G4 Cube Ethernet Card Dead - How to Access Data?

Question

G4 Cube Ethernet Card Dead - How to Access Data?

I was hoping for a suggestion or two!
Our house was hit by lightning. This took out my modem/router (now replaced) and, it would appear, the ethernet card. My questions is:
1. Should I replace the ethernet card (and if so where on Earth would I find one) or should I pension off the Cube after 7 good years of service in favour of upgrading to an iMac 24" 2.8??
2. If I do go for the new machine how can I get the data, etc off the Cube (I assume having no ethernet card maeans I can't download to an external drive).
So far I have assumed the ethernet card is dead as it doesn't appear in the network set up (which is why the nice man from Netgear had such a job setting up the new modem!).
Thanks!
Nick

G4 Cube / Powerbook, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Nov 25, 2007 5:38 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 25, 2007 6:56 AM in response to Nicholas Simmons

Hi, Nick -

I experienced something similar a few years ago when lightning took out my ethernet switch. After replacing that I still could not get ethernet to work - it turned out that the lightning had also damaged the ethernet cable connecting the Mac to the switch. Visually nothing appeared wrong with the cable, but after I replaced it things were back to normal.

1. Should I replace the ethernet card (and if so where on Earth would I find one) or should I pension off the Cube after 7 good years of service in favour of upgrading to an iMac 24" 2.8?

I don't know ennough about the hardware specific to a Cube to know if it has a separate ethernet card. One place to check for that info, one which can also provide a source for a replacement if such are available, is the CubeOwner site -
http://www.cubeowner.com/forums/index.php?act=home

2. If I do go for the new machine how can I get the data, etc off the Cube (I assume having no ethernet card maeans I can't download to an external drive).

Even if ethernet is dead on the Cube, you can still use an external firewire hard drive with it. Or even an external USB hard drive, though I can't recommend that - USB is too slow.

You can also get an external firewire enclosure, then remove the hard drive from the Cube and install it in the enclosure; this then can be used as an external hard drive on any firewire-equipped Mac.

When considering a firewire hard drive or an enclosure, consider the needs of your Cube vs. the needs of the new Mac. Your Cube has FW400 ports; a new Mac will have FW800 ports. You can get a drive (or enclosure) which has both FW400 and FW800 ports.

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Answer 2

Nov 25, 2007 8:38 AM in response to Don Archibald

Hi Don,

Thanks for the tips. I tried a different patch cable and that didn't work (indeed the old one worked fine with my laptop when setting up the new modem so it can't have been that).

I wasn't sure if the firewire somehow relied on the ethernet card. Reason being my external hard drive no longer shows up when I reboot the Cube so I was guessing the two could be related.

I've had a scout around and there do seem to be a few sources for cards (if I can get one cheaply and quickly I'll give it a go - as I'm still not 100% sure that is the problem - although I can't think what else it could be).

Thanks again.

Nick

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