Wireless?

[rdowns]

Just got an iBook and paint drying on the walls in my bedroom. Looking at the mess of cabling and thinking of going wireless. Well, at least some of the cable mess would disappear.

Looking for some suggestions.

I have the iBook, a G3/600 iMac and A toshiba laptop with a PC Card slot. Also have an Epson C82 but I don't think that can go wireless. Might also want to adsd an old personal LaserWriter to the mix. I had ordered an Ethernet solution for it but the vendor cancelled my order due to being out of stock.

What exactly would I need to buy? I'm assuming since I have the iBook, Apple is my only solution unless I go with some dongle type device. Help!!

 

[MoparShaha]

AirPort cards are you only solution for the computers themselves. You are free to buy any type of 802.11b or 802.11g wireless router or access point though. You do not need an Apple AirPort Base Station.

 

[iShater]

Get any 802.11b or 802.11g wireless router or access point (do a search on recommendations for makes), Airport cards for your Macs, PCMCIA wireless card for your PC, and wireless print server for your printer (if it supports USB, and this is expensive). And you should be set.

This kind of setup will likely set you back a few hundred dollars though.

 

[pinto32]

You can get an 802.11b router for about 30-40 bucks, and the PCMCIA card for about the same (Best Buy has been giving good deals lately). Apple sells refurb Airport cards (NOT the extreme) for 60, if I remember right. Personally, I wouldnt worry about the printers, since, if you wanna print something, you can just carry your laptops over to it.

 

[TEG]

A cheaper solution.

Hook up the iMac through ethernet to your 'net connection. Install an Airport Card in the iBook and the iMac. Buy a 801.11b PC card for the Toshiba. Set up the iMac to act as a base station. (You should leave it on all the time to keep the connection open, and don't let it go to sleep.)

Instantly the iBook should work with the new network. If you have Win98SE or above, you can use Apple's Airport software, in conjunction with the card's software. You should have no problem getting this to work.

Also, this can allow you to "serve" the printer to all the machines.

TEG

 

[iKwak]

Wireless router is getting cheaper..thank goodness.

 

[rdowns]

Thank you for the feedback.