Connecting iMac G4 to internet

[SLambee]

Hi,

I fired up my old G4 iMac to use some software and hooked it up by ethernet to my router. It immediately showed as connected (green light in network status) but when i try to use the internet I get a message saying Safari cannot connect to the server.
Does anybody have any thoughts as to why i have a problem?

Any help gratefully received.

Cheers
Steven

 

[chown33]

What OS version? Safari version?

What website are you trying to connect to? Be specific; post the exact URL.


Older versions of Safari only support older security protocols (HTTPS). Websites in the last several years have been migrating to newer security protocols, but which still fall under the scheme name "https". Older Safari versions are simply incapable of connecting to such web servers. Depending on the Safari version, it may tell you this in the page it displays on failure, where the message is something like "... Safari can't establish a secure connection to the server ...".

Also, some websites that used to HTTP (not secure) now redirect to HTTPS, and only support newer protocols.

Here's an example of a server that doesn't support older HTTPS protocols:
https://time.gov/

Here's an example of a server that doesn't redirect to HTTPS. It connects using plain unsecure HTTP:
http://example.com/

 

[DeltaMac]

Check in System Preferences, Network pane. What IP address is listed there?
Is it one that is provided by your router? That is, in the range of those supplied by the DHCP server?
For example, if the IP address starts with 169. - that would be one that won't give you an internet connection, because your router is not supplying a valid IP address to your Mac.

Try restarting your router...

 

[SLambee]

Thanks for replying.

OS 10.3.9
Safari 1.3.2

I'm was simply trying to connect to http://www.google.co.uk/ but have tried numerous others. So it appears from what you say that the issue is http/https and safari.

Can you suggest what i may do?

Cheers
[doublepost=1519851193][/doublepost]

Check in System Preferences, Network pane. What IP address is listed there?
Is it one that is provided by your router? That is, in the range of those supplied by the DHCP server?
For example, if the IP address starts with 169. - that would be one that won't give you an internet connection, because your router is not supplying a valid IP address to your Mac.

Try restarting your router...

Hi DeltaMac,

IP address starts 192. It says i am connected to the internet.
Already tried restarting the router. No difference.

Cheers

 

[chown33]

What router is it? Not just the brand name, but the exact model. Assume someone will want to find and read an online user manual for it.

Most consumer ones have an HTTP-accessible web-server for configuration. You could try connecting to that and see if it works.

If your G4's assigned IP address is 192.168.x.y (where x and y are actual numbers, not letters), then a typical address for the in-router web service would be 192.168.x.0 or 192.168.x.1 (where "x" means "use the number from your G4's assigned address"). Details will usually be listed in the router's user manual.


I also suggest posting the complete exact text of the Safari error message. You may be able to copy and paste it. If so, please do that rather than transcribing manually.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"Can you suggest what i may do?"

Yes.
Try a different browser.

The version of Safari you have is TOO OLD.
It will no longer connect to some sites (even though it may connect to others).

You could try either Firefox (you may to install an older version that is compatible with 10.3.9), or perhaps iCab.

Alternate course of action would be to update the g4's OS to something a little more recent (I'm wondering if 10.4 or 10.5 could work?).

Up until about 18 months ago, I was still using OS 10.8.5 (Mountain Lion) and the version of Safari that was specific to it.
That version, too, started tossing up the alert that it could not connect to some sites (while other browsers connected to them just fine).

 

[SLambee]

What router is it? Not just the brand name, but the exact model. Assume someone will want to find and read an online user manual for it.

Most consumer ones have an HTTP-accessible web-server for configuration. You could try connecting to that and see if it works.

If your G4's assigned IP address is 192.168.x.y (where x and y are actual numbers, not letters), then a typical address for the in-router web service would be 192.168.x.0 or 192.168.x.1 (where "x" means "use the number from your G4's assigned address"). Details will usually be listed in the router's user manual.


I also suggest posting the complete exact text of the Safari error message. You may be able to copy and paste it. If so, please do that rather than transcribing manually.

The router is Netgear VMDG485.
The exact message is
"Safari can't open the page "http://www.google.co.uk/" because it could not connect to the server "www.google.co.uk".

I definitely think it is a problem with the age of the browser as mentioned by Fishrrman.
[doublepost=1519903869][/doublepost]

OP wrote:
"Can you suggest what i may do?"

Yes.
Try a different browser.

The version of Safari you have is TOO OLD.
It will no longer connect to some sites (even though it may connect to others).

You could try either Firefox (you may to install an older version that is compatible with 10.3.9), or perhaps iCab.

Alternate course of action would be to update the g4's OS to something a little more recent (I'm wondering if 10.4 or 10.5 could work?).

Up until about 18 months ago, I was still using OS 10.8.5 (Mountain Lion) and the version of Safari that was specific to it.
That version, too, started tossing up the alert that it could not connect to some sites (while other browsers connected to them just fine).

Hi Fishrrman,

I have tried Firefox but it is obviously an outdated version, i'll try a newer and 10.3.9 compatible one. I'll also look into trying a later OS. I was going to be using the G4 for the graphics and DTP software so it's not massively important to get access, I can browse on my MBP and move files around on my network if needs be.

Thanks for your advice, much appreciated.
Cheers

 

[biffuz]

TenFourFox is your solution!

 

[DeltaMac]

I don't think that TenFourFox is supported under 10.3.9 (Panther) --- unless you have already tested that.
You would likely need to use the OTHER project for older forms of mozilla/firefox. The TenFourFox project page has a link to Classilla - which should actually work in 10.3.9
I don't know if that will help your connection issues - but might be worth a try.

 

[JoeInMilwaukee]

I have a working 15-inch iMac G4 running OS X 10.5 Leopard (not officially supported by Apple, but there's a way to "fake out" the installer).

The latest version of Firefox that can be run on any PPC Mac is 3.6.28. With this I can successfully access https://www.google.com/ or https://www.google.co.uk/. Same with Safari 5.0.6 (which is the latest that runs on Leopard).

However, even running the above software, you will find MANY sites that cannot be accessed, including Macrumors.

 

[chown33]

I have a working 15-inch iMac G4 running OS X 10.5 Leopard (not officially supported by Apple, but there's a way to "fake out" the installer).

The latest version of Firefox that can be run on any PPC Mac is 3.6.28. With this I can successfully access https://www.google.com/ or https://www.google.co.uk/. Same with Safari 5.0.6 (which is the latest that runs on Leopard).

However, even running the above software, you will find MANY sites that cannot be accessed, including Macrumors.

View attachment 752900 View attachment 752901

Thanks for posting those screenshots.

The failure in connecting to MacRumors is due to HTTPS protocol failure. Essentially, MacRumors web-server is trying to negotiate for a more secure SSL/TLS version than that Safari version knows about. Another way to think of it is the MR server isn't willing to negotiate downard to an SSL/TLS version that the older Safari can work with.

You can see more details using this Terminal command:

curl -v https://www.macrumors.com/

The output should show something similar to the following (NOTE: this is from 'curl' on Snow Leopard):

curl -v https://www.macrumors.com/
* About to connect() to www.macrumors.com port 443 (#0)
*   Trying 151.101.25.209... connected
* Connected to www.macrumors.com (151.101.25.209) port 443 (#0)
* SSLv3, TLS handshake, Client hello (1):
* error:1407742E:SSL routines:SSL23_GET_SERVER_HELLO:tlsv1 alert protocol version
* Closing connection #0
curl: (35) error:1407742E:SSL routines:SSL23_GET_SERVER_HELLO:tlsv1 alert protocol version

We can tell that DNS lookup worked, because an IP address is listed ("Trying ..."), and the connection is made on port 443. After that, the protocol negotiation fails.

 

[JoeInMilwaukee]

Running the "curl" command on Leopard resulted in the following:

 

[Guy Clark]

I recommend upgrading to 10.4 Tiger.

You should be able to source 10.4 Tiger installation disks on eBay which are generally grey in colour.

Make sure the installation disks are specific for your G4 iMac as 10.4 Tiger installation disks are commonly found for the G4 Mac mini and are not compatible with the G4 iMac.

Once you have successfully installed 10.4 Tiger be sure to install all available updates which will include the 10.4.11 Combo update.

Mac Update will locate these. Be sure to be connected to the internet using an ethernet cable.

For web browsing although TenFourFox offers the most up to date web browser on G4 machines it can be as slow as molasses. I have discovered this on my G4 Mac mini.

The web browser I use is Camino which although no longer under development does a reasonably good job at rendering web pages correctly
http://caminobrowser.org/download/

 

[SLambee]

I recommend upgrading to 10.4 Tiger.

You should be able to source 10.4 Tiger installation disks on eBay which are generally grey in colour.

Make sure the installation disks are specific for your G4 iMac as 10.4 Tiger installation disks are commonly found for the G4 Mac mini and are not compatible with the G4 iMac.

Once you have successfully installed 10.4 Tiger be sure to install all available updates which will include the 10.4.11 Combo update.

Mac Update will locate these. Be sure to be connected to the internet using an ethernet cable.

For web browsing although TenFourFox offers the most up to date web browser on G4 machines it can be as slow as molasses. I have discovered this on my G4 Mac mini.

The web browser I use is Camino which although no longer under development does a reasonably good job at rendering web pages correctly
http://caminobrowser.org/download/

Thanks Guy, I'll try to source a copy of Tiger. I'll give Camino a shot as well as TenFourFox.
[doublepost=1519991992][/doublepost]

I have a working 15-inch iMac G4 running OS X 10.5 Leopard (not officially supported by Apple, but there's a way to "fake out" the installer).

The latest version of Firefox that can be run on any PPC Mac is 3.6.28. With this I can successfully access https://www.google.com/ or https://www.google.co.uk/. Same with Safari 5.0.6 (which is the latest that runs on Leopard).

However, even running the above software, you will find MANY sites that cannot be accessed, including Macrumors.

View attachment 752900 View attachment 752901

Cheers for the info on Firefox and Safari Joe. I'm in the U.K at the moment and you guys in WI must be laughing your butts off at other problems with snow.
[doublepost=1519992087][/doublepost]

I don't think that TenFourFox is supported under 10.3.9 (Panther) --- unless you have already tested that.
You would likely need to use the OTHER project for older forms of mozilla/firefox. The TenFourFox project page has a link to Classilla - which should actually work in 10.3.9
I don't know if that will help your connection issues - but might be worth a try.

Thanks for info on TenFoxFour, recommend by a few people. Have you found it slow like Guy in this thread?