I have an iBook G4 12" (2005, 1.33GHz, 1GB, AirPort Extreme) that keeps freezing up. I initially thought it was the HDD because while the cursor would still work, the HDD would go (mostly) quiet and nothing would open. It happened around a minute or so after starting to browse the web, often in the middle of a download. It didn't happen when I wasn't using the Internet, no matter how long the machine was on. I replaced the HDD but that didn't fix it. I eventually realized that it worked fine if I kept disconnected from WiFi, but I could use Ethernet without trouble. Yesterday I bought an AirPort Extreme Base Station (A1034) and kept it on WEP for older devices. Interestingly, my iBook could connect to this without trouble and it didn't freeze at all. My normal WiFi is WPA2 and connecting to it still causes the freezing. I used it at school today, which has an open WiFi network, and it froze then too. What's going on, and how can I fix it? I had a similar thing happen to my first-ten 12" PowerBook G4 too.
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AirPort Extreme causing iBook G4 12" (1.33GHz) to freeze
- Thread starter Caleb Hauge
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I was going to suggest a Linksys WPC600N PC card. It's seen as a native Airport card (I'm using one on my 17" PowerBook), but apparently the 12" PowerBook does NOT have a PC slot!
That leaves you with the only alternatives: either disabling the Airport Extreme card (doesn't sound like you want to do that) or finding a USB WiFi adapter. Most of those that function with PowerBooks use a Ralink chip and a separate app to connect to networks. Finding one is relatively easy, the hard part is finding the correct Ralink installer/drivers and app.
Unless anyone happens to know if there's some sort of PC link to USB adapter or anything (don't believe one exists).
For the record though: Linksys WPC600N. Dual band, 802.11n.
That leaves you with the only alternatives: either disabling the Airport Extreme card (doesn't sound like you want to do that) or finding a USB WiFi adapter. Most of those that function with PowerBooks use a Ralink chip and a separate app to connect to networks. Finding one is relatively easy, the hard part is finding the correct Ralink installer/drivers and app.
Unless anyone happens to know if there's some sort of PC link to USB adapter or anything (don't believe one exists).
For the record though: Linksys WPC600N. Dual band, 802.11n.
Sorry, I read that but for whatever reason my mind went to PowerBook.
Still, I don't believe the iBook has a PC slot. I can't remember right now. If it does not, then a USB WiFi adapter is your only other option.
I’d boot in verbose and see what it says. I had a pbg4 12” that started freezing on boot and it was due to the pbs airport card which failed - verbose showed this as that is where the unit would freeze. I removed it and all was well. Iirc the airport card is accessible from a door in the battery compartment.
Best of luck to you.
Best of luck to you.
I've booted in verbose before for unrelated reasons and there's nothing indicating problems with the AirPort card. Problems only occur when the machine is connected to an open network or a WPA2 network (so after boot), and often (but not always) they won't even happen until I'm using the Internet.
EDIT: AirPort card is near the HDD in these things. The process for taking out the AirPort card is basically the same as the HDD - an absolute nightmare and something I want to avoid if possible.
This has happened on 10.4.11 (fully updated), 10.5.8 (fully updated), and I think it might have happened while I was attempting to install Lubuntu Remix 12 but it's hard to tell.
I'm operating under the assumption that this is a failure of the AirPort Extreme card in some way. Is this correct?
I'm assuming this because of my PowerBook G4 12" - in the past it handled WiFi perfectly fine, whether it was WPA2, WEP, or open. It was only after a couple years of pretty heavy use that this problem popped up on it, and it appears to be the same problem that my iBook has.
If I am correct in assuming that it's a failure of the AirPort card, a replacement would probably fix it - but being that I've had two cards possibly fail in this way, what can I do to avoid a replacement failing too?
I'm assuming this because of my PowerBook G4 12" - in the past it handled WiFi perfectly fine, whether it was WPA2, WEP, or open. It was only after a couple years of pretty heavy use that this problem popped up on it, and it appears to be the same problem that my iBook has.
If I am correct in assuming that it's a failure of the AirPort card, a replacement would probably fix it - but being that I've had two cards possibly fail in this way, what can I do to avoid a replacement failing too?
I don't see how it wasn't clear. The title refers to an iBook, as does the rest of the post. The PowerBook was only mentioned in one sentence at the end, and that sentence was just saying that this has happened to the PowerBook too.