Airport alternatives

[cgnjny]

I have an older iBook and have yet to add a wireless Airport Card or otherwise.

Has anyone used an "alternative" to the Airport Card via USB for Mac OS X 10.3.x? I know that Belkin makes one that's the size of a USB drive, but am not sure if that's the only one out there and that it's any good / will work with Mac.

Thanks.

 

[crazzyeddie]

Belkins should work fine. I think MacSense has one too... but don't bet on any standard PC adapters working.

 

[bubbamac]

I've got a Netgear wireless router, and I use an Orinoco Silver PCMCIA card on my TiBook. Works great.

For drivers, try IOExperts - at www.ioxperts.com .

I realize you don't have a PCMCIA slot, but they might have a driver for something....

FWIW, if I didn't have the model PowerBook that I have, I'd use Airport. It's an antenna placement thing.

 

[strider42]

I have an older iBook and have yet to add a wireless Airport Card or otherwise.

Has anyone used an "alternative" to the Airport Card via USB for Mac OS X 10.3.x? I know that Belkin makes one that's the size of a USB drive, but am not sure if that's the only one out there and that it's any good / will work with Mac.

Thanks.

You're looking at wireless bridges then right, not routers. In that case, I hihgly recommend an ethernet based one over a USB one. Belkin makes a 802.11g (equivelent to airport extreme) ethernet bridge, and linksys makes both a 802.11b (equivelent to airport) and 802.11g device. The advantage is that ethernet devices are not reliant on drivers. I've heard of a lot of people ahve issues getting USDb devices tow rok properly. the ethernet one's work flawlessly. i have the linksys WET11 ethernet bridge and it works great.

 

[ChrisFromCanada]

You're looking at wireless bridges then right, not routers. In that case, I hihgly recommend an ethernet based one over a USB one. Belkin makes a 802.11g (equivelent to airport extreme) ethernet bridge, and linksys makes both a 802.11b (equivelent to airport) and 802.11g device. The advantage is that ethernet devices are not reliant on drivers. I've heard of a lot of people ahve issues getting USDb devices tow rok properly. the ethernet one's work flawlessly. i have the linksys WET11 ethernet bridge and it works great.

I hate to do any thread hi-jacking but I was just about to buy a USB adapter but this WET11 has me interested. Do you have it working fine on a mac with 10.3? Was it just complete plug and play any drivers at all?

Any one else have recommendations?

EDIT: the WET11 is pricey im not too sure about it im thinking about the Belkin F5D6050 for USB but maybe I should get the Belkin ethernet access point?

 

[strider42]

I hate to do any thread hi-jacking but I was just about to buy a USB adapter but this WET11 has me interested. Do you have it working fine on a mac with 10.3? Was it just complete plug and play any drivers at all?

Any one else have recommendations?

EDIT: the WET11 is pricey im not too sure about it im thinking about the Belkin F5D6050 for USB but maybe I should get the Belkin ethernet access point?

If you get USB, there can be issues with drivers and whatnot. The ethernet one's are totally driver free. Plug it in, configure the device through your web browser, and thats it. It works great. I sue mine with OS 9.2, but it will work with linux, BDS, windows, whatever. So long as the OS supports ethernet, and ethernet bridge will work.