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Headshot · Jun 1, 2005, 03:39 PM

Can i network my new Bluetooth equipped PB 17" with my non Bluetooth G4 tower?
I want to update files and share back and forth, etc.

Networking with E-Net &/or Firewire is such a chore sometimes...

Thanks in advance!

Randman · Jun 1, 2005, 03:40 PM

You'd need a bluetooth dongle for the tower. Both Macs have to have bluetooth for a transfer.

tooki · Jun 1, 2005, 05:40 PM

You can, but it's really slow, and ethernet is no harder to set up, maybe easier.

tooki

Krusty · Jun 1, 2005, 10:39 PM

IMHO, you'd be better off just getting Airport or other 802.11g functionality for your tower rather than BT (PB should have it already). Speeds would be MUCH MUCH higher than BT and still have the benefit of a wireless connection.

Headshot · Jun 2, 2005, 12:05 AM

Originally Posted by Krusty

IMHO, you'd be better off just getting Airport or other 802.11g functionality for your tower rather than BT (PB should have it already). Speeds would be MUCH MUCH higher than BT and still have the benefit of a wireless connection.

Alright Krusty,

Now were talking! I figured the BT was great for small stuff like Palm crap and whatever, but wasn't sure about the data transfer rate.

So I just get an Airport Card, and my 2 Macs talk to each other? How does that work?
Can I mount HD's and so forth? Do I have to go to the Sharing Pref to set it up?

I've found the easiest most hassle-free way to transfer data is to shut down the PB, and Firewire them, reboot holding down the "T" button, and there's the automount.

I'd like to keep them both running though.

Thanks everyone!!!

Krusty · Jun 2, 2005, 12:58 AM

"Regular" BT maxes at 723kbps and 802.11g is 54Mbps (about 80x BT speeds).Here is one that should work with your G4 tower for 34 bucks.

Headshot · Jun 3, 2005, 12:11 AM

Alright, I got ahold of a DLink router, simple little device.
I don't have an Airport card in the Tower, so there aren't any Airport options available to me.

What next?

analogika · Jun 3, 2005, 02:58 AM

If your D-Link router doesn't have wireless, and your PowerMac's Ethernet port isn't already blocked by a DSL connection, then you don't need the router.

You can just hook up the Powerbook to the PowerMac via Ethernet - configuration is exactly the same, and you've metioned that you don't want to do that for whatever reason.

Krusty · Jun 4, 2005, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by Headshot

Alright, I got ahold of a DLink router, simple little device.
I don't have an Airport card in the Tower, so there aren't any Airport options available to me.

What next?

Did you click on the link I put in my last post ? Its a link for a wireless card that you can put into your G4 tower that cost less than a wireless router and nominally more than a bluetooth dongle. In other words, there are Airport options available to you but you'd have to go buy something since your G4 Tower does not have it already.

Basically here are your options:
If you leave the G4 alone and your dlink router is not wireless:
You will have to connect the PB and tower through a land cable somehow
If your dlink does have wireless:
then you'll have to connect the Tower to it from a cable and the laptop to it wirelessly.

If you go purchase a wireless card for the G4 (it doesn't have to be an Apple brand "Airport" card, any 802.11g card (like the one I linked to) should work.
Then you will be able to create an add hoc wireless network between the PB and Tower as described in the help file page I posted
If you purchase a wireless card for the tower and the dlink is a wireless router,
then you can connect both devices through the router and let the router arbitrate the connection between them.

Tell us if the dlink is a wireless router and that will answer the questions about what can be done for setup.