wireless/ethernet/firewire connection advice please

[zanyjany]

I have a old desktop (an early G4) which until recently was connected by ethernet to a linksys wireless router, but a recent thunderstorm apparently zapped the ethernet connection in the computer. I was told it isn't worth the cost of fixing it.

So at this point I am no longer able to connect that computer to my internet connection, or through the router to my laptop, scanner or printer.

S my questions are:

1) there is a wireless router that uses firewire connection and usb connections?
OR
2) is it possible or worthwhile to buy an airport card in the old G4? Do old G4s come airport card capable?

Thanks in advance for any advice - zj

 

[panoz7]

I can't answer either of your questions for sure as I don't have an old G4. I'd guess that there aren't firewire routers and that your G4 should be compatible with an original airport card. Those are expensive though.

I'd suggest putting in a new pci ethernet card. It should be alot cheaper. A quick google search found this site: http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/OSX/os_x_network_cards.html which lists mac compatible cards.

 

[zanyjany]

thanks for that info. i checked out the link - definitely interesting and a bit intimidating but sounds like a card could be worthwhile. i'll need to ask around to learn more what a pci ethernet card is - what exactly it does?

again THANKS - i am a complete newbie to this forum so this has been a great intro to a terrific resource!

- zj.

 

[panoz7]

thanks for that info. i checked out the link - definitely interesting and a bit intimidating but sounds like a card could be worthwhile. i'll need to ask around to learn more what a pci ethernet card is - what exactly it does?

again THANKS - i am a complete newbie to this forum so this has been a great intro to a terrific resource!

- zj.

Your computer has a few PCI slots. They are used for expansion cards. If your powermac is really old it has a PCI graphics card and 3 free PCI slots (one of is possibly filled with a modem). If it's newer then it has a AGP slot filled with a graphics card and 3 free PCI slots below that.

A PCI ethernet card, is just a card that fits into one of those slots and has an ethernet port on it. It will work exactly the same as the ethernet port that was built into your computer and fried.

MR is a great resource. Hang around here for a little bit and you'll learn all sorts of new stuff.

 

[cschreppel]

Yeah, the PCI option does seem the most logical as the older Airport cards are a.) a little pricey from what I remember and b.) are a bit weaker than most would like.

 

[zanyjany]

Your computer has a few PCI slots. They are used for expansion cards. If your powermac is really old it has a PCI graphics card and 3 free PCI slots (one of is possibly filled with a modem). If it's newer then it has a AGP slot filled with a graphics card and 3 free PCI slots below that.

A PCI ethernet card, is just a card that fits into one of those slots and has an ethernet port on it. It will work exactly the same as the ethernet port that was built into your computer and fried.

MR is a great resource. Hang around here for a little bit and you'll learn all sorts of new stuff.

BINGO! and THANKS (to both panoz7 and cschreppel)!

For sure I will be hanging around MR - feel like i have discovered a super resource. I have already learned exactly what I was hoping to and now I am off to see what kind of PCI ethernet card choices are out there. thanks again- zj