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How to connect G5 PowerMac to wireless internet?

M

MrVegas

macrumors regular
Original poster
I have an old G5 in the closet. Does it have a built-in wireless lan card? If not, what is the best way to get it to connect to my Verizon Fios wireless system? The main computer is on the first floor and I want to put the G5 in the upstairs bedroom.

RIght now I have a PC up there with a wireless Lan card but the wireless reception is terrible.
 
Wireless was an option with the G5 as it is now with the Mac Pro. So it depends if you got the option. If your PC has bad reception up there chances with the G5 airport card are even less. It was crummy due to the metal case of the PM to start with.

Your best option would probably be using the ethernet over powerline technology. Stick the first transmitter in a socket where your router is located and use a free ethernet port on the router. Almost every router will have one. The G5 will then accept an ethernet cable from the second transmitter located where the G5 is plugged to the mains.

If you cannot live with that and cannot put in ethernet cables you can try WLAN amplifiers between, but that is usually a poor solution as well. On top you probably still have to fit a WLAN card into that G5.
 
Yeah, the biggest problem is that you say another computer that's in the same room has poor wifi reception -- likely to be true for your PMG5 or a gateway you put next to it also. You might explore....

- Try changing broadcast channels on your router first and seeing if you can get this other PC that's up there getting a good connection to the network. Then get a router that can join the network and plug it into the PM. This might also be able to get you a better signal for the other PC

- You could possibly find the old option kit for internal wireless for the PM on eBay

- There are a few USB wifi adapters that work with macs too, but it's probably more hassle than it's worth, since these things have kind of gone out of common sight since there are so few new computers that do not have WiFi.....
 
mkrishnan said:
- There are a few USB wifi adapters that work with macs too, but it's probably more hassle than it's worth, since these things have kind of gone out of common sight since there are so few new computers that do not have WiFi.....
Click to expand...

I have a Digitus USB that works fine in Mac and PC. There are also PCIe and PCI solutions available from third party. Depends which year the PM was build what bus to use. But all this will not give good reception if the problem is caused by building material absorbing too much of the radio waves.
 
Yeah... if wireless turns out to be really important and you can't do anything about the signal quality, then you might also look at seeing whether 5GHz operation on 802.11n is any better, although it might be a lot of wasted money for nothing....
 
I have a little white Macbook and when I put it on the desk upstairs it has real nice connectivity in the same room that the PC gets bad reception.
 
You obviously have some options.

  • refit original airport card and antenna
  • refit PCI/PCIe 3rd party Wifi
  • refit 3rd party USB solution
  • refit AP in client mode

take your choice based on your preferences. You know already that it should work with the standard Apple technology. So any of the above will do.
 
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