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What is the oldest Mac that you have successfully connected to the internet?

ptdebate

ptdebate

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 3, 2014
333
4
Dallas, Texas
Given that one of the major themes of this forum is pushing old hardware to its limits, I was curious about users' success connecting old Macs (even pre-PowerPC) to the modern Internet.

I have a PowerBook 5300c running System 7.5 that I'm working on getting connected to my home wireless network. All I really need at this point is a way to get the drivers installed (which--if they won't fit on a floppy--requires, ironically, an internet connection--or perhaps a USB PC card). I will update you all on my success or failure.

So now I'll open the floor to you all. What's the oldest Mac you have successfully connected to the internet in any usable way? Please post pictures and videos for proof! :D
 
I have read articles of people getting internet on a macintosh classic with adapters.
 
The oldest Mac i got online was a 233MHz PowerMac G3 Beige Desktop. I posted a post or two on MR on it.
 
PowerMac 6500 and 7300, both running OS9 and Classila, although I prefer Netscape Communicator.

Both are post 1996 system so ethernet ports on those Macs came standard.

My IIci has a 10-Base-T NuBus card though. And there is a 10-Base-T/ethernet switch here at work. At some point I'll probably be able to get the IIci online as well whenever I get around to it.
 
Mine was a PowerBook G3 Wallstreet 2. I plan to try and get online with my 7300 being that it is the oldest system that I have with an ethernet plug. The 8500 I don't think I got the internet setup correctly, thus it didn't work on there. Anyway, I'll probably have some fun with that machine today being that I just got it and I'll post back if I get it up and running
 
I actually use my 9600 semi-regularly. It's not too bad with Classilla.

I did have my 7100 connected once briefly. That's part of the first generation of PPC Macs.

I've been meaning to at least try on my Quadra 700. It has an AAUI port, and I have several AAUI-ethernet adapters so that part's no problem. I need to just get a OS 7.5.5 browser, and installing it will be a bit complicated unless I can get around to rebuilding the floppy drive.
 
The oldest I bothered taking online was a Mainstreet. I considered doing the same with a Kanga or a 5300 but given their limited RAM there seemed little point with today's bloated internet.
 
My PowerBook 540c from 1994. It still works!
(but internet wasn't really that fun on it... a bit slow. :D)
 
Here's my proof, sorry for the bad quality, I have no idea why it is so bad
 

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poiihy said:
The oldest Mac i got online was a 233MHz PowerMac G3 Beige Desktop. I posted a post or two on MR on it.
Click to expand...

Same here. PowerMacintosh G3 Desktop, 20Gb hard drive 224Mb Ram, running Os 9.2.2 and briefly i had 10.2.8 on it. Ethernet connection.
 
Define "successfully" :rolleyes:
(Those of you who know me know my frustration of PPC Macs' difficulty handling the modern web due to Flash and Java incompatibilities.)

For me it would be a 1Ghz TiBook G4, running OS 9.2.2. I got it to connect via ethernet no problem, but wifi is a bit of a hassle. That said, once online, the internet is a very slow and cumbersome experience, even using Classila. Even under OS X, using TenFourFox the internet is subpar experience. The G5 perks things up over my TiBook (1ghz, 512mb RAM, stock 4200 rpm HD), but is quite "leisurely" ;) compared to Intel macs that can appropriately run Java and Flash. It's too bad the developers left PPC in the dark, they're otherwise still very capable computers. In most other day-to-day tasks* I can barely discern between a G5 and my Core i5 rMBP or Quad 2.8 Xenon Mac Pro. I'm sure if I put an SSD in my G5, the difference would be even less apparent.

*day to day tasks for me does not include video encryption, high performance gaming, etc

A couple weeks ago I was home and had access to my Newton MessagePad 120 (1996?). For fun I sent a fax to myself to test out the external modem. It doesn't quite count as the internet, but it's close.
 
I agree with you totally, Ari.

The fact that my 1Ghz, 256mb RAM iPad 1 is a champ on the Internet compared to a 2 GHz G4 tower with 1.5GB RAM is a testament to just how completely the PPC platform was abandoned by developers.
 
I had a PowerMac 7200 running System 7.5 hooked up to the internet via a 28.8 modem in the late 90s, and later using OS 8.6 and Ethernet via a (then new and very expensive) router. Installed a cache RAM module into that machine and it made a massive difference.

In those days, frames were cutting edge technology, Flash didn't exist and video was the size of a postage stamp and took 15+ minutes to download.

Flashed a Voodoo 3 PCI for that machine, still got it somewhere...
 
Depends on how you define "on the internet"...

I used to use a Macintosh SE/30 with an Ethernet card in my dining room as my "morning news and email" computer. (Back around 1999-2000.)

I've had my Centris 650 running A/UX on my home network, and downloaded packages via FTP.

My PowerBook Duo 230 with an EtherDock works somewhat respectably with iCab.

But if you have a really loose definition of "on the internet" that includes using a serial cable and serial terminal software connected to a Linux box, running a text-mode web browser - I have had my 1983-serial-number original Macintosh "online"...
 
Anonymous Freak said:
Depends on how you define "on the internet"...

I used to use a Macintosh SE/30 with an Ethernet card in my dining room as my "morning news and email" computer. (Back around 1999-2000.)

I've had my Centris 650 running A/UX on my home network, and downloaded packages via FTP.

My PowerBook Duo 230 with an EtherDock works somewhat respectably with iCab.

But if you have a really loose definition of "on the internet" that includes using a serial cable and serial terminal software connected to a Linux box, running a text-mode web browser - I have had my 1983-serial-number original Macintosh "online"...
[url=http://i.imgur.com/B1a42Wrm.jpg]Image[/url]
Click to expand...


I'd say that counts, thus you are the record holder on here for oldest Mac on the Internet. Apple ][ could never being that it just is simply impossible to even access a text-based website (as far as I know it's not possible, but I have no clue). That being said, a IIGS can, however that was released in 86 and your Mac is from 83/84, so you currently hold the record in the post!
 
My greatest achievement is hosting an AppleShare server on my Macintosh 512Ke, then forwarding that share over FTP to the outside world. Then using an FTP Web server I can upload files to it's 800KB floppy drive from my iPhone over 3G, or my Playstation 3 over wifi. Thats 2015 software inadvertently interacting with 1986 technology. I can even take a picture on my iPhone and upload it as a gif, and then straight away view it in 8bit black and white on a lovely 7inch display. You can see some of my projects on my website.

Kind of funny to hit 'upload' in iOS 8 and then see an 800KB floppy drive/HD20 spring into noisy life!

The oldest Mac I have that can surf the net by itself, is my Power Macintosh 8600/250. My next project might be to forward IP over AppleTalk and get my PowerBook 140 online! :D
 
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My oldest Mac(that I have gotten online) is my PowerBook G4, the one in my bio.:)

I am trying to get the PowerBook 540 on the internet, but its a W.I.P:confused:.

I doubt the B&W screen will be able to go on any webpages though.:p
 
My oldest was a Mac SE FDHD with 4 megs RAM running double-booting System 6.0.8 & System 7.1 (using SystemSwitcher), using MacTCP over AppleShare on a modem-port LocalTalk connection to a Performa 630 DOS using a crossover ethernet cable to a PowerMac G4 that was connected via WiFi to a PowerMac G5 connected to a DSL modem. It worked quite well, albeit slow, once I worked the kinks out. I eventually sold both the Performa and the Mac SE to collectors.
 
The oldest I've personally set up is a B&W G3 (I did have an Outrigger G3 at one point but I don't think I ever connected it). The oldest that I've actually used is harder to say... but it was in the Netscape 1 timeframe (1994/95). I couldn't say whether it was 68k or PPC though; I didn't know much about Macs back then!
 
Nermal said:
The oldest I've personally set up is a B&W G3 (I did have an Outrigger G3 at one point but I don't think I ever connected it).
Click to expand...

A maxed out Outrigger(or Minitower) is actually not a bad web browsing machine, at least with Classilla. My "hotrod" one has 768mb of RAM, a 7200rpm hard drive, and a 400mhz processor from a B&W that I overclocked slightly to 433mhz(the 66mhz system bus means that you can't get exactly 400mhz-you have to either underclock it or overclock it). I'm thinking I may throw a Radeon 7000 in it(I'm currently using a Rage 128). I'm also tempted to install a SCSI ZIP drive and then put a second hard drive on the secondary ATA bus to install Tiger on. I actually use mine on the internet all the time, and when I take it in to my office and set it up as an exam writing machine

I'm probably going to get it connected to the wired ethernet. I probably should get a combo USB/FW card for it(I currently am using two separate cards) so that I can put a 10/100 card in it. I even have a Gigabit card lying around that I might try in it(it was in the rackmount Digital Audio, but was causing Leopard to KP on booting so I removed it). Of course, the PCI bus is going to be a bottleneck to getting full GigE speeds, especially considering that the GigE card I have is 64 bit and the beige G3s only have 32 bit slots.

A B&W is even better on the internet thanks to its greater RAM capacity(1gb), faster FSB(100mhz) and the dedicated 66mhz graphics bus. 10.4 will also install directly on them without using a helper or other "tricks" so that you can use TFF. That's not to mention the fact that you can plug an Extended II(or any other ADB peripheral) directly into one without using an adapter-as far as I know they are the only computers that can natively run 10.4 and also have a discreet ADB port.
 
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