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Cave Man · Jan 30, 2007, 02:18 PM

Greetings all - first post here.

I have an iMac Core 2 Duo that has the 802.11n card and a Mac Mini
Core Duo that presumably only has the 'g' card. Are the cards in these
machines swapable? My iMac is conneceted by ethernet cable to my AEBS,
thus I don't use its Airport Card, while my Mac Mini is my media
center mac for my home theater. I'm planning on buying the Apple TV
and replacing my AEBS with the new one when it is available. I'd like
all three (mini, ATV, AEBS) to all have n cards for maximum bandwidth.

TIA

quiklee · Jan 30, 2007, 02:32 PM

we could attach a usb wireless n card to the mac mini's right? does anyone know if that would work?

pra9ab0y · Jan 30, 2007, 02:58 PM

should do...

t500 · Jan 30, 2007, 08:25 PM

Can the new N cards be used in other intel macs? Could be a new market for apple to sell some cards...After all they are no longer just a computer company.

shifuimam · Jan 31, 2007, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by Cave Man

Greetings all - first post here.

I have an iMac Core 2 Duo that has the 802.11n card and a Mac Mini
Core Duo that presumably only has the 'g' card. Are the cards in these
machines swapable? My iMac is conneceted by ethernet cable to my AEBS,
thus I don't use its Airport Card, while my Mac Mini is my media
center mac for my home theater. I'm planning on buying the Apple TV
and replacing my AEBS with the new one when it is available. I'd like
all three (mini, ATV, AEBS) to all have n cards for maximum bandwidth.

TIA

If the Mac Mini and the iMac C2D both use a miniPCI-e wireless card (which is likely, considering they did that with the miniPCI wireless G card), you should be able to switch them without any issue.

If the Mac Mini uses a miniPCI card, that's a different size from the N-capable card, and you won't be able to switch them.

Easiest thing to do is to open up both computers and have a look. You'll void the warranty on them, though...

ghporter · Jan 31, 2007, 10:01 AM

Will. Not. Work. The "N" cards need THREE antennas, and these are NOT present in any of the Core Duo computers. While I'm not sure about the card's data/power connection, the antenna connection is very clear and very crucial. Sorry, but it won't work.

shifuimam · 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Will. Not. Work. The "N" cards need THREE antennas, and these are NOT present in any of the Core Duo computers. While I'm not sure about the card's data/power connection, the antenna connection is very clear and very crucial. Sorry, but it won't work.

See, I'd read elsewhere that the third antenna was for the dual-band operation of the card - 2.8GHz and 5GHz, and that you didn't explicitly need functionality on both bands for the card to work...

Not only that, but you could probably add a third antenna yourself pretty easily. All you need is the right wire, which you could pull from another Mac.

<edit>
Also, if Intel's new draft-n miniPCI-e wireless card is any indication of the technology, it employs "Antenna Diversity", defined as "On-board diversity support for systems designed with two or three antennas".

Has anyoned actually tried to put a draft-N card into a non-N Mac to see if it works?
</edit>

Cave Man · Jan 31, 2007, 10:56 AM

Thanks for the replies. I was hoping that someone was crazy enough to have tried this. It looks like I'll have to do some experimenting.

I've already cracked open the Mini install memory and a new HD, but not the iMac. I had checked the web for any references to the mini's airport card to see if it's the same as the Atheros in the iMacs, but could not find anything on it. I suspect it's not, thus the idea of the swap. I'll also be mindful of the three antennas - they may be prohibitive.