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Any 802.11N upgrade card exists for powerbooks?
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Mac Elite
Join Date: May 2002
Location: SoCal
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Does any 802.11N wireless upgrade card exists for powerbooks, specifically the internal varieties?
Thanks.
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I, ASIMO.
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Administrator  Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
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Simple answer, "NO." Complicated answer" the internal PowerBook AirPort card is the original, modified "PC card" form factor device. Note the "modified" wording; it's not just a regular PC card because it has no built-in antenna (among a few other things). Also, I don't know of many "N" PC card form factor wireless cards; I don't know if any exist at all.
USB may be an option, especially if your PB has USB ports, but still they'd be USB 1.1 at best, right? I think your best option would be to get a small and portable WiFi bridge or game adapter (which are basically the same sort of device).
Other people may have more info for you on options, but I doubt that they'll have a real "internal" option for you.
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Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
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Moderator  Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Jose, CA
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As stated, the answer is "no." The older machines do not have the antenna infrastructure to support 802.11n. It's simply not possible. There may be external solutions (USB stick or PC card) that may work for you if you must have 802.11n.
Steve
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Celebrating 10 years and 4000 posts on MacNN!
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Mac Elite
Join Date: May 2002
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Thank you, gents. I figured it was more complicated than just fabricating a compatible card. Still, I figured that an antenna would be just an antenna, and that the brunt of the work was in making upgrade cards that would fit the various form factors...which upon further thought would still be a harry predicament considering the ever-changing internals of laptops, particularly macs.
Are you aware of any laptop (not just macs) that is upgradeable in this internal fashion?
Thank you.
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I, ASIMO.
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Moderator Emeritus
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There are a few N pc card form factor devices available.
None have good driver support for Macintosh.
The antennae are no issue, the built in antennae for an older mac can work just fine (same 2.4ghz band, and you can get by with one antennae, where two are better.
The best thing for you to do is get a USB stick though. You could go through the hassle of getting an N card, breaking off the antennae, soldering on an antennae port... but it's so much effort, for so little reward.
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I'm very surprised that anyone has gone to the trouble to build a PC card solution (supporting "legacy" hardware) for an N adapter (future hardware). Not that I'm troubled-especially if there are OS X drivers for the thing-just surprised. Thanks, tinkered.
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Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
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Mac Elite
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Thank you again, gents.
Yeah, I do think it odd that there isn't a version for Macbook Pros. I would think that there is a larger market for them than for Powerbooks.
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I, ASIMO.
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Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001
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All MBPs have N support built in. Why would anyone produce such a product?
Steve
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Celebrating 10 years and 4000 posts on MacNN!
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Mac Elite
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Originally Posted by ibook_steve 
All MBPs have N support built in. Why would anyone produce such a product?
Steve
D'oh! Goes to show you how out of touch I am with the latest and greatest mac notebooks. Thanks for the note.
Still loving my 12" Powerbook G4. Just wish it were a pound or two lighter like the Air.
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I, ASIMO.
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