# Installing Airport into Mac Mini



## Paul C (Feb 9, 2005)

I'm going to buy a mac mini when I sell my Powermac but not sure if I should get an airport card separate and install it myself, season being that if I want to get a custom mac mini with the optional extras then I will have to wait about 3 weeks from Apple and I'm not a patient person, basically does anyone know how tricky it is to install an airport card in a mac mini as I heard that they need a special connector which goes into the motherboard


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## symphonix (Feb 9, 2005)

The problem with installing the Airport card yourself is that the Mac mini soesn't have the standard Airport Extreme slot, but rather a connector on which a riser is plugged in allowing the installation of Airport and Bluetooth. The riser is installed free when you get Airport installed by an Apple tech, though.


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## Decado (Feb 9, 2005)

it looks really tricky. i would endure the wait and let apple do it. to much risk involved.


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## Paul C (Feb 9, 2005)

Doh 

Thanks for the help


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## Paul C (Feb 9, 2005)

I might just get another access point to connect to my wireless router and just connect my mac mini to the access point, that way I can also connect my Xbox to the access point.


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## Alex (Feb 9, 2005)

You might look at a third party wireless card. I know I've seen these little USB 802.11 things at the local Circuit City or Best Buy. They look like a bluetooth adapter, but they are for wireless 802.11b(maybe g too).

*did a little searching for you*

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Netg.../sem/rpsm/oid/97249/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do  - 59.99

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Netg...sem/rpsm/oid/114922/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do  - 79.99

Now the only issue I see is, you're taking up one of the two usb ports.. then again, Im willing to bet you could just plug her right into your keyboard, leaving the mac mini's rear with one more open usb port.


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## Paul C (Feb 10, 2005)

I've been thinkin of a USB wireless adaptor, not bothered if it's only 802.11b cos I'm only usin it for internet.


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## Decado (Feb 10, 2005)

"not bothered if it's only 802.11b cos I'm only usin it for internet."

but then you can only get internetspeeds at about 11 mb/s! at the very top. since a lot is lost in wireless communication it will probably just be about 4 mb/s. i only get about 20 mb/s with my airport extreme card at home (and my internet service should be able to do a lot better than that).

and the mini will look much nicer with an airport extreme card


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## andychrist (Feb 10, 2005)

No need to use USB, you can get something like the D-Link Ethernet-to-Wireless Bridge, which will support your XBox as well.  Those USB devices are not all Macompatible, nor can you power them from your keyboard.


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## Paul C (Feb 10, 2005)

Thing is the D-Link bridges are quite expensive


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## andychrist (Feb 10, 2005)

Huh?  At least here in the States you can get the g model from one of the online retailers at about the same price as having AirPort Extreme added as a stand-alone (w/o bluetooth), and the b model is of course cheaper.  If you used it for your XBox as well you'd be getting double value.


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## Paul C (Feb 10, 2005)

Can you connect more than one device to the bridge? as rather than buy 2 (1 for Xbox and 1 for my mac mini) it would be cheaper to buy an access point.


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