Airport Express Base Station or Airport Extreme Card?

[russianguns]

 

[EHUnlucky7x9@ao]

My uncle was given a G4 MacMini (first generation) and I'm trying to help him get online wirelessly with it since they just installed cable internet where he lives. Obviously the best way would be to have an AirPort card installed, but I cannot remember if the first generation G4 MacMini's could use the Aiport Extreme Card and also I've heard that you would need to take it into an Apple Store and have someone 'professionally' install one either way. Also, would another vaild option be connecting the MacMini to an AirPort Express Base Station with an ethernet cable which would then be able to connect wirelessly to the Linksys router in the next room? I'm going to have to be explaining this to him in the most layman of terms over the phone and so I won't be physically there to help him do any of this. I'd like to hear what you guys would recommend and which method would be a better one in the long run. Thanks.

~PHILIP

No, the first generation Mac Mini's were not equipped with bluetooth or airport extreme. You'd have to buy it separately. The first gen mini's need a special board that connects onto the motherboard of the mac mini so you would need to open it up and connect it. These boards are sold on ebay so you can buy one. BUT the board will NOT come with an airport extreme card. Just the bluetooth. I THINK the first gen mini's first used the regular airport extreme cards...then they ended up switching to a board that is smaller with built in airport extreme and bluetooth. Either way, that's the reason why you would need to take it to apple to have them "professionally" connect the board.

Connecting the Mini to the airport base station would not work. You cable modem gives your linksys router internet.... your base station can only extend the range of your linksys. the port on the Base station only takes IN the internet and sends it out wirelessly or separates them so other machines can use it.

The base station cannot RECEIEVE wireless internet and send it thru the ethernet cable.