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agp

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 11, 2002
80
0
Can I make my PowerBook G4 wireless? What do I need to buy?

Thanks
 

agp

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 11, 2002
80
0
Can you help point me in the right direction for the correct airport card. I have a 12 inch 1.5GHz PowerPC G4.

Thanks
 

bartelby

macrumors Core
Jun 16, 2004
19,795
34
Can you help point me in the right direction for the correct airport card. I have a 12 inch 1.5GHz PowerPC G4.

Thanks

You could get
an Apple Airport Extreme card
A pcmcia / cardbus wireless card
USB wireless adapter.



The Apple AE card would be best as it's internal
 

mad jew

Moderator emeritus
Apr 3, 2004
32,191
9
Adelaide, Australia
Doesn't that machine already have AirPort? Check System Profiler in the Utilities folder to see if you've already got a card. :)

By the sounds of things, you just need a wireless network to connect to. :cool:
 

bartelby

macrumors Core
Jun 16, 2004
19,795
34
Doesn't that machine already have AirPort? Check System Profiler in the Utilities folder to see if you've already got a card. :)

By the sounds of things, you just need a wireless network to connect to. :cool:

hahahaha, of course. There's always the other side of it! :eek:
 

Irish Dave

macrumors regular
Nov 20, 2006
221
0
The Emerald Isle
Doesn't that machine already have AirPort? Check System Profiler in the Utilities folder to see if you've already got a card. :)

By the sounds of things, you just need a wireless network to connect to. :cool:

Doohhh It's a bit too early in the morning for my brain to work properly.

Sorry Dave :confused:
 

agp

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 11, 2002
80
0
It might not be that exact spec machine. I was asking on behalf of my uncle and I think it is a 1.5ghz. I checked system profiler when I was at his house the other day and it doesn't have an airport card.

Must be an older model.

I'll ask him and find out. Thanks for the info though
 

Anonymous Freak

macrumors 603
Dec 12, 2002
5,559
1,245
Cascadia
Also, if it is indeed a 12" model, it will not have a CardBus/PC Card slot, so AirPort Extreme or USB are the only two options.

The 1.33 GHz and 1.5 GHz 12" PowerBook G4s had the AirPort Extreme card included, so if it is one of those two speeds, he should be set. The 867 MHz and 1 GB 12" models had it as optional, though.

And if you have the screen size wrong, and it's really a 15" model, then there is the possibility that he has a Titanium PowerBook (the one with the ports on the back instead of the sides,) which takes an original AirPort Card. The newer Aluminum 15" models (ports on the sides,) takes the AirPort Extreme Card. Also, all 15" (and 17") PowerBook G4s have a CardBus/PC Card slot, so you could use a (possibly cheaper) CardBus card, which would have the added benefit of getting better reception than an internal card on the Titanium models.
 

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
The easiest way to tell the sizes apart with him on the telephone:

If it's a 12", there will be *nothing* on the sides of the keyboard -- that is, the kb will stretch all the way from one side of the notebook to the other. All other models have grilles / stuff on the sides.

If it's a TiBook, it will have a visible cylindrical hinge that runs all the way across the back, whereas all the powerbooks have the recessed sort of hinge.

You can use Apple-history.com to tell which it is.

Airport cards are kind of expensive due to limited ability (only use this if it's a TiBook).

The Airport Extreme card that works on the Aluminum powerbooks is much cheaper.
 
I got a Sonnet Aria extreme PC card for my 15" TiBook which won't recognize it regardless of what I do, so I'm going to send it back. But I'm not sure which way to go now. What did you finally end up doing? Did things work out?

Thanks for any suggestions (from you or anyone else).
 

shu82

macrumors 6502a
Jan 10, 2007
697
4
Rocket City, AL
Coffeeguy, I have never had any troubles using a Belkin wireless g card in my 1ghz tibook. Also, before you take it back go to their website and see if there is any drivers for it you can download for it. I took out the original airport out of mine, to use in an ibook. It almost seems wasteful to keep the original airport in tibooks.

AGP, you can get a refurb airport extreme from apple for 40.
 

massio

macrumors newbie
Jun 11, 2009
1
0
okey. ive got a mac powerbook G4 15 without a airportcard.
i guess this model was made in 2004, 2005 right ? i think ive got the 04
i can sell it on 500 550 dlls, should i sell it and get a newer mac?
thie thing is that i dont have wireles on it.. im a Dj.Producer and i want to install the newest softaware mac os leoparrd and logic 8.. Can this mac runn it ? i can keep it.. the thing is that i dont know what i have in my hands.. im new on this mac world.. so i dont know if this lap is of the hook, or its devaluating..... ill aprecitate
june 10 09
 

bji

macrumors newbie
Jun 9, 2009
14
0
afterthemac.com

Can I make my PowerBook G4 wireless? What do I need to buy?

Thanks

Yes, you can make a Powerbook G4 wireless. Go to afterthemac.com. They have wireless adapters, that are airport card alternatives. Much cheaper, about $50. It goes in the side slot, and works great. Make sure you get the right one for your computer. Call them if you need to. Good luck!
 
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