Do you need a USB PCMCIA and a USB 2.0 hub if you want to connect an external hard drive to a laptop

Answer

If one's laptop already has a USB port, a USB 2.0 PCMCIA card and hub are not necessary, as all USB devices can work in any USB port albeit sometimes at a lower speed .

However, for maximum speed, if USB 2.0 is not available on the laptop, the USB 2.0 PCMCIA Card can be installed.

Answer

All you need is a hub and that's assuming that you don't have a spare USB port on your system. If all your USB ports are used, simply attach 1 or more items to the new hub and attach the hub to the resultant free port. I recommend that you choose a hub with 4 or more ports - to allow for future upgrades or additions.

Hope this helps. Canis

Answer

I would recommend a powered hub if you are connecting to a laptop.

The buss voltage drops off with multiple items plugged into a laptop.