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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 3, 2007 - 07:56am PT
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Firstly, I find that I get better responses to Mac queries on the Taco Stand than I do on a couple of the Mac forums I have gone to, hence I start this thread because I know there are some Mac people on the Taco Stand. Someday I will start a climbing thread.
Okay, so I finally got my new flat screen monitor to recognise my G4 (it was a resolution issue as some Supertopians suggested).
I then got hooked up with broadband and the provider (Perlico) sent me a wireless modem. The first time it has to be wired into the phone line, then they tell me it can be wireless after that.
However, it appears that I need AirPort to use the wireless modem, at least the tech guy at Perlico said that.
When I click on AirPort in the Apple menu it says “No AirPort card installed. Status unavailable.”
So I guess I have to get an AirPort card. If so, is it easily installed? What about one of those AirPort base stations? What else will I have to do, ie software etc?
The G4 is one of the earlier ones and has a 400 MHz processor and runs OS 9.2.
Thanks for any advice offered.
Cheers
Patrick
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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IF you can boost that unit to OSX, a lot of things will be easier. You definately need the card in the 'puter. Airport talks to most wireless rigs.
Stzz-I don't think he said it was a powerbook, maybe one of thos big blue flipsides, still intimidating to go under the skin the first time,though.
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Hardman Knott
Gym climber
Muir Woods National Monument, Mill Valley, Ca
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Patrick - thanks for FINALLY telling us the processor speed of the machine!!!
This is very important because it reveals what components are (or are knott) on board.
For a good example, the 400 Mhz G4 tower (PCI) used the original Airport card, not the
Airport Extreme. They stopped making the original cards long ago, but can be found
on Ebay for twice the price of the newer cards. Expect to pay $55.00 to $75.00.
Whatever you do, do KNOTT buy one of those USB wireless adaptors, even if
they are Mac-compatible. They are an unholy PITA (as the Mac forums reveal).
Is it really necessary to have the Tower wireless? Doesn't that modem come with a 25 foot
phone line and a 6 foot ethernet cable? Why knott just plug into one of the router ports directly???
If you are considering upgrading to OS X as Jaybro suggested, please don't do it on
the original 10GB hard drive. Get a faster 7500 RPM drive of decent capacity and life will be good.
Also, although it is possible to run OS X on 128 MB of RAM, it runs much better with at least 512 MB.
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Hardman Knott
Gym climber
Muir Woods National Monument, Mill Valley, Ca
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stzzo - I posted my response when Jaybro's was the last post, and it appeared as the next post.
Now your post is showing with a much earlier time-stamp (after I made a couple edits). WTF?
Obviously, I wouldn't have wasted my time and mentioned using an ethernet cable (redundant).
Was my post showing when you made your post?
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 3, 2007 - 12:23pm PT
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Thanks you all for the advice. My G4 is a tower.
Yes it is a wireless router that I have from the broadband provider, Perlico. So I guess I have to find an AirPort card.
I use OS X in the office but I am content to stick with OS 9.2 at home, where until I was given the G4 and had it up and running, I was working on my Performa 6200 that I brought over to Ireland 12 years ago. It is OS 7.2, so you can imagine that I don’t mind being a bit behind the times.
Hardman Knott, I was under the impression that the G4s shipped with AirPort cards, but mine doesn’t have one nor does the remaining G4 in the office. I have been running a phone line from the jack in the hall into my (home) office (about 15 feet), with the router on the desk and connected to the G4 with an Ethernet cable. It would just be nice knott to have the telephone cable running through the hall and I don’t want to run it along the skirting boards or anything.
Also, since I mainly use a PC for the internet in the office, as I have not had a phone line or home internet access for some time, what is a good browser for the Mac besides Safari, unless I can download Safari for OS 9.2, which I will look into. What about Firefox or Netscape?
Again, thank you all for your advice.
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Hardman Knott
Gym climber
Muir Woods National Monument, Mill Valley, Ca
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Patrick - the G4 towers never came with Airport cards. They were optional (or upgrades).
Most Apple machines didn't come with wireless as standard until 2005.
My 20" 2 Ghz iMac G5 (rev b, May '05) was the first iMac to have Airport built in.
9.2 will run way faster than OS X on that machine as is, but the option is always there.
Edit: I just remembered this - running OS 9 on the Macbook:
http://www.oceandave.com/Sheepshaver_intel.mov (562 KB)
Recognize the desktop photo?
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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You can get an airport card for $50-$75 online or ebay. They sell these USB wireless dohickies that will also work even cheaper on ebay.
An Airport extreme card won't work in you machine, don't go there.
Much newer and better machines are now cheap used, consider an upgrade for christmas
Peace
karl
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