[BLuRR]

Greetings PCWorld! I have been hanging around the PC half of the forums, but I also work with Macs. First off, RIP Steve Jobs, anytime I think anything Mac I will think of him.

Anyways, so I am going to be given a Powermac G5 (2003, 80G HD Model) and I do not have a router near my area of use. I have wireless in the house. I will need hopefully a current USB Wireless Adapter or something the like to use, and maybe get some old drivers or something. I would prefer BestBuy/Electronics stores or I can do NewEgg also. TigerDirect would be OK too but would prefer if a local store like BestBuy had something I could just run and grab.

I read about a wireless card (I think) that you can install, but that sounded expensive!

Thanks everyone!

[smax013]

BLuRR, on 06 October 2011 - 06:15 PM, said:

Greetings PCWorld! I have been hanging around the PC half of the forums, but I also work with Macs. First off, RIP Steve Jobs, anytime I think anything Mac I will think of him.

Anyways, so I am going to be given a Powermac G5 (2003, 80G HD Model) and I do not have a router near my area of use. I have wireless in the house. I will need hopefully a current USB Wireless Adapter or something the like to use, and maybe get some old drivers or something. I would prefer BestBuy/Electronics stores or I can do NewEgg also. TigerDirect would be OK too but would prefer if a local store like BestBuy had something I could just run and grab.

I read about a wireless card (I think) that you can install, but that sounded expensive!

Thanks everyone!

There is an AirPort (Apple's name for WiFi) Extreme card that was available for it. The PowerMac G5 has a built-in slot (and potentially the antenna depending on the version of the G5) for use with it.

But, Apple no longer sells that part. You might find it on some third party sites or used on a site like eBay. I believe this is the correct AirPort card: http://www.amazon.co...d/dp/B0000899ZB

Your other choice would be a USB adapter. I believe most adapters should work, but I don't know for sure. If you buy from a local store with a good return policy (i.e. will let you return it for any reason without charging you some "restocking fee"), then you could take the approach of try one and see if it will work.

If you are willing to buy online, then this site has USB WiFi adapters that are known to work with Macs. They are part way down the page:

http://eshop.macsale.../shop/wireless/

[BLuRR]

Thanks a ton. I will look into that. I don't want to try to put in the AirPort except as a last resort. I will take a look at your suggestions though, thank you a bunch!

[smax013]

BLuRR, on 06 October 2011 - 08:04 PM, said:

Thanks a ton. I will look into that. I don't want to try to put in the AirPort except as a last resort. I will take a look at your suggestions though, thank you a bunch!

It would not be hard to install the AirPort card if you wanted to go that route. It would likely one of the most expensive, if not the most expensive, options...assuming you can actually find one since it has long be officially discontinued. On the plus side, you would not have to "waste" a USB port. But, if you are really using many USB ports, then that would not be an issue.

BTW, the other option would be to setup some sort of WiFi "bridge" that you could then connect using the ethernet port or even consider a "powerline" networking option.

[BLuRR]

Yeah I don't really want to invest more than 30$ into this if can be done.

Setting up another Wifi spot is a good idea, you mean get a different wireless modem and set that up as a bridge? I can likely get my hands on one for free and I have ethernet cables so I could do that. I have no idea how to go about doing that, though I am sure I could do it, what exactly would I need to do?

[smax013]

BLuRR, on 08 October 2011 - 08:51 AM, said:

Yeah I don't really want to invest more than 30$ into this if can be done.

Setting up another Wifi spot is a good idea, you mean get a different wireless modem and set that up as a bridge? I can likely get my hands on one for free and I have ethernet cables so I could do that. I have no idea how to go about doing that, though I am sure I could do it, what exactly would I need to do?

You would need to find a WiFi router (or Access Point) that can go into "bridge mode" and thus effective be able to join your current WiFi network.

In my case, since I use an Apple Time Capsule, I can use an AirPort Express to "extend" my wireless network to parts of my house that have a weak signal (I have a MAJORLY big masonry chimney in the middle of the house that kind of blocks the signal to the front of the house). It also allows me to hook up speakers to it and stream music from my computers, my iPod Touch, or my AppleTV to it. And lastly, I should be able to connect a wired device to its single ethernet port and have that wired device be on the network. In other words, it can act as a bridge, an extender, and a wireless speaker (if I hook up speakers to it). I could also connect a USB printer to it and have a network printer in my living room.

There are plenty of routers that will offer this type of mode. The above is just one example.

Now, depending on the one that you get for free, you might be able to flash a new third party firmware on it and gain that ability. There are is at least one third party firmware for some Linksys routers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DD-WRT) that will allow for bridged mode. So, if you know brand and model that you can get for free, then we can likely help you figure out if it can use a bridge mode either natively or by flashing a third party firmware.