G3 iMac Wi-Fi connection

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Level 1

8 points

G3 iMac Wi-Fi connection

My mother just got wireless broadband at her house, but her iMac (600MHz G3/OS X 10.4.11) won't connect to the network. It's a WPA2 network, but the machine insists on trying (and failing) to connect as a WEP network. I can edit the connection in network preferences (change to WPA2 and add the password), and allegedly apply the changes, but it never connects. If I turn AirPort off and back on, it has reverted to thinking it's WEP.

Other devices connect without problem, including a PPC PowerBook, so the network credentials are confirmed to be correct and working.

Because some of the iMac's network control panels were acting oddly, I have recently re-installed the system. That fixed the control panels, but not the connection failure. Is there a secret file somewhere that's storing the wrong encryption type?

Thanks in advance.

Posted on Sep 13, 2015 4:01 PM

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Answer 1

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Limnos

Level 10

411,217 points

Sep 14, 2015 7:56 AM in response to cincytee

Is this using a wi-fi card in the computer (which model computer)? It may be the card does not support WPA2

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Answer 2

cincytee Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 14, 2015 7:57 AM in response to Limnos

You know, that didn't even occur to me since the OS offered WPA as an option when editing the connection specs. But I think you're right. It's an original AirPort card, which, thanks to you, I remember was built on the Lucent chip that didn't recognize WPA. I already had to deal with that on an old PowerBook. I'll try a USB network adapter I bought for the laptop on the iMac. Thanks!

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