Wireless PCI card for Quicksilver

[Paddy]

Our new house will require a wireless connection for my youngest son's Mac, a Quicksilver G4. Since it has no airport built in, and they're only 802.11b anyway, I've been looking at the wireless PCI options for 802.11g (we have an Airport Extreme base station)

So far, I've seen the Sonnet Aria, which gets very good reviews, and this one from Macwireless. I have no idea whether it's a good one or not - but it is $20 cheaper than the Sonnet. My own experience with Sonnet has been nothing but good which tends to sway me in that direction, despite the price differential.

Any other suggestions or thoughts?

[Al]

Hi Paddy,

Not many options for PCI card adapters for the Mac platform, but, there are a few that will work with OS X.

Take a look at this article for more info on what works and what doesn't.

http://homepage.mac.com/techedgeezine/2005...-inyourmac1.htm

I have a Buffalo WLI-PCI-G54 card and comes with an external antenna.  I don't think it is sold anymore in retail stores.  I got mine off of eBay.  It works great and is seen by the Mac OS as Airport (same chipset)

I also heard that the WLI2-PCI-G54 and G54S is also supposed to work.  But, I have not tested these personally.  If you do try the G54S then make sure there is a good return policy incase it is not recognized and does not work.

Buffalo products are usually available from Circuit City around here.  Maybe in other places in your neighborhood as well.

[jepinto]

This review says the Belkin card will work.  And The Twister Group has four for only $36.12 each plus shipping.

[kelly]

http://www.macinstruct.com/node/56

[Parker]

i would find something that's Wireless-N, since all of the new Airport Extremes are Wireless-N

good luck =]

[Paddy]

Parker, I doubt I'll be moving to Wireless-N any time soon and I don't think there's much available for a G4!

I've sent three inquiries to eBay sellers about their Motorola adapters; need the ones with the Broadcom chipsets in order for them to work.

I'll let you know how I fare. (The most recent Belkin versions seem to be using something other than Broadcom chipsets - they keep getting complaints at Amazon)

If none of the Mot ones pan out, there is another ebay seller selling a card with a Broadcom chipset (clearly visible in the pic) that does work with Macs - just a little more expensive at $39 + shipping.

[Paddy]

Follow-up:

One eBay seller of the Motorola adapters replied that it was not a Broadcom chip and the other two said that they couldn't guarantee what I'd get/there were "a variety of chips". So, no dice there!!

The Belkin cards appear to no longer work in Macs - again, changed chips seem to be the culprit.

So...went with the other person on eBay selling no-name wireless extreme cards guaranteed to work in Macs, with a picture that clearly shows that all-important Broadcom chip. Excellent rep, sells a lot of 'em and at $46 with shipping it's about half the Sonnet Aria price, so I ordered one.

[gunug]

The first Belkin-like card I ordered didn't work but the second did; I think there ought to be some regulation about the technical information on the chipset and such being readily available when/before you order something.  The end result for me was okay because I put the one that didn't work into a P-III PC and ran it under Ubuntu Linux so I can surf from the upstairs bedroom!