[LUG] Hardware questions - PC power - Wireless adaptors

[Simon Waters <Simon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Basic question..... it just never arose before.

All the PC's I've had before have two types of power cable from the
power supply, small ones and large ones (excuse the deep technical
terminology). The larger ones have a proper socket with missing corner
so you get them the right way around, the smaller ones go straight on a
bit like jumpers (some use a socket and notch affair to ensure they are
the correct way around).

My new PC has only the larger sort, but one of the devices I was hoping
to move across uses the smaller power connector.

What is the difference?
Is there an appropriate adaptor, or am I buying more hardware?

Also I need a wireless network card, previously I've usually used PCMCIA
adaptors, but since I bust one of my PCMCIA cards <it had a full life>,
and the PCMCIA adaptors are all ISA, so I have to buy a new wireless
device anyway.

I'd prefer a device in the PC, but I could use a wireless access point,
or a USB device. We also use USB powered ethernet devices at work (these
take power from the USB slot, but act as a wireless bridge) which I
could use as I'll be salvaging a PCI ethernet card from one of the PC's).

So what is cool as regards Linux compatible wireless cards, or can I
just get a cheap 802.11b PCI card and leave the cool stuff for later.

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