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O.T. – Wireless Connection
I’m following up with my questions on creating a home editing workstation. You guys/girls are the ones that can give me the best advise.
I’m about to enter the wireless connection world with my G5. Yeah I know, I’ve been in the stone age. I’m at a lost on what to buy to make this happen. What is the best quality (Speed and Security) for a wireless connection at my home? I’m on a PowerMac G5. Do I just buy a wireless router? If so, what kind? Do I need to go the AirPort Extreme route? Don’t know much about it. In fact, take it that I know nothing.
So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I’m giving up my room with the phone jack for my daughter so please help a dad willing to sacrifice his space. 🙂
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6 Replies
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I have a two year old LinkSys router that works just fine with all our macs. You just need to ensure the router has the same specs as your airport cards, it’s something like 802.11g.
I have the router connected to our cable modem and we run up to 5 Macs off of it and clients can easily connect with their laptop PC’s as well.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
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I don’t have an Airport Card. What is that? I heard the name but never looked into it. I have to buy an Airport Card as well? Which do you suggest, if there are options?
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Go to APPLE MENU -> ABOUT THIS MAC -> MORE INFO -> AIRPORT CARD
It probably says “No information found” right? Towers don’t come with wireless unless you added it on at purchase time, which I’m betting you’d remember.
Go to the Apple store online and search for “AirPort Extreme Card” in the search bar. NOW, before you buy, get out your manual for the computer (or download it from Apple.com) and make sure that you computer can take that type of card. I’m nearly positive it can, but I’m not the one spending the money. You should double check. Once you get that card, you put it inside your computer following the directions in the computer manual.
As for the other end, what’s going on there? How do you connect to the internet now? And what type of computer does your daughter use? Basically you just need a wireless router (I suggest the NETGEAR brand) but exactly what you get might depend on the answers to those questions. I know the Airport card advice is good on that end, but fill us in a little more on the other end of the connection.
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Thanks. Correct, no information found in my AirPort Card info.
I’ll search in the manual like you say to make sure I can take that “AirPort Extreme Card”.
Right now I use a DSL landline. My daughter is only 2 so no computer at this time for her. Just my one computer which I’m moving to a room with no phone jack.
So my understanding is that I need to get some type of AirPort card no matter what manufacturer I use for the wireless device, correct? And does the new n-standard that I hear about only work with the newer macs?
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Yeah, I think you can only get “g” cards for inside you Mac, not “n” yet.
But don’t worry about it. Both “g” and “n” wireless are BOTH faster than your DSL connection. If you were connecting to another Mac in your house, the faster speed would mean faster file transfers between them, but since you’re just connecting to the ‘net it makes no difference. You’ll be waiting for the ISP to respond no matter how much faster you make your wireless system.
As for the router, yes, any brand will do. Like I said, I’m happy with NETGEAR stuff, but that’s just my experience.
IF you wanted to, you can get Apple’s new “AirPort Extreme Base Station” for $179. Now, Netgear’s version of that will run about $40 – $50, so that’s a bit more money! But Apple’s supports “g” and “n” in their base station whereas other companies are just “g” at the moment. If you buy a new Mac in the future it would be all set to work with the “n” network in your house.
That’s an option, but honestly…I’d suggest getting the “g” router from another company. You don’t need the extra functionality of the Apple router and that’s a pretty steep price for something you don’t need! Check out CompUSA or some other local computer store for other brands. You’ll hook the router up to your DSL modem and then follow the directions to set it up on your Mac.
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Great. Thanks for your help!!!
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