Wired LAN adapter?

[raincloudboy0]

so, I realise this is a slightly odd question, but I'm at college and in my dorm room there's no wireless internet. there is only a wired connection. I wonder if any device exists as an adapter you can attach to the axim x50v so you can use it with wired internet?

I couldn't use a wireless adapter or anything because I'm not allowed to 'extend the network'.

thanks in advance.

[Box]

You can get a CF Ethernet card, but they are quite expensive.

Here is one example.

A wireless travel router with a hidden SSID would be the way I would go, but that's me.

[Julie]

If you've got a computer that is attached to the network, you could create an ActiveSync bluetooth connection between the pocket pc and computer and then use ActiveSync's internet passthrough option to get the pocket pc on the internet.

[raincloudboy0]

Thanks for showing me the wireless ethernet CF card. That would be the ideal solution, I think.

It's certainly cheaper than buying a new laptop: the reason I'm thinking about this is because I am considering dispensing with my laptop entirely, at least for the minute. I have the Axim. It has software comparable to a PC for most things I need, and I'm at university so on those rare occasions when I'd need access to a computer I could use one of the many available from the school.

I wonder, incidentally, if anyone has any other tips on simply using the PDA as (at least a stopgap) replacement for a laptop? Can anyone see any huge disadvantages that would stop an average computer user - Office suite, internet, music and video but my mp3 player can cover that - from being able to just use the Axim instead?

Apart from the fact that the IE included in WM is rubbish... Does anyone know a good web browser, ideally free, for WM2003SE that displays most web content reasonably well? Best if it supports tabbed browsing.

Thanks.

[Box]

The Ethernet card I linked to is a wired card, not wireless.

Your X50v should already have wireless, I was showing you the option for Non Wireless.

As for the rest of your question.

Many people get by very happily with the Ax as a laptop.

Gigi's great thread will give you some ideas.

And look at the rest of the Stickies in the X50 and the newbies forums.

[raincloudboy0]

Hi,

Yeah, what I'm looking for is a wired ethernet adapter, which is what you showed me - thanks. The wireless was a typo.

I'll browse through all the stickies and so on and look at your link. Cheers.

[spunker88]

Thanks for showing me the wireless ethernet CF card. That would be the ideal solution, I think.

It's certainly cheaper than buying a new laptop: the reason I'm thinking about this is because I am considering dispensing with my laptop entirely, at least for the minute. I have the Axim. It has software comparable to a PC for most things I need, and I'm at university so on those rare occasions when I'd need access to a computer I could use one of the many available from the school.

I wonder, incidentally, if anyone has any other tips on simply using the PDA as (at least a stopgap) replacement for a laptop? Can anyone see any huge disadvantages that would stop an average computer user - Office suite, internet, music and video but my mp3 player can cover that - from being able to just use the Axim instead?

Apart from the fact that the IE included in WM is rubbish... Does anyone know a good web browser, ideally free, for WM2003SE that displays most web content reasonably well? Best if it supports tabbed browsing.

Thanks.

I used my axim x50 as a desktop replacement for a while until i got a laptop and can tell you from my experience what you need.

Hardware:
An external keyboard, if you can find one on sale, is a good idea.
They make typing essays a lot easier. I got an ir one a few years ago, but there are bluetooth models out now that are better.

A usb sd card reader is also nice to have. They are basically like a flash drive with a usb plug on one end and a sd slot on the other.
I always found this useful, b/c it gives your axim the ability to have something like a flash drive. You can put a sd card in your axim, save a file on it and then put the sd card in the reader and use it like a flash drive on a computer to open or print something.

As for software:
-Assuming your at college and do a lot of paper writing, your going to want a good office suite. You can use MS Office if you just want the basics, but if you want something like desktop MS Office, get Softmaker's Office suite.
It has word, excel and powerpoint equivalent software and it works really well on x50/wm2003se.

For browsers many have stopped supporting 2003se:
-The built in IE is okay for small/mobile versions of sites. There is also Ftxpbrowser which gives wm2003se IE a few more abilities, and is free, but unsupported.

-I would reccomend Opera 8.65 as the best overall browser for wm2003se. Version 8.65 is the last release supporting 2003se. It has probably the best rendering engine and the best speed/rendering ability, meaning other browsers ive tried that could render this good use a lot more memory. Compared to Netfront and a few others, opera is far better.

ALSO, since you have a x50v, you may want to consider upgrading to wm6. You will get a newer MS office suite, newer version of IE and be able to run a newer version of Opera. Just make sure you do your research before flashing a new rom, b/c there are risks.

The choice is up to you. You could always go for a cheap netbook.

[raincloudboy0]

Great, thanks for such an extensive response and all the suggestions.

I already have an external keyboard. I have the Think Outside/Stowaway Bluetooth keyboard. I've been using it to take all my notes in class and it's been great.

I also have a little SD card reader, without which I'd be completely at sea because my currently malfunctioning (the hardware!) laptop runs Linux, so very little compatibility and syncability with WM.

And since it has VGA I'm considering taking the spare monitor I have in my room at home and hooking it up to the Axim with a VGA cable, just to get a more workable screen.

I've already got TextMaker, which works great as word processing software so far. I'll look into the one you suggested and also look at Opera.

Are the advantages of WM6 really worth the risk of bricking the device?

[spunker88]

Great, thanks for such an extensive response and all the suggestions.

I already have an external keyboard. I have the Think Outside/Stowaway Bluetooth keyboard. I've been using it to take all my notes in class and it's been great.

I also have a little SD card reader, without which I'd be completely at sea because my currently malfunctioning (the hardware!) laptop runs Linux, so very little compatibility and syncability with WM.

And since it has VGA I'm considering taking the spare monitor I have in my room at home and hooking it up to the Axim with a VGA cable, just to get a more workable screen.

I've already got TextMaker, which works great as word processing software so far. I'll look into the one you suggested and also look at Opera.

Are the advantages of WM6 really worth the risk of bricking the device?

Thats up to you. The biggest advantage is having newer versions of built in software and the ability to run newer 3rd party software, but wm2003se is very stable and fast, where as there would be a speed reduction with wm6, or so i have heard.