Mini PCI

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 Mini PCI Wi-Fi card Type IIIB
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Mini PCI Wi-Fi card Type IIIB

Mini PCI is a standard for a computer bus for attaching peripheral devices to a computer motherboard and is an adaptation of the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus. It was designed for laptops and other small-footprint computer systems.

There are three card form-factors: Type I, Type II, and Type III cards. The card connector used for each type include: Type I and II use a 100-pin stacking connector, while Type III uses a 124-pin edge connector, i.e. connector for Type I and II differ from Type III, which supports a card edge (like SO-DIMM). The additional 24 pins provide the extra signals required to route I/O back through the system connector (Audio, AC-Link, LAN, Phone-Line interface). Type II cards have an RJ11 and RJ45 mounted connectors. These cards must be located at the edge of the computer or docking station so that the RJ11 and RJ45 ports can be mounted for external access.

Type Connector Size
IA 100-Pin Stacking 7.5 × 70 × 45 mm
IB 100-Pin Stacking 5.5 × 70 × 45 mm
IIA 100-Pin Stacking 7.5 × 70 × 45 mm
IIB 100-Pin Stacking 17.44 × 78 × 45 mm
IIIA 124-Pin Card Edge 2.4 × 59.6 × 50.95 mm
IIIB 124-Pin Card Edge 2.4 × 59.6 × 44.6 mm

As it is functionally equivalent to PCI version 2.2, it is a 32-bit, 33 MHz bus with powered connections (3.3 V only) and support for bus mastering and DMA. Mini PCI cards supports CLKRUN# PCI signal used for start and stop the PCI clock for power management purposes. The standard size for Mini PCI cards is approximately 1/4 of their full-sized counterparts. Given that there is no external access to the card in the same manner that there is for desktop PCI cards, Mini PCI cards are generally limited in the functions they may perform.

Many Mini PCI devices are available today: WiFi, modems, sound cards, SCSI, IDE/ATA and SATA controllers :

Because Mini PCI and PCI are cousins, you can use regular PCI cards with your Mini PCI-equipped hardware and vice-versa, using Mini PCI-to-PCI and PCI-to-Mini PCI converters.

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