IngridMB

Q: How can I use my airport extreme base station to connect my PowerMac G4 mdd to my neighbor's wireless internet?

I recently bought and Airport Card and an Airport Extreme base station with the intent to access my neighbor's wireless internet with my PowerMac G4. I have the password, I enter it, it says I'm connected but I'm not. Very confused.

Posted on Mar 1, 2014 10:52 PM

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Q: How can I use my airport extreme base station to connect my PowerMac G4 mdd to my neighbor's wireless internet?

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  • by IngridMB,

    IngridMB IngridMB Mar 1, 2014 11:52 PM in response to IngridMB
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 1, 2014 11:52 PM in response to IngridMB

    btw... she knows I use her connection! We split the bill. Just want to make sure no one thinks I'm hijacking.

  • by K Shaffer,Helpful

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Mar 2, 2014 4:18 PM in response to IngridMB
    Level 6 (14,335 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 2, 2014 4:18 PM in response to IngridMB

    If you set up the base station via Ethernet cable, then you may later choose to allow a wireless admin access.

     

    About those units (over time, they changed) I have early AirPort Extreme base stations, those also sported external antenna ports, 56k built-in dialup modem, wall mount bracket, and a setting that allowed for the unit to act like a repeater or transponder, to extend a network using AirPort extreme, is what it was called. In fact you could use these AirPort Extreme models in a rely fashion to theoretically extend a network (line of sight) over a greater range than expected. And with a decent or custom antenna, or parabolic disc, considerably.

     

    https://www.google.com/#q=extend+a+network+using+AirPort+extreme

     

    But I am not so certain the signal that the neighboring wireless router is using is the same frequency as your hardware spec. So that is a detail you would have to investigate. The 802.11a/b/g/n range is varied, some devices cannot use or see (not backward/forward compatible) outside of a supported range. And some of the newer base stations or AirPort units have two different frequencies, so help support newer devices.

     

    Anyway, I am not certain how to proceed.

    There are several ways of making it work

    but your device frequencies may be different

    than those of the intended host connection.

     

    The AirPort base station you have may require

    a newer OS X in a suitable computer for setup.

     

    Good luck & happy computing!

  • by IngridMB,

    IngridMB IngridMB Mar 2, 2014 5:56 PM in response to K Shaffer
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 2, 2014 5:56 PM in response to K Shaffer

    Very helpful

    So my first step is to look into frequency. She uses a PC, AT&T sort of connection, would that directly not work, Or is it possible to configure it .

     

    For the record I have the dome airport extreme base station

     

    Also how do I look into the frequency??

     

    Thanks so much for the help:D

  • by IngridMB,

    IngridMB IngridMB Mar 2, 2014 6:00 PM in response to IngridMB
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 2, 2014 6:00 PM in response to IngridMB

    I just found out she does use the 802.11 frequency. So the question is how do I find out with my mac if that frequency can work

  • by IngridMB,

    IngridMB IngridMB Mar 2, 2014 6:01 PM in response to IngridMB
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 2, 2014 6:01 PM in response to IngridMB

    It's 802.11 gn

  • by IngridMB,

    IngridMB IngridMB Mar 2, 2014 6:14 PM in response to IngridMB
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    Mar 2, 2014 6:14 PM in response to IngridMB

    Gee so on my airport box it says that it's compatible with airport and wifi certified 802.11 b windows clients. Sooo am I out of luck or is there a way??

  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Mar 2, 2014 7:18 PM in response to IngridMB
    Level 10 (123,618 points)
    Mar 2, 2014 7:18 PM in response to IngridMB

    What encrytion does it use... WEP, WPA, or WPA2?

  • by IngridMB,

    IngridMB IngridMB Mar 2, 2014 7:48 PM in response to BDAqua
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 2, 2014 7:48 PM in response to BDAqua

    WEP

  • by IngridMB,

    IngridMB IngridMB Mar 2, 2014 7:56 PM in response to IngridMB
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 2, 2014 7:56 PM in response to IngridMB

    Well that is my base station is WEP encryption and the wifi says WPA2-PSK

  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Mar 2, 2014 9:17 PM in response to IngridMB
    Level 10 (123,618 points)
    Mar 2, 2014 9:17 PM in response to IngridMB

    Try AEBS with WPA2, does that work

  • by IngridMB,

    IngridMB IngridMB Mar 3, 2014 10:44 AM in response to BDAqua
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    Mar 3, 2014 10:44 AM in response to BDAqua

    Well how would I go about changing those settings? Do I make the base station go AEBS or the connection?

  • by BDAqua,Helpful

    BDAqua BDAqua Mar 3, 2014 11:52 AM in response to IngridMB
    Level 10 (123,618 points)
    Mar 3, 2014 11:52 AM in response to IngridMB

    See if any of the info about extending the network helps...

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4145

     

    http://www.apple.com/support/airport/basestations/

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Mar 3, 2014 12:35 PM in response to IngridMB
    Level 6 (14,335 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 3, 2014 12:35 PM in response to IngridMB

    Oh, another question I forgot to ask...

     

    When you installed the wireless card into the PowerMac G4 tower,

    was there an antenna wire inside the computer that plugged into

    the AirPort wireless card?

     

    Some towers may have had a kit, or dealer installed item, to allow

    the AirPort card to work correctly when it was not factory installed.

    Without an in-computer antenna, it may say 'connected' when not.

     

    The links posted above should be helpful in setting up alternative

    networks or getting what you have toward a workable solution.

    The letter codes after the w-fi frequency are important to match.

    Thus a matter of compatible base stations involves this.

     

    Good luck & happy computing!

  • by IngridMB,

    IngridMB IngridMB Mar 3, 2014 6:19 PM in response to K Shaffer
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 3, 2014 6:19 PM in response to K Shaffer

    Yeah there was a antenna wire. I may check that again just to make sure it's in there right:)

    lots of great info up top thanks for all the help. I'm going to do some studying on all that for now and see what I come up with.

     

    So a new question is what version of firefox works for my power mac g4 mdd. It's an os x one

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