Getting eMac onto wireless internet

S

screech

Registered
Hello, I am new to macs, I just rescued an eMac which was being thrown out by my university. I thought it would be good to get to grips with before I spend lots of money on a new mac as I have been pondering it for a while.

I would like to get it connected to the wireless internet in my house, I don't know much about it, but my PC laptop just uses a Wireless card and it detects the connections in the area and I enter the password for my connection and it works.

Is it correct that I can simply put an airport card or similar card in and it will pick up the wireless connection and I can connect like that? Do I need an airport hub aswell (the big white pyramid thing??) with which it would communicate or can it communicate with my current wireless router thing.

It was manufactured in early 2004 so it does not have USB 2.0 which I think I've read poses some compatibility issues for the new airport cards.

What is the easiest cheapest method to getting this to connect to my wireless and any future wireless systems anyone?

Thanks, Screech
 
According to LowEnd Mac the unit supports an Airport Extreme card 802.11g. You can buy one from various places. There may be usb perifs to give you 802.11n - but g should serve fine for the present and near future. (g will handle any internet connection you throw at it)

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BTW congrats on scoring the Mac and welcome! I loved my eMac, and it will serve you well I'm sure.
 
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Ok, that sounds good thanks, I just wasn't sure if they could pick up any connection. Will it definately take an extreme card? I was thinking I might need one of the original basic ones as it's an older computer. Will they work with all of the OS X systems? I think mine is a Panther.
 
Wikikpedia has the eMac specs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMac

It looks as if your machine has the Airport extreme antennas and slot. You should upgrade RAM to at least 512 MB and install Tiger on the machine. Wireless connectivity to your router shouldn't be a problem.

Macs are fun. I started with a Mac mini two years ago and now own a 24" iMac and a macBook Pro, while my mini is used by my wife.
 
Hi yes the RAM is curerently 512MB I am gonna put in another 512MB card to bump it up. Is Tiger neccesary for the airport extreme card in particular or you just reccomend it?

The thing is Wikipedia says standard airport card for Emac.

Airport Extreme is compatible with eMac USB 2.0 / eMac 2005 / eMac (ATI Graphics).

My Mac is definately not 2.0 or 2005. So Airport extreme will only work if it is "eMac (ATI Graphics)" -which I do not know. So I don't know whether to get an airport card or airport extreme card.
 
check "About this Mac" under the Apple logo - top right. Click More Info - it will tell you the graphics chip you have.
 
]Is anyone still here on this topic? I would like to jump in with my questions also. I have a five year old eMac. Updated top Tiger 10.4.11. 700 MHzPowerPC G4. I would like to get wireless service also which my building has just installed. My local Apple store told me they did not have the Airport card I would need - Airport 802.11B but will lo0ok for it. It may be more expensive than I want! Question: Where can i look for a good price and reliable quality? Question: Is it easy to install? (Can I do it myself -- I hope) Question: Besides saving monthly service charge of $30, is this a recommended switch for me? Thanks!
 
The B card is hard to find, but check with an independent apple authorized service center. They can sometimes get them as repair parts. If not and you can wait a bit, I have a used B card, but being in Egypt it would no be easy to get to you. PM me, we can talk.
 
you will prob find 1 of these cards on ebay, they do alot of apple spares,

i think it may be a discontinued card but someone will do it
 
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