I have a few questions about wireless networking that I hope someone can
answer for me.

At home I have a G3 iBook 900MHz with no Airport card. I would like to
buy an AirPort Extreme card for my desktop G4 which is connected to an
ADSL modem and share the home internet connection with the iBook
wirelessly.

The G3 iBook is not compatible with AirPort Extreme cards only the
original Airport cards. Second-hand Airport cards are selling for two to
three times the price of a new AirPort Extreme card.

Is there some device I can get which would connect to the ethernet port
on the iBook and allow me to share the internet connection with the G4
desktop? Would an Airport Express Base Station allow me to do that? Is
there some other device which can do the same thing?

I have seen USB 802.11g dongles that can be used with the iBook but the
iBook has USB 1 ports, so it would be just as slow as the Airport
option. Is that correct?

Peter

--
Peter McCallum
Mackay Qld AUSTRALIA
http://bicyclemackay.org.au

Peter McCallum wrote:
> I have a few questions about wireless networking that I hope someone can
> answer for me.
>
> At home I have a G3 iBook 900MHz with no Airport card. I would like to
> buy an AirPort Extreme card for my desktop G4 which is connected to an
> ADSL modem and share the home internet connection with the iBook
> wirelessly.
>
> The G3 iBook is not compatible with AirPort Extreme cards only the
> original Airport cards. Second-hand Airport cards are selling for two to
> three times the price of a new AirPort Extreme card.
>
> Is there some device I can get which would connect to the ethernet port
> on the iBook and allow me to share the internet connection with the G4
> desktop? Would an Airport Express Base Station allow me to do that? Is
> there some other device which can do the same thing?

I've seen this done with a wireless Bridge. It recieves a wireless
signal, converts it to Ethernet, and sends it to the PC via the ethernet
cable. Last time I checked, these were quite expensive and required an
external power connection.

>
> I have seen USB 802.11g dongles that can be used with the iBook but the
> iBook has USB 1 ports, so it would be just as slow as the Airport
> option. Is that correct?
USB1.1 supports 12Mbits/s if I remember right, and most broadband
internet connections range from 512kbits/s to 3Mbits/s (theoretical
limits, real speeds are usually much slower). You are correct that a
802.11g dongle will operate at "b" speeds, but its not going to limit
your internet access.

Just lately I bought one of these on ebay for my Clamshell iBook SE and
it works great. At $35 it was much cheaper than the alternatives and
works flawlessly. Internet speeds are the same as on my other
hard-wired computers. The only drawback is that it requires Mac OS X
10.3 I've placed some links for the one I have below.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-Wireless-A...QQcmdZViewItem
http://stores.ebay.com/Apple-Computer-Upgrades

-Dylan C

Peter McCallum wrote:
> I have a few questions about wireless networking that I hope someone can
> answer for me.
>
> At home I have a G3 iBook 900MHz with no Airport card. I would like to
> buy an AirPort Extreme card for my desktop G4 which is connected to an
> ADSL modem and share the home internet connection with the iBook
> wirelessly.
>
> The G3 iBook is not compatible with AirPort Extreme cards only the
> original Airport cards. Second-hand Airport cards are selling for two to
> three times the price of a new AirPort Extreme card.
>
> Is there some device I can get which would connect to the ethernet port
> on the iBook and allow me to share the internet connection with the G4
> desktop? Would an Airport Express Base Station allow me to do that? Is
> there some other device which can do the same thing?

I've seen this done with a wireless Bridge. It recieves a wireless
signal, converts it to Ethernet, and sends it to the PC via the ethernet
cable. Last time I checked, these were quite expensive and required an
external power connection.

>
> I have seen USB 802.11g dongles that can be used with the iBook but the
> iBook has USB 1 ports, so it would be just as slow as the Airport
> option. Is that correct?
USB1.1 supports 12Mbits/s if I remember right, and most broadband
internet connections range from 512kbits/s to 3Mbits/s (theoretical
limits, real speeds are usually much slower). You are correct that a
802.11g dongle will operate at "b" speeds, but its not going to limit
your internet access.

Just lately I bought one of these on ebay for my Clamshell iBook SE and
it works great. At $35 it was much cheaper than the alternatives and
works flawlessly. Internet speeds are the same as on my other
hard-wired computers. The only drawback is that it requires Mac OS X
10.3 I've placed some links for the one I have below.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-Wireless-A...QQcmdZViewItem
http://stores.ebay.com/Apple-Computer-Upgrades

-Dylan C

Hey Peter,

I have done this - I hope my advice helps ...

Peter McCallum wrote:

> At home I have a G3 iBook 900MHz with no Airport card...
>
> Is there some device I can get which would ... allow me
> to share the internet connection with the G4 desktop?
> Would an Airport Express Base Station allow me to do that? Is
> there some other device which can do the same thing?

You betcha! There are wireless to ethernet devices available (but, last
time I looked, they were v. expensive). Your best option is a USB dongle
....

> I have seen USB 802.11g dongles that can be used with the iBook but the
> iBook has USB 1 ports, so it would be just as slow as the Airport
> option. Is that correct?

Yes - it would, but 11MBs (the max speed of 802.11b) is still much
faster than your ADSL connection - so don't let that concern you.

The bigger bugger is compatibility ... there are very few devices with
drivers for OS 9, and quite a few that will work with OS X - but do your
research first (that is - google *before* purchase!)

I have connected a Netgear MA 101 (802.11b only) to my iMac G3 running
10.3.9 (I modified a Belkin driver to work with it, and posted it on
http://www.mcquitty.net/archives/200...less_dr.html!), and now
have a generic Ralink 802.11bg dongle (was on special for $AUS30 at Aldi
- no mac drive with the device, but download one from here
http://www.ralinktech.com/supp-1.htm!)

You would still need a Wireless Router connected to you ADSL modem -
while an Airport Extreme base station would do, there are many cheaper
options that have the same features (I have a Netgear router at the mo').

Again, hope this helps,

Mikey Mike
(miklos)

Hey Peter,

I have done this - I hope my advice helps ...

Peter McCallum wrote:

> At home I have a G3 iBook 900MHz with no Airport card...
>
> Is there some device I can get which would ... allow me
> to share the internet connection with the G4 desktop?
> Would an Airport Express Base Station allow me to do that? Is
> there some other device which can do the same thing?

You betcha! There are wireless to ethernet devices available (but, last
time I looked, they were v. expensive). Your best option is a USB dongle
....

> I have seen USB 802.11g dongles that can be used with the iBook but the
> iBook has USB 1 ports, so it would be just as slow as the Airport
> option. Is that correct?

Yes - it would, but 11MBs (the max speed of 802.11b) is still much
faster than your ADSL connection - so don't let that concern you.

The bigger bugger is compatibility ... there are very few devices with
drivers for OS 9, and quite a few that will work with OS X - but do your
research first (that is - google *before* purchase!)

I have connected a Netgear MA 101 (802.11b only) to my iMac G3 running
10.3.9 (I modified a Belkin driver to work with it, and posted it on
http://www.mcquitty.net/archives/200...less_dr.html!), and now
have a generic Ralink 802.11bg dongle (was on special for $AUS30 at Aldi
- no mac drive with the device, but download one from here
http://www.ralinktech.com/supp-1.htm!)

You would still need a Wireless Router connected to you ADSL modem -
while an Airport Extreme base station would do, there are many cheaper
options that have the same features (I have a Netgear router at the mo').

Again, hope this helps,

Mikey Mike
(miklos)

Mikey Mike <they.are@it.again.com> wrote:

> You would still need a Wireless Router connected to you ADSL modem -
> while an Airport Extreme base station would do, there are many cheaper
> options that have the same features (I have a Netgear router at the mo').

Hi Mike
If I put an Airport Extreme card in my G4, will I be able to share an
internet connection with my G3 iBook using the USB dongle? Or would I
still need a wireless router?

P

--
Peter McCallum
Mackay Qld AUSTRALIA
http://bicyclemackay.org.au

Mikey Mike <they.are@it.again.com> wrote:

> You would still need a Wireless Router connected to you ADSL modem -
> while an Airport Extreme base station would do, there are many cheaper
> options that have the same features (I have a Netgear router at the mo').

Hi Mike
If I put an Airport Extreme card in my G4, will I be able to share an
internet connection with my G3 iBook using the USB dongle? Or would I
still need a wireless router?

P

--
Peter McCallum
Mackay Qld AUSTRALIA
http://bicyclemackay.org.au

Peter McCallum wrote:

> Mikey Mike wrote:
>
> > You would still need a Wireless Router connected to your ADSL modem -
> > while an Airport Extreme base station would do, there are many cheaper
> > options that have the same features (I have a Netgear router at the mo').
>
> Hi Mike
> If I put an Airport Extreme card in my G4, will I be able to share an
> internet connection with my G3 iBook using the USB dongle? Or would I
> still need a wireless router?

You could share a connection from your G4 to the G3 (it's a preference
called 'ad hoc' networking), and then share the 'net from G3 to G4 via
the sharing preference pane ... the advantage of a wireless router would
be that the G3 could surf even if the G4 was off (if you configure the
router to connect to the net, as opposed to the G4 - it's not has hard
or as fiddly as it sounds :).

Go on, you know you can do it!

Good luck,

Mikey Mike

Peter McCallum wrote:

> Mikey Mike wrote:
>
> > You would still need a Wireless Router connected to your ADSL modem -
> > while an Airport Extreme base station would do, there are many cheaper
> > options that have the same features (I have a Netgear router at the mo').
>
> Hi Mike
> If I put an Airport Extreme card in my G4, will I be able to share an
> internet connection with my G3 iBook using the USB dongle? Or would I
> still need a wireless router?

You could share a connection from your G4 to the G3 (it's a preference
called 'ad hoc' networking), and then share the 'net from G3 to G4 via
the sharing preference pane ... the advantage of a wireless router would
be that the G3 could surf even if the G4 was off (if you configure the
router to connect to the net, as opposed to the G4 - it's not has hard
or as fiddly as it sounds :).

Go on, you know you can do it!

Good luck,

Mikey Mike