Mac Pro 09 Airport Express Card or compatible 3rd Party option

[HumpYourWayUp]

I own a Mac Pro Nehalem and am very satisfied with it.

However there is one thing that drives me nuts...
When ordering the machine I overlooked the fact that you have to select the Airport Express option in the order form.
Y'know - my fault.

Somehow I did expect a 4500 dollar workstation to include it - even cheap a$$ PC's include a wlan option with no extra charge - but never underestimate apple charging extra for what other vendors include for free....
What makes me furious is the fact that you can't order the Airport Express card seperately from the Apple Store... unbelievable. A true moment when I first realized that I was screwed....

So now I need to find another option to get wlan into the Mac Pro. Can you guys help me find one of the following_
- a place that sells the Airport Express Card
- a compatible PCIe card (n-draft)
- a compatible WLAN USB Adapter (n-draft)

Thanks in advance,

Hump

PS: Of course it is all happy joy joy with Bootcamp... for Windows you find drivers a plenty... sigh

 

[cmaier]

Somehow I did expect a 4500 dollar workstation to include it - even cheap a$$ PC's include a wlan option with no extra charge - but never underestimate apple charging extra for what other vendors include for free....

Ain't nothing free. The other vendors have added it into the price. (It's not totally irrational on Apple's part to leave this out - the vast majority of these machines use wired connections.)

Anyway, you should be able to pick up a card from any apple store or authorized repair joint. In both cases they will insist on installing the card for you, so you'll have to bring the machine in.

 

[HumpYourWayUp]

Ain't nothing free. The other vendors have added it into the price. (It's not totally irrational on Apple's part to leave this out - the vast majority of these machines use wired connections.)

Sure nothing aint free. But still... I wouldn't bitch about it too much if I would find a place to get a wlan card.

Anyway, you should be able to pick up a card from any apple store or authorized repair joint. In both cases they will insist on installing the card for you, so you'll have to bring the machine in.

Thanks for the tip! But I don't live in the USA. Apple Stores are not available in my country. Have to check with the hotline if there is ia repair joint here...

Isn' t there another option?

 

[hatehereyes]

I'm not sure if the 09 mac pros use the same airport express card has the 08's but if they do you can look around ebay for a compatible broadcom one
I got one off ebay for $3 shipped.

or this place sells them
http://www.powermax.com/parts/show/q34844?gclid=CP3V4P--gJoCFQ9JagodLz7_LQ

 

[kirreip]

Sure nothing aint free. But still... I wouldn't bitch about it too much if I would find a place to get a wlan card.



Thanks for the tip! But I don't live in the USA. Apple Stores are not available in my country. Have to check with the hotline if there is ia repair joint here...

Isn' t there another option?

Are you still within the first 14 days? If so, you can allways return it and buy a new one with the card.

Or you could also buy a third party card. Search the forum for one.

 

[CaptainChunk]

Are you still within the first 14 days? If so, you can allways return it and buy a new one with the card.

He could do that as long as the machine was not a BTO. If it was customized in any way on the website, no non-defective returns/exchanges, according to Apple's policy.

Apparently, the 2009 MP uses a different part number for its Airport Extreme card than the Early 2009 models did. This is the only place I've been able to find that stocks the proper card, which is part number MB988Z/A. $80, though.