherals, and directly between computers.
ExpressCard, initially called NEWCARD, is an interface to connect peripheral devices to a computer, usually a laptop computer. The ExpressCard technical standard specifies the design of slots built into the computer and of expansion cards to insert in the slots. The cards contain electronic circuits and sometimes connectors for external devices. The ExpressCard standard replaces the PC Card standards.
Wireless security is the prevention of unauthorized access or damage to computers or data using wireless networks, which include Wi-Fi networks. The term may also refer to the protection of the wireless network itself from adversaries seeking to damage the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of the network. The most common type is Wi-Fi security, which includes Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). WEP is an old IEEE 802.11 standard from 1997. It is a notoriously weak security standard: the password it uses can often be cracked in a few minutes with a basic laptop computer and widely available software tools. WEP was superseded in 2003 by WPA, a quick alternative at the time to improve security over WEP. The current standard is WPA2; some hardware cannot support WPA2 without firmware upgrade or replacement. WPA2 uses an encryption device that encrypts the network with a 256-bit key; the longer key length improves security over WEP. Enterprises often enforce security using a certificate-based system to authenticate the connecting device, following the standard 802.11X.
The PowerBook 500 series is a range of Apple Macintosh PowerBook portable computers first introduced by Apple Computer with the 540c model on May 16, 1994. It was the first to have stereo speakers, a trackpad, and Ethernet networking built-in.
ORiNOCO was the brand name for a family of wireless networking technology by Proxim Wireless. These integrated circuits provide wireless connectivity for 802.11-compliant Wireless LANs.
WaveLAN was a brand name for a family of wireless networking technology sold by NCR, AT&T, Lucent Technologies, and Agere Systems as well as being sold by other companies under OEM agreements. The WaveLAN name debuted on the market in 1990 and was in use until 2000, when Agere Systems renamed their products to ORiNOCO. WaveLAN laid the important foundation for the formation of IEEE 802.11 working group and the resultant creation of Wi-Fi.
Vodafone Mobile Connect USB Modem branded as Vodem is a product of Vodafone that connects to the broadband internet. It is connected to the computer via USB which makes the product usable to virtually any computer, desktop or laptop.
The NE1000 and NE2000 are members of an early line of low cost Ethernet network cards introduced by Novell in 1987. Its popularity had a significant impact on the pervasiveness of networks in computing. They are based on a National Semiconductor prototype design using their 8390 Ethernet chip.
The Huawei E220 is a Huawei HSDPA access device (modem) manufactured by Huawei and notable for using the USB interface.
A modulator-demodulator or modem is a computer hardware device that converts data from a digital format into a format suitable for an analog transmission medium such as telephone or radio. A modem transmits data by modulating one or more carrier wave signals to encode digital information, while the receiver demodulates the signal to recreate the original digital information. The goal is to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily and decoded reliably. Modems can be used with almost any means of transmitting analog signals, from light-emitting diodes to radio.
The HP Pavilion dv6000 series was a model series of laptops manufactured by Hewlett-Packard Company under the HP Pavilion brand that featured 15.4" 16:10 displays.
A mobile broadband modem, also known as wireless modem or cellular modem, is a type of modem that allows a personal computer or a router to receive wireless Internet access via a mobile broadband connection instead of using telephone or cable television lines. A mobile Internet user can connect using a wireless modem to a wireless Internet Service Provider (ISP) to get Internet access.
New Media Corporation, also known as New Media Technology Corporation, was an American computer company active from 1992 to the early 2000s. The company focused on the design and manufacture of PC Cards, a type of expansion card bus for laptops that had their heyday from the early 1990s to the mid-2000s. New Media was privately held and based out of Irvine, California.