imac+wireless card

[sk8erboy]

Hi, as you can tell i am not a MAC user. However in a few weeks i will become one :-D. Just wondering if i can use my basic wireless card that i currently use on my compaq laptop on the g5 iMac??? My wireless card is a cabletron system card. sorry for the noob annoyance.

 

[Eniregnat]

No drivers, even for an external (firewire) PC port on a G5.
If you get a 17" PB with the PC card slot, some third party wireless cards will work. There are also some USB solutions if you don't want to go AirPort. No non AirPort solutions allow for easy external antena connections.

AirPort is the easiest solution, though if you get more than one card, you can use some pretty cool wireless tools. For instance you could scan mutiple chanels at the same time, you could run mutiple networks at the same time, you could packet sniff and decode and connect to another network at the same time.

Supposedly some Lucent cards work and fit just like AirPort cards. That makes sence, as Lucent supposedly manufactures most of the AirPort cards parts.

Stick with AirPort. The antennas aren’t bad, and if your really gung ho and don't care about your warranty, drill out a bit of the battery case (the metallic lip) where the AirPort card resides, attach your own cable to your own antenna. AirShare.org has plans for the Pringles Can solution.

 

[trkjmk]

Wireless on a G4?

We are about to get a G4 (used, but in great condition) It will be our first Mac. We will need it to be wireless, but do not know what cards it will support? Do we have to get the Apple AirPort Card, or will it accept another kind?

Thanks

 

[rogersmj]

We are about to get a G4 (used, but in great condition) It will be our first Mac. We will need it to be wireless, but do not know what cards it will support? Do we have to get the Apple AirPort Card, or will it accept another kind?

Thanks

Holy old thread Batman! You know this thread is almost two years old, right? You should have started a new one.

What kind of G4? An iMac? iBook? PowerBook?

 

[trkjmk]

yeah i know

Thanks for replying... like I said, I am so new to this... I realy dont know what I am doing!

It is a G4 i Mac

 

[trkjmk]

I found this...

I found this in all my searching. Does it look like it would work? http://afterthemac.com/cart_checkout.php


Here is another question... so the Imac we are looking to get is on Craigslist.com... we THINK it is a good deal for the $, but would value a second opionion... would you mind taking a look?

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/sys/296204151.html

 

[rogersmj]

It is a G4.

Yeah, you already said that...I asked what kind of G4. I'll assume it's the iMac G4. This one is supposed to work fine.

 

[rogersmj]

I found this in all my searching. Does it look like it would work? http://afterthemac.com/cart_checkout.php


Here is another question... so the Imac we are looking to get is on Craigslist.com... we THINK it is a good deal for the $, but would value a second opionion... would you mind taking a look?

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/sys/296204151.html

We can't see what's in your cart at afterthemac.com, because it's only valid for YOUR browser session.

That iMac seems OK. It's not going to be the fastest thing on the block, but it should get you by.

 

[trkjmk]

We can't see what's in your cart at afterthemac.com, because it's only valid for YOUR browser session.

Man, you are busting my chops... I told you I was new at all this... cut the newbie a little slack!!! Try this http://afterthemac.com/product.php?id=mac wireless

That iMac seems OK. It's not going to be the fastest thing on the block, but it should get you by.

Do you think we should keep shopping. We would want it for our home computer- with the goal to get a macbook down the road for my husband.

 

[trkjmk]

if we can get an airprt card for cheap- say on ebay- would that be the best thing to get?

 

[rogersmj]

Man, you are busting my chops... I told you I was new at all this... cut the newbie a little slack!!! Try this http://afterthemac.com/product.php?id=mac wireless

I wasn't trying to bust anything...I was just stating a fact. We can't see your shopping cart.

Do you think we should keep shopping. We would want it for our home computer- with the goal to get a macbook down the road for my husband.

That price appears to be in line with what those models go for these days, and will serve you well for basic internet surfing and things like that. One big thing to watch out for with the G4 iMac is that it does not have USB 2.0, which can be a huge problem if you have a modern iPod or other mass storage USB device.

if we can get an airprt card for cheap- say on ebay- would that be the best thing to get?

I think you should get the $35 adapter I linked to above. Are you sure the iMac doesn't have a wireless adapter included? The G4 iMac we had at our office years ago had it built in, at least I thought it did.

 

[trkjmk]

That price appears to be in line with what those models go for these days, and will serve you well for basic internet surfing and things like that. One big thing to watch out for with the G4 iMac is that it does not have USB 2.0, which can be a huge problem if you have a modern iPod or other mass storage USB device.



I think you should get the $35 adapter I linked to above. Are you sure the iMac doesn't have a wireless adapter included? The G4 iMac we had at our office years ago had it built in, at least I thought it did.[/QUOTE]

We both have Ipods (mine is from this past year) and connect our camera to our current home computer. So are you saying that those will not work with this Gr imac?

When I asked the owner if it had an airport card or wireless he told me that I could just get a card online for $20 and that it did not have those... I am not sure if he is referring to just the cards, or if he was referring to the adapter not being built in...

Is there a way to find out it if it built in?

 

[rogersmj]

We both have Ipods (mine is from this past year) and connect our camera to our current home computer. So are you saying that those will not work with this Gr imac?

When I asked the owner if it had an airport card or wireless he told me that I could just get a card online for $20 and that it did not have those... I am not sure if he is referring to just the cards, or if he was referring to the adapter not being built in...

Is there a way to find out it if it built in?

They will work, but the G4 iMac only has USB 1.1, which means it will be horribly, horribly slow. USB 1.1 operates at 12 Mbps; USB 2.0 operates at 480 Mbps. If syncing iPods and downloading images from cameras is something you do a lot, I'd look at a different computer. Maybe get a used Mac mini or spend a little more and get a G5 iMac.

If the owner suggested you buy a wireless card, then he must not have wireless built in.