Accord to another post here you have to add the antenna along with the airport card when upgrading the mac mini? where do you pick up the antenna? i know the extreme cards are on sale at the apple store.
Tyler
Tyler
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
MORE MAC MINI ISSUES
- Thread starter TyleRomeo
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Converted2Truth
macrumors 6502a
I'm pretty sure it comes with an antenna already installed... just like every other mac that's been made.
What i'd be worried about is trying to crack that little box in order to add a bigger RAM module(or airport card).
What i'd be worried about is trying to crack that little box in order to add a bigger RAM module(or airport card).
fartheststar
macrumors 6502a
Converted2Truth said:
I read that that will void the warranty. I think you have to buy ram from them.
Peyote wrote in the mac ram thread
"You can add AirPort Extreme for $79 and/or Bluetooth for $50 if you're ordering the Mini from the Apple Store, but if you want to add wireless later, your only choice will be a kit that includes both AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth for about $129 ($112 to dealers). This stuff also is not user-installable, supposedly because it involves adding antennas as well as cards."
im not sure how official that is, i ordered mine with just the internal bluetooth. So if i want airport in a year i don't want to pay for the bluetooth that i already have. i'll install the card but im not sure about buy and installing airport antennas
Tyler
"You can add AirPort Extreme for $79 and/or Bluetooth for $50 if you're ordering the Mini from the Apple Store, but if you want to add wireless later, your only choice will be a kit that includes both AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth for about $129 ($112 to dealers). This stuff also is not user-installable, supposedly because it involves adding antennas as well as cards."
im not sure how official that is, i ordered mine with just the internal bluetooth. So if i want airport in a year i don't want to pay for the bluetooth that i already have. i'll install the card but im not sure about buy and installing airport antennas
Tyler
Peyote said:
alright sorry for the misquote. All this unknown information about the mini makes a little worried if i'll be able to open this thing up at a later date.
Tyler
We'll know in a couple of days when the post the tech docs. I know you can buy an airport extreme card all by itself though, so there's no way you'll have to buy some kit with an extranneous bluetooth module. As for antennae, I'd be surprised if it weren't builtin to the chassis like every other mac since airport was released.
PS: Plus I'm sure there'll be a dissection at that crazy japanese site on the 22nd.
PS: Plus I'm sure there'll be a dissection at that crazy japanese site on the 22nd.
panphage said:
What are you talking about? What's that big antennae sticking out the back of my brand new G5? Built in? Haha, I wish.
If you don't know what I'm talking about I'm sure someone will show a pic. It looks like a "T" and plugs in the Airport hole. My understanding is that its there because the metal casing on the G5 interferes with the signal.
Converted2Truth
macrumors 6502a
None of the Mac's have 'holes' for the antenna's. The laptops run the antenna alongside the screen. The TiBooks the antenna was right next to the battery, etc...
It's just gotta have a wire placed inside of the thing... preferably next to an item that doesn't inhibit it's range.
It's just gotta have a wire placed inside of the thing... preferably next to an item that doesn't inhibit it's range.
dejo
Moderator emeritus
panphage said:
No, an "external Airport Extreme antenna" comes with the G5.
http://www.apple.com/powermac/specs.html
(And, yes, it looks like a T).
Blackheart
macrumors 6502a
SiliconAddict
macrumors 603
Blackheart said:
The big diff there is that the antenna runs along the edge of the screen well away from the more interference prone components. With the mini you have no such luxury which could seriously put a dent in reception.
mfacey
macrumors 65816
I find it odd that everybody is so worried about the expandability of the mac mini. Don't you guys get it? that's the whole point! Its supposed to be a simple machine that is ordered and used as-is. Its designed for regular users who are interested in a functional, cheap and simple machine and want to do internet, email, word processing and maybe some light photo/video editing (only for home use of course).
If you want expandability (to essentially achieve performance) buy an imac or powermac.
Just remember the mac mini is so cheap for nothing!
If you want expandability (to essentially achieve performance) buy an imac or powermac.
Just remember the mac mini is so cheap for nothing!
whooleytoo
macrumors 604
insidedanshead said:
Apparently because of the G5's metal case, the antennae need to be external. I don't know if the same applies to the Mac mini or not.
top & bottom of the mini mac look like plastic, so it will be able to send/receive since on the AL books there are allso plastic pieces next to the screen where the antennas are, since the G5 is all AL it blocks every signal, thats why the external port...
madrobby
macrumors regular
mfacey said:
Hmm, I do pro photo and video editing on a Titanium PowerBook with 1Ghz and 512MB of RAM. Photoshop and Final Cut Pro work flawlessly (so do Illustrator and InDesign). Of course, a Dual G5 would be faster, but my setup really works nicely. So I don't see why the Mac mini is only for "light" stuff.
Sharewaredemon
macrumors 68020
madrobby said:
Cause you can't run Motion, 😛
I agree with you on those points, but one problem with the G4 chip, is that although you can use it with almost all existing pro software, Final Cut Pro 5 and all those other pro apps are going to be REALLY optimised for the G5 and thus us people with the older G4's will not be able to take advantage of all of the features.
madrobby
macrumors regular
Sharewaredemon said:
True, no Motion for me. 🙁 OT: Any guess about new PowerMac models? I plan on getting one this year (preferably until March, when I'm doing this huge DVD project)... Would be nice to add Motion to my toolset... Or should I wait longer (Tiger included, maybe new version of production suite)? But that's 6 months or so from now... 😕
Sharewaredemon
macrumors 68020
madrobby said:
I know what you mean, it's so hard to look into the future when it comes to computers and software. I am in college right now and I am not doing anything video related, (for money) so I got the best least expensive eMac (1.25ghz, 160 gb hd 1 gb ram) and it runs the pro apps alright, but when I find myself considering a G5 I have to tell myself that by the time I am getting to the end of my degree, and I start thinking about going into video editing (I have 3 more years) video editing and computers will be so different, (though I except we will still be waiting for Longhorn 😛) and so I'm just saving money for whatever system will be available then.