# USB Wireless adapter compatibility?



## Roypercy (Jan 8, 2006)

Hi all:

I'm a newbie here, so go easy with me:

I'm making the jump into broadband at home, and want to go wireless so my wife and I can use our desktops in the office and my daughter can use my old laptop in the living room. Here's my setup:

I just got an iMac G5 with Airport installed.

My wife has an 800 MhZ iMac G4 (flat panel) with no airport installed.

My daughter is using my old G3 iBook with no airport installed.

The cable line terminates on the opposite end of our home from the office, so the best option for me is to install a wireless router at that point. 

Are there any USB wireless adapters that are mac-compatible (or have 3rd-party Mac drivers available?) Seems to me like ideally this should be the least expensive and troublesome option for hooking up our last-generation computers. 

Where would I look for drivers for some of the USB wireless adapters that are out there? Do I need drivers for them, if the router is Mac compatible?

This is all new to me.

Thanks for any help! I'm grateful to have found this forum.

Best,

Roy


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## Cam (Jan 8, 2006)

I think really no "drivers" are used (and thus needed). I installed a Belkin USB adaptor on a G4 tower and I am almost certain I did not used any kind of driver software. I think once connected and powered up the device will show up in the Network Preferences (click on the OSX system preferences icon in your tool bar). The wireless is set up by using your browser on the connected mac to go to the devices built in web page (you type in its IP address). I would suggest getting the USB add-on and main wireless router from the same company as troubleshooting from one vendor might be easier. I happen to have a Linksys main router and Belkin add on. I prefer the Linksys.


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