How to get USB WiFi adapters to work?

[BigBIg5]

I have an iMac G5 20" iSight with AirPort that supports WPA only and not the newer security types. Has anyone got USB WiFi adapters to work or older AirPort cards to support newer security types other then WPA?

 

[eyoungren]

I have an iMac G5 20" iSight with AirPort that supports WPA only and not the newer security types. Has anyone got USB WiFi adapters to work or older AirPort cards to support newer security types other then WPA?

Beginning somewhere with the later updates of Tiger, OS X supports WPA2.

But here is the catch…the security for WPA2 needs to be TKIP and not AES. If you have a WPA2 network with AES encryption (and most modern routers default to this) then you won't be able to connect. TKIP+AES is okay if your router does that.

As to the USB adapters, I've tried a few. You need to find some software (Ralink I think, don't quote me) and use that to connect.

I found it buggy and it dropped me offline more than I ever was online so your luck with that may be bad.

Better to use native Airport Extreme if you can.

 

[Dronecatcher]

As @eyoungren says, WPA2 definitely works on your Airport Extreme equipped iMac as long as your router is set to TKIP.

I use these as an alternative, you have to install a driver but it's transparent once loaded - this listing is dead but you might be able to track one down:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130754121067?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[amagichnich]

Have a look at a product called
TP-Link N300 Wireless Wi-Fi Nano Travel Router with Range Extender/Access Point/Client/Bridge Modes (TL-WR802N)
if you don't trust your airport extreme.
Plug it in your ethernet port, connect it to your WiFi and never think about it again 😉

EDIT: I'm in no way connected to TP-Link, any other similar product will do it too

 

[ziggy29]

Have a look at a product called
TP-Link N300 Wireless Wi-Fi Nano Travel Router with Range Extender/Access Point/Client/Bridge Modes (TL-WR802N)
if you don't trust your airport extreme.
Plug it in your ethernet port, connect it to your WiFi and never think about it again 😉

I've pretty much decided that connecting my old Macs with a wifi to Ethernet bridge is the way to go, at least within my home network, especially in OS 9 which has no support at all for WPA/WPA2. I have a USB dongle which is rated for at least 802.11g (54 Mbps) but I can't get more than 100KB per second even in USB 2.0 ports.
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Beginning somewhere with the later updates of Tiger, OS X supports WPA2.

But here is the catch…the security for WPA2 needs to be TKIP and not AES. If you have a WPA2 network with AES encryption (and most modern routers default to this) then you won't be able to connect. TKIP+AES is okay if your router does that.

My router has a setting that says "WPA-PSK (TKIP)/WPA2-PSK (AES)", which is how it is configured. Still can't get Airport to work under Tiger (10.4.11 with all updates) though it works in Leopard. I've not really spent a lot of time trying to figure out where the problem is, since I generally just use one of the aforementioned wifi to Ethernet bridges.

 

[BrianBaughn]

Ethernet bridge is a good solution to this. If you have an old router around that is DD-WRT capable you might be able to turn it into one.

 

[bobesch]

I have an iMac G5 20" iSight with AirPort that supports WPA only and not the newer security types. Has anyone got USB WiFi adapters to work or older AirPort cards to support newer security types other then WPA?

Which system do you have installed as your OS?
I have no trouble to connect my imacG5 iSight/Leopard with our WPA2 wireless network...