Help needed (Connecting Multiple Macs to the Internet)

[bluesjam]

hello,

Well I have a G4 mac mini original model which does not have wireless capability.
I'll buying an imac as a new year gift for my girlfriend.
I connect to the internet using an ethernet cable.
The problem is that the wall socket for the cable is only available at a single room in my house in which my mac mini is placed. Connecting any other system to the internet will require the cable running all over my house which I don't want.
The imac that I'll buy will be placed in another room so how can I connect wirelessly both of the systems.
The imac will have wireless but the mac mini does not.
Any kind of help appreciated.

 

[yellow]

Uhhh...

Crash course in wireless networking.

Buy a wireless router. Netgear. Linksys.
Plug it into your only wall socket near the Mini.
Plug the Mini into the ports on the wifi router.
Put the iMac in another room and connect to it wirelessly.
????
Profit.

 

[bluesjam]

Thanks yellow,

Will airport express or extreme do, I mean is it the same thing as linksys.

 

[thingamajigidid]

Thanks yellow,

Will airport express or extreme do, I mean is it the same thing as linksys.

i have the extreme as my main router, and i have an old g3 which dosn't have wireless in another room connected to an airport express through an ethernet it works great..... but sometimes i get interruptions, and i have to unplug and replug the express.. there really sensible to interference watch out if you have a 2.4ghz phone.. they will knock you off line most of the time, since the express transmits at that same frequency.

hope that helps..
by the way i have an extra express in back of my radio, i luv those little things, i just wish you can connect an external hard drive to each one of them.

enjoy.

 

[yellow]

Will airport express or extreme do, I mean is it the same thing as linksys.

Frankly, with the AExp or AExt, you're paying for the logo and simplified controls. And you're paying a lot more money than you would for a Netgear or Linksys router. If you've got the cash and you want to keep it Apple, then yes, the AExt will do a great job. I just don't want you to think that you have to have an (overpriced) Apple product to do what you want to do. You don't.

 

[killmoms]

Frankly, with the AExp or AExt, you're paying for the logo and simplified controls. And you're paying a lot more money than you would for a Netgear or Linksys router. If you've got the cash and you want to keep it Apple, then yes, the AExt will do a great job. I just don't want you to think that you have to have an (overpriced) Apple product to do what you want to do. You don't.

I dunno, man. I'm sold on the Airport Extreme. It's just a better-quality piece of kit as compared to the average Netgear/Linksys. I have had a couple different wireless routers over the years and NONE have been as stable as the Airport Extreme has been for me. Your mileage may vary of course, but I wouldn't go back to "unplugging and plugging the router back in" for anything after having a rock-solid Internet connection.

 

[yellow]

I can't say I've had any particularly good experiences with ABS. But then, I only get called when people have problems.

But the way I figure it.. I could buy 4 Netgears for the price of one ABS!

 

[bluesjam]

Thank you very much all of you.
I'll go with the airport express as it is a gift along with the imac for a loved one. If nothing else the apple logo will at least buy a few more smiles.
Every dime will be worth it.

 

[Dark Dragoon]

Bare in mind that the Airport Express only has a single Ethernet port which you would be using for your internet connection.

There would be no spare ethernet ports to plug your Mac Mini into.

 

[bluesjam]

Bare in mind that the Airport Express only has a single Ethernet port which you would be using for your internet connection.

There would be no spare ethernet ports to plug your Mac Mini into.

Well then what do you suggest. Should I then buy airport extreme.

Also If you could reply another query.
Does the mac mini need to switched on whenever I need to connect the imac to the internet?

Thanks.

 

[Dark Dragoon]

Well then what do you suggest. Should I then buy airport extreme.

The Airport Extreme works pretty well and is easy to configure, it would allow you to connect your Mac Mini via ethernet and iMac via wireless.

However as others have mentioned it is an expensive option. Other wireless routers will be able to perform the same task for less.

I own several routers (Airport Extreme/Express, Netgear, Linksys, D-Link), personally out of them I prefer the Netgear DG834G as it's tended to be reliable and didn't cost too much (don't get this one as it has an ADSL modem).

Also If you could reply another query.
Does the mac mini need to switched on whenever I need to connect the imac to the internet?

Only the router (such as an Airport Extreme) would need to be switched on for the computers to access the internet.

 

[bluesjam]

The Airport Extreme works pretty well and is easy to configure, it would allow you to connect your Mac Mini via ethernet and iMac via wireless.

However as others have mentioned it is an expensive option. Other wireless routers will be able to perform the same task for less.

I own several routers (Airport Extreme/Express, Netgear, Linksys, D-Link), personally out of them I prefer the Netgear DG834G as it's tended to be reliable and didn't cost too much (don't get this one as it has an ADSL modem).


Only the router (such as an Airport Extreme) would need to be switched on for the computers to access the internet.

Thanks a lot Dark Dragoon [or is it Dragon]
I'll shell out for the airport extreme.