Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iMacs, Linksys, and AirPort Extreme Card - I need HELP !!!

P

Pugdawg1

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 4, 2004
45
0
Elko, Nevada
I have a problem and cannot seem to get help. Thought I would try here:

I have two iMacs. I have an imac g4 os x 10.2.8. That computer is hooked up to a Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router (WRT54G). This works fine. I'm online and doing well. BUT my problem is getting the other imac online (G5, OS X 10.3.5). I installed the AirPort Extreme Card, and tried to get it to find this network (the computers are 8 feet away from each other, for what it might matter), but it is not finding the network. Linksys is of no help. I called a number that was on the Airport package, they told me to call Linksys, Linksys told me to call the other number again. Back and forth. I don't know what to do. I imagine it's just some setting somewhere, but I don't know where.

Can ANYONE help me???? Please?
 
Hmmm...are you saying the computer that *does* work has a wired connection to the router, and the one that doesn't is trying to get a wireless connection? Here are some standard things to try:

1) Turn off all security on the router and try to connect to the router wirelessly.
2) Make sure that the computer works on the router when it's plugged in with a wire.
3) Also try getting the network name from the network setup page for the Linksys, and find it manually using the "Other..." option from the airport menu.

It sounds like your router may be set up to be a closed system -- not broadcasting it's identity. Usually, even if there is a security incompatibility, you should find the network and then get a fail-to-connect error popup.

Also try searching here...I'm sure that there was a similar thread a month ago.
 
Not much info to go on here. Since you have a wireless router, I'm going to assume your G4 iMac is on the wireless network. So, you can click on the wireless icon on the menu bar, top right, and see the name of your wireless network. What happens when you look at this setting for G5? Is Airport turned on there? Is the network name the same (it has to be).

Now go into System Preferences->Network and select the Airport and click the Configure button. Does the Airport configuration on the G4 match the G5, except for the IP address, obviously? They should.

If you've already done all this, then you need to be much more specific about your configuration and what you've already tried.
 
I'm sorry if I'm not very clear. I'm not the best when it comes to computers. LOL. I have the G4 hooked up to the router which is hooked up to the DSL. This works great. No problems. The G5 is the problem. I do have the AirPort turned on, on the G5. The computer came with the AirPort software, I just installed the extreme card.

On the G4, that everything is connected to.. Linksys told me the site to change any settings and all that. I've changed this and that, with no luck. But I'm thinking I may have just royally screwed up - I have AirPort software installed on the g4 but have done nothing with it - do i have to do something with that too? I'm so afraid i'll change something and not be able to get online at all! :(
 
No, if the G4 is wired, rather than wireless, don't mess with it. If you go to Applications->Utilities, there's an Airport Setup Assistant. You should run that and follow it through. It sounds as though you have never set up a wireless network on the Linksys router, is that correct? In any case, the Linksys has default settings wrt the network name and security (none) settings, so if you follow the Airport Setup Assistant on the G5, you should get it up and running, albeit sans security, which you'll have to figure out with the Linksys (I don't know all the settings your router supports). I live in the middle of nowhere, so I don't have to be concerned about neighbors hijacking my connection or anything. If you get to the security part, WPA is where you want to go and change the default name of the network to something no easy for some else to guess (also called a SSID).

HTH
 
daveL said:
No, if the G4 is wired, rather than wireless, don't mess with it. If you go to Applications->Utilities, there's an Airport Setup Assistant. You should run that and follow it through. It sounds as though you have never set up a wireless network on the Linksys router, is that correct? In any case, the Linksys has default settings wrt the network name and security (none) settings, so if you follow the Airport Setup Assistant on the G5, you should get it up and running, albeit sans security, which you'll have to figure out with the Linksys (I don't know all the settings your router supports). I live in the middle of nowhere, so I don't have to be concerned about neighbors hijacking my connection or anything. If you get to the security part, WPA is where you want to go and change the default name of the network to something no easy for some else to guess (also called a SSID).

HTH
Click to expand...
OK.. so I do NOT mess with airport setup assistant on the computer connected to the Linksys (G4), JUST the computer that has the airport extreme card in it (g5)?
I did use the airport setup assistant on that computer (the g5), but it gets to where it looks for a network and doesnt find one, and I can go no farther.
No.. i've never setup a wireless network with this router. I've never done this before. So that's why the silly questions.

I just think theres some setting on the linksys that needs to be changed, but i dont know what it would be. I don't know what the airport extreme card NEEDS from this linksys to get that darn computer online. Then again, I could be backwards in my thinking. I just don't know.
 
I went to Sys Pref and then to the Network (I am on the G4, the one that is hooked up to the Linksys), the Location says Automatic, then below, says Show: Built-in Ethernet.
I click on TCP/IP and it says Configure: Using DHCP.
I click on Proxies and it says: Use Passive FTP mode (PASV)
Nothing is checked under PPPoE and nothing is checked under Appletalk.


Is this part of it correct?
 
on the G5, go into system preferences, make sure that airport is on and allowed to create networks, also check off so that airport is shown in your menubar

now that you have the little icon in your menubar, click on it to see if there are any networks being broadcast, if not then its not the mac's fault, there is something wrong with the linksys router because there is no network being broadcasted

make sure that you are in range

does the imac G4 have an airport card too out of curiosity? because you can set that one up to share the internet connection from the router through airport and then try and connect from the G5 in that manner to be sure that there is not an issue with the airport card

another thing, you said that you installed the card yourself, are you sure that you seated it very firmly, almost more firm than you would think? perhaps the G5 is not picking up that you have an airport card installed

just some things to try out for now
 
Yes, on the G5, the Airport is on, and it does show on the menu bar on the top right. I click on it, it doesn't show any networks. I should be within range, I don't think it could be more than 7 or 8 feet between the linksys and the G5.

Nope, the G4 doesn't have an AirPort card.

Yes, the card is seated firmly. The first time i did it, I did NOT have it seated firmly and when i started the airport setup it said it did not find a card - I opened the computer back up, and sure enough, wasnt in there all the way. It went in with a loud CLICK, I hooked the little wire/antenna to it, and the computer did know the card was there after that. I'm positive the card is in there right.
 
Pugdawg1 said:
Yes, on the G5, the Airport is on, and it does show on the menu bar on the top right. I click on it, it doesn't show any networks. I should be within range, I don't think it could be more than 7 or 8 feet between the linksys and the G5.

Nope, the G4 doesn't have an AirPort card.

Yes, the card is seated firmly. The first time i did it, I did NOT have it seated firmly and when i started the airport setup it said it did not find a card - I opened the computer back up, and sure enough, wasnt in there all the way. It went in with a loud CLICK, I hooked the little wire/antenna to it, and the computer did know the card was there after that. I'm positive the card is in there right.
Click to expand...

You are sure that wireless is even turned on in the router? Change the name of the connection from Linksys to something else. Try changing the channel on which the wireless is working. Default is 6. From the wireless icon at the top right, try the "Other.." option and manually put the information in.
 
varmit said:
You are sure that wireless is even turned on in the router? Change the name of the connection from Linksys to something else. Try changing the channel on which the wireless is working. Default is 6. From the wireless icon at the top right, try the "Other.." option and manually put the information in.
Click to expand...
I had changed the name to one of my names. I went through each channel. Wireless Icon? On the G5? because I don't have a wireless Icon on the G4 that the Linksys is connected to.
 
Hey mate,
I had the same problem with my imac G5 and Belkin router. I had it only about 5-10 (max) metres away from the router and no signal was being found. I then moved it right next to the Belkin and i am still only getting 12 bars out of 15 and it is RIGHT next to the Belkin..!!
I have concluded that either the imac has really ***** range or the Belkin is incapable or transmitting through walls...or both. I have checked the airport extreme card 4 times now to make sure everything has been connected properly, and yes i have checked the aerial connection.
Fredstar
 
As far as the range of the Linksys wireless routers go, and their ability to go through walls, they do just fine. I was able to see someone else's one that was located in another apartment from my apartment, through the cinder block walls, both in my current complex and my last complex. ;) And for that matter ditto for the Netgear routers -- I saw a neighbor's one back in Michigan, and mine gets excellent range through walls here in Florida....

Hmmm...as far as the efficacy of the AE card in an iMac, can't say much for that.

Pugdawg -- first off, you do not have to do ANYTHING with ANY of the airport settings or airport utilities on the computer that is physically connected to the router with an ethernet cable -- the G4, I believe? You only have to mess with this on the computer you're trying to get to work wirelessly -- the G5, I believe. In fact, I don't think any setting of ANYTHING on the G4 has anything to do with getting the G5 to connect wirelessly. Only the settings of the router and the G5 matter.

Now, I still don't understand what, if any security protocol the router is setup for. Until you get it working, you really want to set it up with all the security features turned off. Of course, once it works, turn some of them back on! :)

Another suggestion: do you have any friends with laptops that have wireless? If so, get one of them to come over and try to connect. This will tell you if the issue is with the G5 or with the router.
 
daveL said:
No, if the G4 is wired, rather than wireless, don't mess with it. If you go to Applications->Utilities, there's an Airport Setup Assistant. You should run that and follow it through. It sounds as though you have never set up a wireless network on the Linksys router, is that correct? In any case, the Linksys has default settings wrt the network name and security (none) settings, so if you follow the Airport Setup Assistant on the G5, you should get it up and running, albeit sans security, which you'll have to figure out with the Linksys (I don't know all the settings your router supports). I live in the middle of nowhere, so I don't have to be concerned about neighbors hijacking my connection or anything. If you get to the security part, WPA is where you want to go and change the default name of the network to something no easy for some else to guess (also called a SSID).

HTH
Click to expand...

The Airport Setup Assistant (and Airport Admin Utility) will only work on Airport Extreme and Airport Express base stations.

The setup utility the original poster needs to use is the Linksys' own web-based one.

1. Go to http://192.168.1.1
2. Leave the username blank and type "admin" for your password.
3. You're in.

If the above steps don't work, then one of your neighbors has hijacked your WRT54G. In that case you'll have to reset the thing and quickly go into the setup utility to disable SSID broadcast, rename the SSID, create a setup utility username and password, change your channel, and everything else you'll need to do.

Do a search for WRT54G in these threads. I and others have posted long and detailed notes about getting this particular Linksys to work. It doesn't take much, and I'd bet it takes more effort on the PC side.
 
Rod Rod said:
The Airport Setup Assistant (and Airport Admin Utility) will only work on Airport Extreme and Airport Express base stations.

The setup utility the original poster needs to use is the Linksys' own web-based one.

1. Go to http://192.168.1.1
2. Leave the username blank and type "admin" for your password.
3. You're in.

If the above steps don't work, then one of your neighbors has hijacked your WRT54G. In that case you'll have to reset the thing and quickly go into the setup utility to disable SSID broadcast, rename the SSID, create a setup utility username and password, change your channel, and everything else you'll need to do.

Do a search for WRT54G in these threads. I and others have posted long and detailed notes about getting this particular Linksys to work. It doesn't take much, and I'd bet it takes more effort on the PC side.
Click to expand...
hi ~ I've been to that site, it's in the paperwork that came with the Linksys, and I typed 'admin' and i get there just fine, but once I'm there, I don't know what to change. I flipped through the channels i see... and I tried a few other things, but didn't help.
Security wise, right this second I'm not terribly worried. I'm in a small town in Nevada, backed up to BLM land. I have one neighbor that gets online via dial up. That's it.
Someone mentioned having a person come over with a laptop that has wireless. I know nobody here that has one. Wish I did.

I'll keep trying. And I'l do a search in the threads. Thank you.
 
It's WORKING. All those hours I sat here banging my head on the desk. I don't even wanna talk about what I did wrong. Ok I do. I must confess. I installed the card. The card was fine. But the TWIT that I am, and I really am a twit, I plugged that wire.. the antenna i guess? back into the computer, not into the card. I opened the computer up just to make sure it was right, saw that and about died. Soooo its aaallll ok now. What a relief.

I'm so embarrassed.

:eek:
 
At the risk of repeating what others have said, here goes:

From your G4, open up your browser and type http://192.168.1.1 in the address bar - you refer to it as 'that site', its actually a browser based setup utility in the linksys firmware, not somewhere in the ether!

Click the 'wireless' tab and check:
Basic settings - mode (mixed is ok), network name (linksys is the default**), channel number, and SSID broadcast is enabled.
On the security tab, check that security is disabled.
On the Setup tab, check that Local DHCP Server is Enabled.

(These settings should get you started, you can change them later for security purposes, once you've got a feel for what you're doing).

Then on the G5 with the wireless card, go to System Preferences, Network and check:
Airport - By default join a specific network, and choose linksys ( the default name mentioned above**).
TCP/IP - near the top, check that Show has AirPort in the dd box. In Configure IPv4 choose 'using DHCP'. It should pick up your IP address(hopefully 192.168.1.x), subnet mask (255.255.255.0), and the router (192.168.1.1).

Finally, a few quick checks:
Click on the airport icon in the menu bar, top right of the screen. With a bit of luck you'll see 'linksys' about 1/3 of the way down. Click on 'open internet connect' - You should see your network status, ie the name of your wireless network, a good healthy signal level and Airport Power On.

Good luck.

edit: you obviously had good luck, while I was in the next room checking my linksys settings to help you out. Well done.
 
PugDawg1, congratulations! It's a great feeling when you get something to work.

stevep, your tutorial rocks. Hopefully anyone who searches the forums for WRT54G in the future will find your post, and what you wrote will benefit many people.
 
Rod Rod
Thanks - its a sign that I haven't got out too much lately - too busy learning the hard way about setting up networks I think...!!

stevep
 
stevep, just this afternoon I had a little trouble setting up my new Linksys EG005W (5-port gigabit switch). I had been running a Belkin 10/100 switch with no setup issues. The problem, as it turns out, is I didn't have the correct type of ethernet cable between my PM G5 and the switch. Once I plugged in the right wire, presto the switch is functional for net / file / printer sharing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back