Add wireless to a PowerPC G4 Emac?

M

MacNoobAndy

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Hi All, I have another mac question! My elderly neighbour has been given a nice shiny emac running Mac OSX 10.4 and she'd like to add wireless to use my internet connection. I believe I need an airport card? Can anyone enlighten me as to what I'd need to buy and how to install and enable the card?

Details I have are:

PowerPC G4 Emac
1.42GHz
512MB DDR RAM
Finder 9.2.2
Mac OSX 10.4

any help appreciated, and my Mac skills are zero but learning
 
Not sure you can add an airport card to an eMac, but you can always get an inexpensive ethernet bridge or perhaps a USB stick wireless adaptor. The ones listed about half way down the page at http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/wireless/ under the title "USB / USB 2.0 Wireless Network Adapters" should work with the eMac, though I'd recommend a close check before you buy.

PS good on you for helping out your neighbour! :)
 
many thanks, forgot to mention also:

I am based in UK and I want to hook the mac up to my netgear router that only has PCs connected at present (if that makes a difference)

I also don't mind if I can't add something internal to the machine, if there's something I can connect to the ethernet socket that will then work wirelessly?
 
Last edited:
Hey Andy,

Are OK, easier for me if you are in the UK anyway. Something like this in station mode should do the job for around 25 quid. That would plug into the ethernet port on the iMac and is set up through a browser like your netgear router is.

Alternatively you can get a usb stick wireless adapter, but finding mac compatible ones can be more of a pain.

Finally it makes no difference that only PCs currently access your wireless router, they deal equally well with mac and PC.
 
cheers for the quick response, according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMac I should be able to add an airport card as it says the emac has:

Built-in antennas and expansion slot for optional 54 Mbit/s AirPort Extreme Card

If I can add something internal that is Apple branded that would be preferred but if not then option you suggest may well be a goer!
 
If you can add an airport extreme card, its gonne be easier for sure. I didn't realise the eMac had a slot.
 
for completeness I thought i'd update.

I got APPLE AIRPORT EXTREME CARD WIRELESS 802.11G P/N:A1026 from Ebay (£28 new).
To fit (apparently only works on Emacs with 1GHz or faster processors)

1 . Eject CD Tray and hold it while shutting down, remote 2 screws and remove black plastic plate.

2. Above the CD Tray is a slot an antenna for the airport card, insert with Airport label facing down. (I put it in the wrong way round the first time!)

3. All being well, AIRPORT should appear in network settings now and allow you to join wireless networks
 
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Thanks for the update, its great when people back after their initial questions have been asked, the info is much appreciated!
 
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