Remove/Disable internal airport card on 1.67GHz book

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Level 1

25 points

Remove/Disable internal airport card on 1.67GHz book

All sources tell me I need to first remove the internal AirPort Extreme card before I can make my Buffalo WLI-CB-G54A card work correctly. However with the design of the new 1.67GHz laptops this isn't a straightforward procedure. There's no longer a door to remove the card near the battery since all models featured built in wireless and there would be no need for adding a card.

I opened the case and looked around for the card but it looks difficult to get to as it's underneath the PCMCIA slot. Is there a way I can just disable this card in software to avoid potentially frying my laptop? I've tried turning off the AirPort.kext extensions but then of course I can't use the buffalo card, which works as a native AirPort card. I need my powerbook to recognize this Buffalo card instead of the built in card.

Posted on Sep 18, 2005 11:33 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 19, 2005 8:13 AM in response to c{rey}c

Turn off the airport? Click the airport menu bar icon and turn it off?

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Answer 2

Sep 19, 2005 9:17 AM in response to c{rey}c

And why do you need to do this?

"Turn off the airport? Click the airport menu bar icon and turn it off?"

Also, uncheck Airport in the Network window under System Preferences

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Answer 3

c{rey}c Author

Level 1

25 points

Sep 19, 2005 12:44 PM in response to Templeton Peck

heh, i wish it were that simple guys.

The Buffalo wireless card I bought uses the PCMCIA slot while the internal built in wireless card uses the AirPort slot, a smaller more proprietary connection inside the laptop. Because the changed the case design on the 1.67GHz laptops, I can't physically remove the AirPort card. I need to do so because once the AirPort card is out my Buffalo card will show up in it's place as a native "AirPort" card even though it's from a third party. I'll select my wireless network from the AirPort menu just as if I were using the built in AirPort, because this Buffalo card uses the Broadcom chipset. Therefore I need to leave these software parts intact.

When the computer starts up with the Buffalo card inserted, the AirPort drivers locate TWO AirPort cards and goes into a kernal panic. Well I want it to recognize the Buffalo card but I don't want it to see the internal card. How can I do that?

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Answer 4

Sep 19, 2005 2:29 PM in response to c{rey}c

Given you have a 1.67GHz model without access to the Airport card bay you might well have to take it to a Certified Service Centre to have it disconnected. I don't really see any software option given the drivers etc required to disable the internal card are also required for the PC Card replacement to operate.

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Answer 5

Sep 19, 2005 3:59 PM in response to c{rey}c

I hope when you say, " i opened the case and looked around for the card " ...you didnt actually remove screws and go poking around in the inside of your powerbook...because if you did, you just voided your warranty...and that would really be bad...even if you did take it to apple to do this, would they?...

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Answer 6

Sep 19, 2005 4:43 PM in response to Steve Adkins1

Apple won't hence my suggestion to go to a service centre who may.

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Answer 7

c{rey}c Author

Level 1

25 points

Sep 19, 2005 5:58 PM in response to Steve Adkins1

Ah..no of course I had my Apple Certified technician buddy open it up and look....

Seems my only solution will be to replace this card with a non-broadcom card and use the sourceforge wireless drivers. Like an Orinoco Gold card or similar.

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Answer 8

Sep 19, 2005 5:59 PM in response to Steve Adkins1

I'm still confused as to why this has to be done? What is the advantage to using the Buffalo card over the Airport card? It better be pretty important to risk voiding the warranty.

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Answer 9

c{rey}c Author

Level 1

25 points

Sep 19, 2005 8:18 PM in response to Templeton Peck

I get very weak signal strength with the built in AirPort extreme card, worse than a Dell or most third party wireless adaptors but a considerable degree.

My wishes were to buy an external PCMCIA card to insert when I had poor signal strength on the road or in an airport. (the airplane ones 😉 ) However it seems I bought the wrong card, despite the fact it works so natively with the Mac. In order to use it i'd need to remove my airport card, and since that must be removed by taking the computer all apart, i don't want to go there. I'll try giving the card to a PC friend.

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Answer 10

Ricktoronto

Level 6

11,560 points

Sep 20, 2005 11:25 AM in response to Templeton Peck

If you turn off the airport you can't use a PC card wireless card either. The point of using a Broadcom chipset card is that the OS and the Airport software thinks it IS Airport. I used a Linksys for a few months with my AE card on the fritz. Works better than AE, much better range.

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