airport VS cables

[bender644]

Hi all,

I have an iMac G3, and will be getting the new iMac 20 inch sometime this month...I am keeping the old iMac and would like it to have internet/network capabilities. It is airport ready, I'd need to buy the airport card (which is no longer made...so used) and the airport express (I think).

I don't have much experience with this, but maybe you guys can tell me your opinions. Since I only will have 2 computers, I thought about simply using a network cable to connect them. I'm guessing this would be faster (more reliable?) than wireless. If I do this, what do else do I require for internet on both machines? Can I buy it from apple?

Thanks in advance

 

[MacFanBoyIIe]

Since I only will have 2 computers, I thought about simply using a network cable to connect them. I'm guessing this would be faster (more reliable?) than wireless. If I do this, what do else do I require for internet on both machines?

You didn't tell us how you currently access the internet?

If you use cable/DSL, just spend $50 on a router and plug them both in wired.

 

[bender644]

Yep, I'm using DSL.

 

[MacFanBoyIIe]

Yep, I'm using DSL.

If you went with the low cost option, the WRT54G router, it would take some tinkering, but you could get it set up to where the computers will see each other and you could transfer files over the LAN. If you want the easy to use router, get the $180 Airport Extreme.
Either way, you will now have wireless for your house in addition to both your computers hooked into your DSL.

 

[GSMiller]

I have an Airport Extreme for my iMac and MacBook and it works awesome, much better than the Linksys router I used to own. Setup is pretty straight forward, but it asked a lot of questions I didn't know, like if my ISP used I think something called a static IP address? How the heck do I know. I just fiddled around with it until everything started working 😀

 

[bender644]

Thanks for the replies. Why the airport extreme, and not the express (the little one)?
Also, if I do decide to just wire them as opposed to using wireless, I'd need to buy a router, which wouldn't be from apple?

 

[GSMiller]

The AirPort Extreme Base Station and Express are wireless routers, so if you decided on one of those you would buy it and then the AirPort card for your iMac. I went with the Extreme because it offers 802.11n, while the Express doesn't, plus with my $75 gift card and educational discount I got it for less than $100. If you have all your computers connecting to the internet through their wireless then the only cable you would have is the ethernet cable running from your broadband modem to your AirPort, and if you connect a printer or hard drive to your AirPort there would be a USB cable there as well. I can't begin to tell you how awesome it is being able to print from my MacBook without having to connect any wires or transfer anything to my iMac.

 

[brop52]

It's funny that I actually have a similar setup as you. Here is what you want. I have a Linksys WRT54GL wireless router from Newegg and I hook up the modem to the router then from the router to my iMac G3. My Aluminum iMac is downstairs and connected wirelessly. It works great. I also have a nice laser printer with it's own print server that I can connect through ethernet to the router and the a USB printer that I can print to upstairs as long as the G3 is awake. Not only that, but I have another USB printer hooked up with the Aluminum iMac that I can print from upstairs with.

 

[err404]

I've used both the Linksys WRT54G and AEBS/N. Both are easy to configure (with the Apple Router winning 'slightly' in this area if you use all Macs)

If you aren't going to be using wireless much, then you can save a lot by just getting the Linksys.

Once configured correctly, a router is basically a transparent device, so brand has no impact on your experience.