Please explain in simple terms!

waynegohl

waynegohl

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Hi guys and gals.

About a week or two ago, I was given a G4 Titanium Powerbook 400Mhz and it took a week to find that it had ports hidden under what i thought was a ventilation cover, so you see i know jackshyte about this machine.

I gave it to my daughter who messed about with it and she managed to erase the previous owners details off and has put in her details etc and it seems to be an ok device, however, we dont know how this machine connects to wi fi. I have just plugged in the Lan cable and we doing fine that way but would like to have wi fi running on it.

The OS is MAC OS X version 10.4.11. I have read something about Airport this and that but i dont understand it.

What do i need to do to connect to a wireless network in my house? Am i correct in assuming that its not like connecting an old desktop or laptop? Do i need a special wi fi device like the airport thing they mention or do i go to an airport to get wifi?

thanks guys
 
A PowerBook G4 Titanium model can connect to a WPA network, provided it has mac OS X 10.3.9 or above installed. It may require an update for the airport software. It wont connect to a WPA2 encrypted network

Which version of the PowerBook do you own? If your using Mac OS X 10.2 and bellow, it wont be compatible with the WPA encryption on your wifi router. If your using Mac OS X 10.3 you will need to insure that the airport has been updated.
 
I guess so unless i am as thick as two planks, which i suspect i am.

As, i am in the US, we are connected through Comcast/Xfinity which is our cable tv provider and internet and our devices connect through that device. My Lan cable is also attached to that device.

Is a router another device and is a modem a router too?
 
Electric said:
A PowerBook G4 Titanium model can connect to a WPA network, provided it has mac OS X 10.3.9 or above installed. It may require an update for the airport software. It wont connect to a WPA2 encrypted network

Which version of the PowerBook do you own? If your using Mac OS X 10.2 and bellow, it wont be compatible with the WPA encryption on your wifi router. If your using Mac OS X 10.3 you will need to insure that the airport has been updated.
Click to expand...


If i click on the apple in the top left corner it says MAC OS X 10.4.11
 
Check that your powerbook is up to date in general.
Run the updater and it should handle everything.
 
I know this may be round about but if you don't come right a possible solution will be to get a second router to connect to the wifi and then you connect the second router to the mac via a lan cable.
Which will shorten the span of cable you have.
 
satanboy said:
It is the USA you know...people drive in buggies and wear bonnets.


:p
Click to expand...
We're not all Amish ya know. :p

Although… a friend of my father's got done for a DWI and took to driving a horse and buggy… but not while wearing a bonnet. :)
 
There is a good change that the Airport card has been removed if you got this was given to you.

They were easily removable on these older machines.

I can't remember 100% and might be wrong but as i recall you need to pull the tabs at the top and lift the keyboard. It should be quite apparent if the Airport card has been removed or not.

At least I know for sure that was the process for the iBook and suspect it should be the same for the Powerbook. I had one...but can't for the life of me remember.
 
Seems my memory is failing after all.

It's not under the keyboard but is easily removable as I remember...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poGlMPrgqTM

So check there if the card is actually installed or not. Back in those days it was a rare commodity and therefore quite often moved from one machine to another and Wireless wasn't really all that available.
 
Will try the extending the router/cable issue if need be.

this machine says it has a built in modem and mentions a 56k modem, so it might need a landline maybe?
 
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