Getting an Apple on wireless?

[Alibi]

Hello. I know close to absolutely nothing about apples but my older brother gave me an apple G4 desktop as a half-joke b-day present (joke becuase all I know are windows-based PC's). Anyway, my main computer is a dell laptop that I get the internet from a Netgear wireless router in my brother's room.

How would I go about getting a wireless card for the Apple? Will a normal PCI card for a PC work? Or do I have to buy Apple stuff? If I do, will the apple stuff work off my Netgear router (I would assume so)?

At the moment it is OS-less until my brother gets OS X from a friend of his. Anyway, a bit of advice or links to point me in the right direction wouldn't hurt since I'm just so illeterate when it comes to Apple.

I could just run some CAT5 from my brother's room into mine, but that would defeat the purpose of having wireless on my laptop and wires through the hallways to trip over. Hmm....I could run one under the house.....

[Oz]

I think you'll need proprietry Apple hardware to connect to your WLAN, not sure about the rest.

[DylanTrott]

Once you get the the OS X CD installed and all ask your bro if it has an "AIRPORT CARD" in it. If the answer to that is a no then click this link

http://afterthemac.com/mac.php?sub=wireless

Find the right USB WIRELESS ADPATER that corresponds with your OS and follow the instructions on the CD it comes with.

Its very simple, even someone who doesn't know anything about MACs can do it. If you have any more quesitons about your knew happy box just ask me.

EDIT!!!!!!!!!!!!! okay I forgot something fuck the airport card. becuase I do not know if it ABSOLUTELLY needs an AIRPORT hooked up to the wireless router... plus if it does NEED it it costs 200 dollors where as the USB ADAPTER costs about 50 bucks +S/H AND the USB ADAPTER will work off of ANY wireless router. I am using a Lynksis router as I'm typing this on my iBook.

P.S. An AIRPORT is basically a white circle you plug into your WIRELESS ROUTER and it emits a signal that the AIRPORT CARD can read and convert it into a connection for you MAC.

-Dylan

[ericn1300]

you'll have to get hardware thats compatabile with your Apple and your OS, just look for WiFi compatibility, or 802.11 G/B so that it will work with your NetGear and other WiFi hotspots.

The Apple stuff is pretty expensive, look at CompUsa. They have a pretty good Apple section. Also do a search on Ebay

[bjboertje]

apple ftl

[Alibi]

So I'm looking at either getting an airport card and airport router, or a USB reciever compatible with the OS? Looks like more Ebay stuff for me then

Or I can go the free route and just run wire under the house to my room, up through the vent to the back of the apple. Could I still use my NetGear router for this?

By the way, would a PC monitor work on a mac? The ends look similar, but I'm guessing they pin out differently. Hmmm... The monitor that I have for the Mac is just HUGE and I had to bring a small table into my room to fit it.

[Oz]

You should be able to connect it via ethernet no problem. If you have an existing wireless router the equipment you need is either an Air Port wireless card or an Air Port USB wireless adapter, not both. You definately don't need a new router.

As for the monitor, I have no idea and 10 seconds on Google only comes up eith really old webpages that are probably irrelevant.

Remember, if you run ethernet cable it will run 4-5 X faster, so if you're streaming stuff, or moving a lot of files, it's probably worth it.

[DylanTrott]

Dude where is your router? If its in your bros room hire a electrician to patch it through the wall. No need to go under the house. And yes, you can use a windows monitor. You just need a special wire they range from 30-40 bucks. eBay is hot like fire. Good luck.

[ericn1300]

Originally Posted by HondaDylan

Dude where is your router? If its in your bros room hire a electrician to patch it through the wall. No need to go under the house. And yes, you can use a windows monitor. You just need a special wire they range from 30-40 bucks. eBay is hot like fire. Good luck.

Hire an electrician? just punch a small hole thru the sheetrock, run a patch cable thru it and and put a face plate or grommet over the hole.

[Alibi]

I'm a student and rent a house, so I just can't go punching holes in the wall (but I'd certainly like to!). There is a fairly roomy crawlspace under the house so I may just run a wire (I've got plenty of bits of CAT5 laying around to do it). Hmm...

Edit: I just browsed Ebay. I was wondering if I could run all the apple stuff (monitor, mouse, keyboard) with their respective PC adapters through a KVM switch and just swap between computers? That would entirely eliminate the need for the extra huge monitor, the evil one button mouse, and the funky keyboard. Granted I'll still have to run a new ethernet drop...

[ec437]

1 button mouse rocks your face off.

[bjboertje]

Originally Posted by bjboertje

apple ftl

[Oz]

2 port KVM with adapters sounds like a great idea, or you could use VNC/remote desktop type arrangement and just remote your other computer.

[Alibi]

Originally Posted by Oz

you could use VNC/remote desktop type arrangement and just remote your other computer.

Can you elaborate on how I would do this? I know how to remote into another pc with PCanywhere (although I've never actually done it ). Could I just stick the apple tower in my brother's room next to the router, then remote into it with my laptop somehow?

I had another idea too. I have a docking port for my laptop (dell lattitudes are great) with a couple of PCI slots in it for expansion. If I ran my laptop's wireless, could I just hook a crossover cable from a PCI NIC in my dock to the apple and somehow provide it with internet that way? That may not be a feasible idea though...hmm

More stuff I've never done but I learn quick

I've got plenty of time to set this up, my brother still hasn't gotten the OS from his friend. I ought to give him a call and remind him though

thanks for the ideas so far!

[DylanTrott]

Originally Posted by ec437

1 button mouse rocks your face off.

Shit yea they do!