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joey4127
Apr 12, 2005, 08:46 AM
I am in Japan and where I live we have free wirless internet. But My mac doesn't have a built in wirless card. Can I just buy any computer antena (like for routing or something) thats compatible with mac. And just make it search for the internet?

Thats what my friend did with his PC. He just got a USB antena thingy from a electronic store and he now catches the wirless internet around here.


grapes911
Apr 12, 2005, 09:15 AM
What type of Mac do you have? If you have a iBook or powerBook, I'd buy an airport card. If you have a Power Mac, I'ld get a pci card. Anything else, I'd get a usb adapther. The usb adapter will work for any mac as long as that specific brand is compatible.
joey4127
Apr 12, 2005, 09:18 AM
What type of Mac do you have? If you have a iBook or powerBook, I'd buy an airport card. If you have a Power Mac, I'ld get a pci card. Anything else, I'd get a usb adapther. The usb adapter will work for any mac as long as that specific brand is compatible.


I have a Mac Mini. So I would get the USB Adapter and just search for a connection through System Prefersnces > Network.

And it should display the connections it finds right?
mkrishnan
Apr 12, 2005, 09:24 AM
But do be careful to buy one that people have successfully used with a Mac. See this thread: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=116784
joey4127
Apr 12, 2005, 09:54 AM
But do be careful to buy one that people have successfully used with a Mac. See this thread: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=116784


But I am in Japan so the brands here are a bit different :p
mkrishnan
Apr 12, 2005, 09:58 AM
But I am in Japan so the brands here are a bit different :p

True. My point was, just make sure it works on your Mac. Of course, you may feel free to buy anything that isn't Mac compatible if you want. But you won't like it as much! ;)
winwintoo
Apr 12, 2005, 10:07 AM
Your best bet is the Airport Extreme card - goes inside the Mac Mini - but the D-Link dwl-122 is available in Japan (http://www.expansys.jp/product.asp?code=106272)

The D-Link USB thing does work, but it has some problems not the least of which is that it creates a lot of heat and must be plugged into a port directly on the computer. We tried plugging it into a USB hub and it fried the hub!

Whenever your computer goes to sleep, you have to fiddle with the D-Link to get it to wake up - worse than getting up for work on Monday morning LOL.

After about 3 days of messing with that, we forked over the cash for a "real" airport card.

Margaret
joey4127
Apr 12, 2005, 01:15 PM
Okay, well once I get the antena, I will just make my mac search for connections, right?

Thanks for all the help guys :D