installing Airport Extreme Card in new Mac Pro 2008?

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Level 1

19 points

installing Airport Extreme Card in new Mac Pro 2008?

Hello, I bought the upgrade kit for the airport wireless n up at the apple store and I am trying to install it in my new Mac Pro 2.8 octo.

I found where to install it and I did install it but Im not getting any connect at all, though it says airport is on. I installed the software on from the CD it came with also. I am using a D-Link Xtreme Router model 655.

I read on another forum post that you might have to install a wire for the antenna on top of the card. I didn't see any wire when I installed so maybe that applied to the older mac pros..

any help would be appreciated.

These cards are compatible with my router right? I know my macbook pro n wireless connects fine.

Thanks!

Mac OS X (10.4.1)

Posted on Jan 23, 2008 5:15 PM

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Answer 1

Kevin Evans Author

Level 1

19 points

Jan 23, 2008 5:46 PM in response to Kevin Evans

Ok I did some more reading and I found 3 wires tucked away to the side of and underneath the motherboard. They are lebeled like 1, 2 and 3. I pulled them out and I looked at a diagram on Macrumors and it looks like you out #3 on the bottom and #2 on the top. But I'm having trouble getting them in the little tiny holes or prongs.

Is there a trick to getting them in? And am i right as to what number go where?

The macrumors site link I referenced is here?

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=237916&page=2

thanks!

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Answer 2

BillF

Level 3

649 points

Jan 23, 2008 7:03 PM in response to Kevin Evans

Actually, I am surprised that they sold you the card. It is not supposed to be a customer installed part. It doesn't look all that hard, however, with the 3 antenna wires on this 8 core, it can be a little more difficult. I just took mine into the store and had them do it. No worries about voiding the warranty and if it was messed up I knew who to blame. It took a little over an hour.

It is up to you. Some folks on here will tell you that you can do it, and you may be able to. Good luck.

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Answer 3

Kevin Evans Author

Level 1

19 points

Jan 23, 2008 9:18 PM in response to Kevin Evans

Thanks Bill,

yes it is weird, I thought it would be easy because it was pretty easy on my power mac g5.

So I didnt void the warranty by doing it?

I just hate having to drag this heavy computer up to the apple store, I will try to mess with it a little more and if I cant get it, Ill take it in tomorrow.

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Answer 4

sini

Level 1

0 points

Jan 23, 2008 9:28 PM in response to Kevin Evans

hi kevin.

I also bought air mac card at apple store of japan.
And I installed that card at my new macpro by myself.
Apple store's genius people said to me, its installment takes 30min,so
I tried intalled airmac card and working normally in now.

But this is not customer install part.I think. They did not gave any install
manual for this part.

So I installed this part at mac but it was not working at that time.
After googling,I found some miss at my work. That is not connecting cables at network card.

You have to connect cable at your network card for using.
Also you can find your conneting cable at your new mac.

Please find connecting cable and connect to your network card.

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Answer 5

Kevin Evans Author

Level 1

19 points

Jan 23, 2008 9:34 PM in response to sini

yes thanks, I got that far with connecting the wires. But the wires are so tiny that it is hard to get on, the little heads dont seem to want to fit on the spot where it goes.

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Answer 6

BillF

Level 3

649 points

Jan 24, 2008 5:53 AM in response to Kevin Evans

Just put it back in the box and go in and tell them that you thought it was a customer installed part since they sold it to you. Tell them that you found out that it wasn't after opening the box. They should help you out. I do not think you should have any trouble.

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Answer 7

Apr 4, 2008 8:42 AM in response to BillF

Maybe you can tell me. I can't seem to find any concise directions on how to install the card in a Mac Pro 2008. I don't want to go to the store.

I can pretty much understand how to insert the card and screw it in. However, there are only two antenna ports on the card and three wires on the mother board, each labeled 1, 2, 3, respectfully.

Which one goes where?

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Answer 8

Apr 4, 2008 9:46 AM in response to Ron Yochum

My 2008 MacPro Factory Airport card is set just like the one here;
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=6565745#6565745

When I had the Hard drive bays out, I did notice another loose wire, it was probably the number 2 wire. The number 1 wire is on the top connection, number 3 is on the bottom connection. The BT wire is connected to the Bluetooth card. I have no idea what the number 2 wire is for, or why it is even there.

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Answer 9

Apr 4, 2008 11:07 AM in response to Thomas Barrett

Thanks, that worked fine. After I installed the card (boy, those little antenna connectors are a b i t c h to connect, but they do snap in if you press them with your fingernail), I ran the software that came with the card. Restarted, and everything seems to be working great.

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Answer 10

whcy

Level 1

0 points

Apr 7, 2008 8:10 AM in response to Kevin Evans

Hi,

I just purchased the mac pro duo quad core 2.8 along with the airport extreme card from Amazon.com. Being a PC technician in my good ol college days (Pentium II's) I thought it would be a breeze plugging in the card myself.

However, I am at a complete loss as to where to plug in the airport extreme card. There just seems to no apparent slot to insert the card upon openning up the computer.

You mentioned you found where to install the card. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Will

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