Here's my challenge:

I'm the IT Manager in a small metal fabrication operation. We have two laser
cutters to cut our final assemblies' component parts out of sheet steel.
Each laser cutting machine has a PLC to run the NC programs that we generate
in house. We download the programs to the controllers via PC's at each
machine. Since the lasers are in an "unwired" portion of our factory,
programs were, until recently, delivered to the PC via "sneaker net" on a
floppy. I purchased an SMC wireless access point, hung it off our LAN and
mounted it in a prominent location in the factory. Laser #1 is the older of
the two lasers and uses a separate PC to interface with the controller. No
problems here; I just added an SMC wireless NIC to the PC and we are now
transferring programs wirelessly from the programming office to the machine.
Pretty cool and all for about a $250 investment. Laser #2, however, is new
and has the PC built right into the machine; a standard PC that is housed
within the guts of the controller cabinet. I checked with the laser cutting
machine's manufacturer, and PCI cards can be added to the "internal PC". I
can't however just plug in another SMC W-NIC because the cabinet will shield
the AP's transmissions from the antenna which will be totally enclosed
within the metal cabinet (dead end). I immediately thought about getting a
USB W-NIC, mounting it outside the cabinet and plugging it into the interanl
PC; no USB port (detour). Ok, then I'll just add a USB card and proceed; PC
is running NT 4 (no USB support, possible dead end, checking to see if OS is
upgradeable). My question to you guys is this:

Is anyone aware of any PCI-type wireless NICs that have a detachable antenna
so that I can mount the antenna outside the cabinet while having the "card"
mounted inside?

Thanks for any help or direction that you may offer.

Steve Polatas

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