I have a Sony VAIO PCG-F409 laptop (
http://support.vaio.sony.fr/
specifications/specifications.asp?
site=voe_fr_FR_cons&category=0&serie=PCG-F&m=92) and I'd like to know
if there are restrictions to add a NIC to it. Some one told me that
it's not gonna work with newer NICs (32 bits). Is that right?
Thanks,
I may be completely wrong about what I write here, I've never seen any
of these 64-bit PCI cards, or PCIe cards. I don't care for the latest
technology!
I think the 32-bit issue currently is about PCI cards. The PCI that
people have used for ages is 32-bit. But since new kinds of PCI are
out now. 64-bit PCI is available, the regular PCI is sometimes called
32-bit PCI.
From what I heard. 32-bit PCI cards work in 64-bit PCI slots. But only
some 64-bit cards work in 32-bit slots.
There is PCI-X which I think is a later form of 64-bit PCI.. And
there's PCIe which is a different bus and so I guess a PCIe card won't
work in a PCI slot. I don't think PCIe is 64-bit.
The "C" in NIC refers to Card. As in - goes in a slot. Normally means
PCI Card. But I don't think laptops have PCI slots / use PCI cards.
In the instance that i've never heard of - that your laptop takes PCI
cards, (it's almost unimaginable 'cos they're big whenever I see
them!), you would be able to find a NIC to go in it, whether it's 32-
bit or 64-bit PCI. Just, some 64-bit NICs won't work in a 32-bit PCI
slot.
And anyhow, on laptops, people would use a PCMCIA network card, or
perhaps less preferably, a USB one.
The restriction about adding a PCI network card is most likely that
laptops don't have PCI slots!!!!
Infact, they don't have much room for anything so things are plugged
into the outside.. e.g. USB. But they do tend to have a PCMCIA slot.
