[AleroLeanne]

If you purchase a new iBook from the Apple store, they come airport ready, correct? If that's true, then how come to add on an airport card while purchasing your iBook costs $158 (CDN), but to purchase a seperate airport card only costs $149 (CDN)? Are we paying Apple to stick it in the slot for us? Or am I missing something here?

[bleee]

Dunno you'll have to ask Apple why they priced it differently. I bought my airport card separately can't remember how much I paid for it now, but it works just the same =)

If you order separately from Apple you have to pay for shipping unless you buy it from a local retailer.

[ybalx]

I just bought an ibook and airport card from the apple retail store -- they wanted $30 (US) to install the card -- I did it myself without any problems. All you have to do is remove the keyboard and open the card spring clip, plug in the attenna and insert the card.

If you order it online, I don't believe they add the installation charge.

alx

[niji]

"airport ready" means that there is a slot inside the computer where the airport card, if you choose to buy one, fits.it basically is referring to the fact that they have the slot and the internal antenna available for aiport users.
"airport ready" does not mean that the machine has an in place airport card. paying apple to customize yr order is normal. actually, especially anything under the iBook keyboard is well worth having them do it rather than me.

[niji]

[AleroLeanne]

Okay, so the airport card slot for the iBook is actually inside the iBook?

So the iBook has to be taken apart to place the airport card in the slot?

I guess I could understand the extra charge for that. Although Apple is way overpriced in the first place. Thanks for your help guys!

[bleee]

Originally posted by AleroLeanne:
Okay, so the airport card slot for the iBook is actually inside the iBook?

So the iBook has to be taken apart to place the airport card in the slot?

I guess I could understand the extra charge for that. Although Apple is way overpriced in the first place. Thanks for your help guys!

Yes it's under the keyboard; there are 2 slats beside the esc and F12 button on the iBook keyboard. They are spring loaded so if you pull them back they pop back into place they keep the keyboard in place. There is also a keyboard lock beside the F6 button that is lock/unlock with a tiny jewelers screwdriver. In order to install the airport card you have to lift the keyboard up. There is full documentation on the apple support site and if you buy an airport card if comes with instructions too.

Also you must buy the 802.11b "Apple" airport card third party airport cards will not work/fit in the iBook.

[Commodus]

Originally posted by AleroLeanne:
If you purchase a new iBook from the Apple store, they come airport ready, correct? If that's true, then how come to add on an airport card while purchasing your iBook costs $158 (CDN), but to purchase a seperate airport card only costs $149 (CDN)? Are we paying Apple to stick it in the slot for us? Or am I missing something here?

You're pretty much paying for the installation, but as I understand it's not particularly difficult to do yourself (so long as you have that small screwdriver and follow instructions). You would flip up the keyboard if you were installing memory as well.

I would definitely hold off on an AirPort card until after MacWorld San Fran on Tuesday, since you might be able to get an 802.11g card (current cards, like most Wi-Fi cards, are 802.11b) and have the option of a much faster wireless connection.

And as an aside, with a PowerBook you can do something sneaky: if you get the unofficial 802.11b driver from SourceForge , a number of wireless network cards will work in OS X. That's how I got my Linksys WPC11 card going. The main catch is (apart from the unofficial nature of the drivers) that you need to have a PowerBook, since it's the only Mac with a general PC Card slot.