How to go wireless with Powerbook G3? confused!

Shannon,

The standard height (2.0") will fit just fine in the top slot, the one you to which you will be adding RAM. The so-called "height" is the distance from the 144 gold pins (connector) to the opposite edge. In a more useful description, the standard height is too wide for the lower slot.

Shannon,

Glad the memory install was painless; these older G3s are much easier to get into than the new, "thin" G4s and Intels.

The dark display is another one of the Wallstreet's oddities when running any version of OSX. I replied to this issue in another thread so I will just quote it here:

"This is a well-known behavior on Wallstreets running any version of OSX. You may have a dark display during startup and/or a dark display when waking from sleep.

"The dark display when starting can sometimes be corrected by pressing the brightness button. The dark display when waking requires a restart. Neither can be corrected with a PRAM or power manager reset.

"However, there is an easy fix...boot the Wallstreet into Classic (MacOS 8.1 > 9.2.2) either from the HD or a CD, then simply restart to OSX. This somehow corrects a problem with the power manager(?) caused by OSX; this fix will be permanent as long as the Wallstreet does not become unpowered (no main battery or dead main battery + no power adapter + dead rechargeable internal backup battery). If the "unpowering" occurs, the issue may return when OSX boots up.

"If you do not have a MacOS Classic CD, any bootable CD with a Classic OS will work...DiskWarrior, Norton Utilities, TechTool, etc."

Since you have experienced this issue, you may wish to install just the System Folder from whatever version of Classic you have; in this manner, you can shine a flashlight directly into the display, select your installed OS 8.x or 9.x, restart to it, then just restart to OSX. (As I said, the Wallstreet can be a lot of fun with OSX 🙂

Regarding erasing the HD: I had presented one procedure for installing 10.2 in, I believe, the 8th post down, but let me ask another question.

Do you have a MacOS System CD for the Wallstreet? It supports a special MacOS 8.1 that shipped with the first Wallstreet, or a retail MacOS 8.5 > 9.2.2. If you have such an animal, you can both erase/format the HD with this CD and also install just the System Folder (maybe 150MB in size) so that if the dark display recurs, it will be easy to correct.

If you would like to do the above...

1. Boot to the Classic CD; you know you are started to the CD when it is the topmost icon in the top-right corner of the display, plus it will have an oddball wallpaper.

2. Open the Utilities folder on the CD > open Drive Setup > select your HD in the window > Initialize as MacOS Extended Format. When Drive Setup has been opened, you can go to the menu bar and select Drive Setup Help...it will walk you through any procedure you have.

3. Quit Drive Setup, then launch the Installer on the same CD. Although the article below is for 9.x, it will be similar to any other version. Get to the Customize window, deselect all the items except the MacOS System Folder. After installing just the System Folder, restart to the internal HD and make sure everything is running.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=31288

4. Next, load the 10.2 CD and restart to your 10.2 CD; immediately go to installing the software. You MUST be booted to the OSX CD for the installer to run...the Wallstreet's display will be filled with the step-by-step procedure if you are booted to the CD.

5. As I said earlier, keep an eye on the bottom of each window as you progress through the installer; you will see a button that says 'Custom' or 'Options'. Clicking that button will allow you to deselect the foreign language translators (and printer drivers if you wish).

6. When Disk #1 is completed, you will be prompted to restart...just follow the instructions.

Another Wallstreet oddity: After I installed 10.2 from the first CD and restarted, my Wallstreet continued to boot to the CD...it would not switch to the HD. If this occurs, there is another simple fix: Have an opened paperclip ready; when you restart, push the opened paperclip into the small hole next to the button on the CD drive WHEN you hear the startup chime, and not before. The tray will open and the HD will boot. If for some reason the Wallstreet freezes or stalls during the first boot to the new install, give it some time. If certain it is going nowhere, press the 'command-control-power' to force restart; it may take a few of these to get the Wallstreet to complete the boot. This only happens on a new install.

If you have any questions whatsoever, please ask. Also remember, you cannot mess up the Wallstreet by installing software; if you do something wrong or it fails, just start over.

Shannon,

I believe you are going to have get some version of Classic on the HD or at least to boot the Wallstreet so you can easily solve the back display if it appears. Possibly you know someone with a compatible disk or possibly you can get one on eBay for a few dollars.

You can boot a CD by cold starting or restarting while pressing the 'c' key; if unsuccessful, reset the PRAM, then try booting the CD while pressing the 'c' key.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238

You might give the iMac CD a try; if it has version OS 9.1 or newer, it may work.

Shannon,

Congratulations and happy holidays to you.

Hi jpl, I came across your post when I was searching about wireless internet for my Pismo with OS 10.3.9. I have found several Buffalo card on eBay but they all have the model number as: WLI-CB-G54 instead of WLI-CB-AG54 as it was sold at OWC. Do you know if these are the same card or the G54 is not compatiable with my Pismo.

Your comment is much appreciated.

Thank you.

Thomas

Thomas,

From what I have found Googling, the Buffalo WLI-CB-G54 has drivers for Windows and possibly Linux, and that's it. I have not spent the time looking for what chipset is used in this card, but it is not the Broadcom nor Atheros.

The Buffalo WLI-CB-AG54L uses the Atheros chipset instead of the AirPort-compatible Broadcom chipset of OWC's WLI-CB-AG54, so if you found a very cheap card on eBay, you could use the Orangeware third-party driver. Also take a look at the other PC CardBus cards it supports.
http://www.orangeware.com/endusers/wirelessformac.html

Thank you, jpl. I think I'll go ahead and buy the AG54 version instead. I have posted another question on this forum and if you don't mind, please see if you can give me any comments or suggestions.

Thank you very much.

Thomas