G4 Cube ethernet problem

[AC910]

So I recently acquired a g4 cube in very good condition. However, I have since learned that the ethernet port appears to be faulty. The card is detected in the OS, but there's no effect when plugging in the cable. OSX doesn't detect it and the switch LEDs stay off. The ethernet cable is known to be good.

I'm unable to see any damage on the card itself. Is there any resolution other than replacing the card? The few places that sell them are asking for crazy amounts.

 

[1042686]

Maybe a USB wifi solution? I don't own a cube but many here do. Good luck!

 

[jbarley]

So I recently acquired a g4 cube in very good condition. However, I have since learned that the ethernet port appears to be faulty. The card is detected in the OS, but there's no effect when plugging in the cable. OSX doesn't detect it and the switch LEDs stay off. The ethernet cable is known to be good.

I'm unable to see any damage on the card itself. Is there any resolution other than replacing the card? The few places that sell them are asking for crazy amounts.

I might have a solution for you,
I sent you a personal message.

 

[bobesch]

So I recently acquired a g4 cube in very good condition. However, I have since learned that the ethernet port appears to be faulty. The card is detected in the OS, but there's no effect when plugging in the cable. OSX doesn't detect it and the switch LEDs stay off. The ethernet cable is known to be good.
I'm unable to see any damage on the card itself. Is there any resolution other than replacing the card? The few places that sell them are asking for crazy amounts.

You may use the WLAN-Stick EDIMAX EW-7811Un for wireless connection. It supports Tiger and the latest Wifi-encryption.

 

[MikeatOSX]

You may use the WLAN-Stick EDIMAX EW-7811Un for wireless connection. It supports Tiger and the latest Wifi-encryption.

Edimax is a very good solution, but it occupies the USB connectors of Cube speakers and Cube keyboard...

 

[bobesch]

Edimax is a very good solution, but it occupies the USB connectors of Cube speakers and Cube keyboard...

You may attach it to the Display or Keyboard which both sport 2 USB-ports.

 

[MikeatOSX]

Maybe USB 1.1 is not fast enough...

 

[bobesch]

Maybe USB 1.1 is not fast enough...

I use the Edimax with my Clamshell G3 / USB1.
Personally I can cope with this Edimax-solution though it's a big loss of speed (Ethernet is 10 or 100 Mbit/s compared to USB1.1 with 1,5 or 12 Mbit/s)
Obviously there's no option to get ethernet via firewire.

 

[AC910]

A big thank you to JBarley for sending me a replacement card for no change. It was unexpected but greatly appreciated! The Cube works great now.

--

Also I took a closer look at my first broken card. It appears to have eaten a surge on the rj45 port. The traces were vaporized and the initial resistors are fried.

 

[Z1mDMan]

I just got a G4 Cube and have the same issue. Are we saying the logic board is bad?

 

[Intell]

The Ethernet daughter board was bad in the previous case. It's possible that it is bad on your G4 Cube as well.

 

[Z1mDMan]

The Ethernet daughter board was bad in the previous case. It's possible that it is bad on your G4 Cube as well.

interesting. I will see if I can source an ethernet daughter board. I also might need a slot loading drive since mine won't pull in any disks. Thanks.

 

[Intell]

The slot loading drive used in the G4 Cube is slightly easier to find, but not by much. Only the G4 Cube and slot loading G3 iMacs used that drive. These drives are normal to other PATA/ATAPI slot loading drives, except that their connection port is rotated 180 degrees from standard. This means that a normal slot loading drive will not fit in them.