old computer

  • Thread starter Thread starter Haris Bogdanovic
  • Start date Start date
H

Haris Bogdanovic

Hi.

My friend gave me an old computer which has old connectors for cards (before
pci, long conectors about 20 cm). I think I can't get anywhere an ethernet
card for that so I would like to know can I connect to ethernet port on ADSL
router through serial or parallel port on computer ? Are there some kind of
converters between serial and ethernet or parallel and ethernet or serial
and usb or parallel and usb (I hope that ADSL router has an usb option to
connect) ?

Thanks.
 
Haris said:
Hi.

My friend gave me an old computer which has old connectors for cards (before
pci, long conectors about 20 cm). I think I can't get anywhere an ethernet
card for that so I would like to know can I connect to ethernet port on ADSL
router through serial or parallel port on computer ? Are there some kind of
converters between serial and ethernet or parallel and ethernet or serial
and usb or parallel and usb (I hope that ADSL router has an usb option to
connect) ?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Why bother trying to reinvent the wheel? Buy an Ethernet card that fits and
be done with it -- they still exist and are not difficult to find (they are
even cheap!). A google search for "ISA Ethernet card" (without the quotes,
of course) turns up many hits. One example:

http://store.ovislinkonline.com/80isaetca.html

A bit of searching even turns up solutions for adding USB ports to an old
ISA system.

http://www.simtec.co.uk/products/EB1161ISA/

Personally, I wouldn't advise putting _too_ much money into this antique
unless you have masochistic tendencies or are _really_ attached to it, but
that is just me.
 
Haris said:
Hi.

My friend gave me an old computer which has old connectors for cards (before
pci, long conectors about 20 cm). I think I can't get anywhere an ethernet
card for that so I would like to know can I connect to ethernet port on ADSL
router through serial or parallel port on computer ? Are there some kind of
converters between serial and ethernet or parallel and ethernet or serial
and usb or parallel and usb (I hope that ADSL router has an usb option to
connect) ?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

What OS are you going to run. It may be useless and not support XP of
course. Win98SE always worked on old hardware.
 
I forgot to tell that this computer is not for me, I'm really not that
masochistic but my friend hasn't got any money to spend on computer so I'm
trying to fix something for her.
 
Haris said:
I forgot to tell that this computer is not for me, I'm really not that
masochistic but my friend hasn't got any money to spend on computer so I'm
trying to fix something for her.
Click to expand...
snip...

But the fact still remains that you can _still_ purchase an old-style ISA
Ethernet card after all these years. And cheaply too. It almost makes me
want to resurrect my old 486 machine from the basement just to get an
impression of how much things have changed over the years. <g>
 
I forgot to tell that this computer is not for me, I'm really not that
masochistic but my friend hasn't got any money to spend on computer so
I'm trying to fix something for her.
Click to expand...

Any converter for ADSL to parallel port will cost more than a ISA
Ethernet card. A large brick and motar store like CompUSA,
MicroWarehouse or even a small store may have an ISA ethernet card. I'd
send you mine for free if you pay for shipping.

Keep a eye on the Classified section of your local paper because some
people may be selling their PC cheap, which may have parts or simply
better than the one your trying to fix.

In fact, you could put an add in the paper offering to pickup and dispose
of old PCs and PC parts for free. You might end up with lots of junk but
you might be able to make a better PC.
 
Haris said:
Hi.

My friend gave me an old computer which has old connectors for cards (before
pci, long conectors about 20 cm). I think I can't get anywhere an ethernet
card for that so I would like to know can I connect to ethernet port on ADSL
router through serial or parallel port on computer ? Are there some kind of
converters between serial and ethernet or parallel and ethernet or serial
and usb or parallel and usb (I hope that ADSL router has an usb option to
connect) ?
Click to expand...

This looks like a job for eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/D-Link-DE-220PC...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-ISA-Ethernet-...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Before bidding, I would probably see if I can find appropriate drivers
for your target operating system.
 
I forgot to tell that this computer is not for me, I'm really not that
masochistic but my friend hasn't got any money to spend on computer so I'm
trying to fix something for her.
Click to expand...

We're all having tough times, but if you or your friend cant afford
$10 for the card, they cant afford to own a computer or have internet
service. You can probably find one on ebay for $2 plus the shipping.
 
Somewhere on teh intarwebs "kony" typed:
Local computer shops are probably throwing away perfectly
good ISA network adapters. Ask them if they have one, it
would be very inexpensive if not free.
Click to expand...

I know I threw out about a dozen or so along with all the rest of my ISA
cards (except an Adaptec SCSI card that cost me an arm and a leg, I couldn't
bring myself to bin that) a couple of years ago.

Oh, I tell a lie. I have a couple Soundblaster ISA cards. One or two of my
machines still in use have an ISA slot or two. My 1.1GHz Tui Celly on a
133MHz bus (1.46GHz, actually it's running at the moment, I use it to decode
'cable') has an ISA slot.

LOL, that said, I threw away boxes of ISA cards. All my PCs have PCI slots.
;-)
--
Shaun.

DISCLAIMER: If you find a posting or message from me
offensive, inappropriate, or disruptive, please ignore it.
If you don't know how to ignore a posting, complain to
me and I will be only too happy to demonstrate... ;-)
 
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