Does Airport Express Base Station Work with PowerMac G4??

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Does Airport Express Base Station Work with PowerMac G4??

I need to get a router to set up a network, and the computer that the modem is currently on is a 2002 mirrored door Power Mac G4 with 867mhz dual processors. There is no airport card (though the specs say it should/could have an 802.11). It is running on OS 10.5.8.

1. Can I use the Airport Express Base Station with this computer?

2. Do I need an airport card first to use this router?

3. If no, is there some other kind of router I can use with this Mac?

4. Do I need an airport card to use ANY kind of router with this Mac? Do they still sell airport cards for these old Macs?

Thanks for the help!

PowerMac G4, Mac OS X (10.5.8), Dual 867mhz Mirrored Doors

Posted on Mar 14, 2011 8:03 AM

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Answer 1

Tesserax

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Mar 14, 2011 8:11 AM in response to Trippypea

Hello Trippypea. Welcome to the Apple Discussions!

1. Can I use the Airport Express Base Station with this computer?

Yes.

2. Do I need an airport card first to use this router?

No, you are not limited to only requiring the AirPort Card. Other wireless adapter solutions are available. One example would be the Newer Technology MAXPower wireless USB adapter.

3. If no, is there some other kind of router I can use with this Mac?

When properly equipped with a wireless adapter, the Power Mac should be able to connect to any wireless router.

4. Do I need an airport card to use ANY kind of router with this Mac?

No.

Do they still sell airport cards for these old Macs?

Not Apple, but if your do an Internet search, you'll find numerous vendors that still carry these ... but I wouldn't waste my time or money doing so as these adapters only support 802.11b.

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Answer 2

Trippypea Author

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Mar 14, 2011 8:25 AM in response to Tesserax

Thank you for responding, Tessarax! If I go with the Newer Technology MAXPower wireless USB adapter and the Airport Express Base Station, I'm good to go?

I have a 2nd Power Mac G4 that I want to have internet on, so I guess I'd need a second USB adapter for this one too?

The other things I'm putting on the network are my Kindle, and a new iMac we're going to be getting, but those are already wireless ready.

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Answer 3

Tesserax

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148,453 points

Mar 14, 2011 8:36 AM in response to Trippypea

If I go with the Newer Technology MAXPower wireless USB adapter and the Airport Express Base Station, I'm good to go?

Yes, you should. I don't have the exact same model of G4 Power Mac that you do, but have the older Quicksilver model instead. I use this exact adapter with it and get "n" connectivity with my AirPort Extreme Base Station without any issues.

I have a 2nd Power Mac G4 that I want to have internet on, so I guess I'd need a second USB adapter for this one too?

Yes, each would have to have its own adapter ... or, if you will only connect one Power Mac at a time, you could "share" this adapter between them.

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Answer 4

Trippypea Author

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Mar 14, 2011 8:42 AM in response to Tesserax

Great! Last question, I swear, lol!

Is it better to go with the Airport Extreme Base Station (if I can even use that), or is the Airport Express Base Station perfectly fine? I was looking at the express because it's cheaper, but if the Extreme is going to be better, I'd rather have less headaches...

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Answer 5

Tesserax

Level 10

148,453 points

Mar 14, 2011 9:10 AM in response to Trippypea

No problem ...

If you don't expect to have a requirement to connect wired clients, then the AirPort Express should do just fine.

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