[regello]

I'm stumped when it comes to finding out what I need to make my PowerMac G5 (bought last March) accessible to the wireless network in the office where I work. I thought the wireless stuff automatically came with the G5 but guess I was dreaming. I'm also am getting a PC and have a Thinkpad laptop I need to make accessible to this office network. Can anyone tell me what components (at least, for the PowerMac) I need to buy, and if I need an expert to install them? (It would also be nice to get the three machines networking together but not essential, especially if it costs a lot more and requires an advanced course in Calculus.) Any help would be appreciated.

[dimmer]

You need one of these: http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL...lm=M8881LL%2FA
for the Mac. It's a easy install, akin to adding RAM.

For the PC's, you can get 802.11 cards in PCMCIA (laptop) and PCI (desktop) flavors. I prefer to use USB devices, as they work with both and are more "portable" in that sense.

Hope that helps!

[RJGill842]

I think the AirPort line of products is just a bunch of useless hoopla and overly high prices. AirPort uses the regular old 802.11g standard - which is just that, a STANDARD. Any 802.11g device will work in your Mac, atleast from my experience. I have a Buffalo LinkStation PCI card ($29.00 at Best Buy) in my PowerMac G4, and an AirPort Extreme in my PowerBook G4 laptop, both connect to a LinkSys WRT54G wireless router flawlessly. Your G5 has PCI slots and the Buffalo card will work just fine, the model is as follows:

Buffalo Turbo G Desktop PCI Adapter Model WLI2-PCI-G545

As for the router, I would also eschew AirPort and go with the LinkSys WRT54G wireless G router - which runs about $69.99 @ Best Buy.

RJGill

[ghporter]

AirPort is BUILT FOR THE MAC. It's supported through the OS and is guaranteed to work with your Mac. And an AirPort Express card isn't that expensive. Using a third party device depends on having Mac drivers. Often that's a crap shoot.

[RJGill842]

The Buffalo card that I am using requires no 3rd party driver, it was as simple as plug and play. Doesn't really matter if AirPort is "Mac Specific" - the thing that actually does the work is 802.11g compliant parts - they are the same as any other 802.11g manufacturer, which is why it is called a STANDARD. Interoperability is a key in things like 802.11. Personally, I have better signal quality with NON Apple wireless products. - RJGill

[MacBook91]

if you have a wireless card already installed in your iMac G5 then you can get airport or a wireless router. (if wireless router then you will need a modem as well) . if no card then get an airport extreme card for your iMac and install it, (very easy)

i agree with RJGill842 - better signals with non apple products!

[Gossamer]

Originally Posted by RJGill842

The Buffalo card that I am using requires no 3rd party driver, it was as simple as plug and play. Doesn't really matter if AirPort is "Mac Specific" - the thing that actually does the work is 802.11g compliant parts - they are the same as any other 802.11g manufacturer, which is why it is called a STANDARD. Interoperability is a key in things like 802.11. Personally, I have better signal quality with NON Apple wireless products. - RJGill

You're not quite right. There are tons of 802.11g compliant devices that do NOT work with the Mac, because they use a different chipset. ghporter is right, getting Mac drivers is quite often a crapshoot, I've dealt with this many times in the past. The advantage of AirPort is that all the support is built right in. There are some wireless devices that use the same or similar chipsets as the AirPort cards use, so they are recognized as such and work flawlessly. There are other devices that don't.
Before buying any wireless devices, be sure that there are Mac drivers out there, and maybe even install them to make sure you don't get any kext conflicts. That happened with the Dlink DWL-122 drivers, even though they're Mac specific. Just be careful and do your research.