So I decided to open up my old PowerMac G4 to give it another look since I've been thinking about finally putting it to use as a server and I noticed this thing sticking out and I have no idea what it is. It looks like it may screw into something.
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What is this little wire sticking out inside my PowerMac G4?
- Thread starter macuser1232
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That's a wire to the wifi antenna. It would normally be connected to the Airport card inside the machine (if you have one).
Ah, that's right! That's why my progress was halted in this little server project! Haha, thanks guys.
Since you mentioned "server project" I feel compelled to offer a small word of warning.
These original Airport cards are easy to find now, but limited in utility. Under OS 9, they only support WEP encryption. Under OS X(later versions, but I know 10.4 and 10.5) you can get WPA, but only TKIP encryption. In all cases, speeds are 802.11b at the max.
I can't tell from your photo, but it looks like a Sawtooth or Gigabit Ethernet. If it's a Sawtooth, get a GigE card and throw it in. Otherwise, just use a wired connection.
If you must use wireless, look for an 802.11g PCI card with an Airport Extreme compatible chipset. Motorola makes(made?) one that I've used a bunch, although I don't recall the part number offhand. These are plug and play under OS X(I think 10.3 and later) and give you access to all the most current encryption types. They are recognized natively as an Airport Extreme card, so there's no messing around with drivers or 3rd party controls. Unfortunately, these are dead under OS 9.
If you must use OS 9, use wired networking if at all possible.
These original Airport cards are easy to find now, but limited in utility. Under OS 9, they only support WEP encryption. Under OS X(later versions, but I know 10.4 and 10.5) you can get WPA, but only TKIP encryption. In all cases, speeds are 802.11b at the max.
I can't tell from your photo, but it looks like a Sawtooth or Gigabit Ethernet. If it's a Sawtooth, get a GigE card and throw it in. Otherwise, just use a wired connection.
If you must use wireless, look for an 802.11g PCI card with an Airport Extreme compatible chipset. Motorola makes(made?) one that I've used a bunch, although I don't recall the part number offhand. These are plug and play under OS X(I think 10.3 and later) and give you access to all the most current encryption types. They are recognized natively as an Airport Extreme card, so there's no messing around with drivers or 3rd party controls. Unfortunately, these are dead under OS 9.
If you must use OS 9, use wired networking if at all possible.
You'd be correct. It's a Sawtooth model. I've got 10.4 currently running on it. The problem with ethernet is that I don't have anymore ports in my house, so wireless would be the best. Thanks for the wireless card suggestion! I was about to begin a long journey in search for the best/correct one to get. Now that I have a specific name I should be good. Now to find the best price.
The specific card I've used is the Motorola WPCI810G . There may be others that will work-I just know for a fact that this one does.
I can usually find them for $10-15 on Ebay.
BTW, upgrading to 10.5 will likely serve you well if you have both Windows and Macs on the network.
I can usually find them for $10-15 on Ebay.
BTW, upgrading to 10.5 will likely serve you well if you have both Windows and Macs on the network.
If you want to use your Sawtooth as a file server, 802.11g will feel very slow. You may use a 802.11n or 802.11ac access point which connects by Ethernet (if your current Wifi router and other computers can handle 802.11n or ac).
Due to space constraints, I'm currently running my Xserve G5 via one of the above-mentioned Motorola cards.
It's okay for Time Machine, and also does the rare video encoding job I do just fine, but VNC is painful to use on it due to the connection speed. Since I don't have a video card in it, most of the time when I need to do much with it I haul a laptop(whether an MBP or Powerbook) into the closet and use ethernet for VNC.
About all I ever do with VNC over WiFi is check on the status of a job/process or shut it down.
How does the 802.11n or 802.11ac access point work? I need one of those airport cards but I connect with ethernet instead of wireless?
The Access point has the wireless radio in it and is effectively configured as a wireless bridge. You then connect the AP to the mac via Ethernet.
I got a free Wireless booster from my ISP, that does the same trick. So I can get N speeds and modern encryption. Only issue is you need to be near some power...
I got a free Wireless booster from my ISP, that does the same trick. So I can get N speeds and modern encryption. Only issue is you need to be near some power...