Problem with install Airport Card in G4 450MHz

[MamaMoose]

I have a G4 450 MHz that I bought about 4 years ago (1999) that my wife uses. I am now trying to establish a wireless internet link via Airport from my Dual G4 1 GHz router to the old G4 so as to have an internet connection. The reason is it is not feasible to run a Cat 5 cable betwqeen the two computers.

I installed the airport card into the old G4 and installed software. When I tried to open the Airport control panel, I foundHowever, when I opened up the tower I found I had previously installed a serial port adapter (Stealth) near where the Airport card resides.

I have several problems:

1) I am not sure I installed the Airport card correctly. It seemed there was only one way it would slide in - Apple logo down with the plastic pull-out strip up. The other way just wouln't slide in.

2) What looks like the Airport antenna has one end dangling. Thast end has a small metal plug. Where does that go?

3) When I installed the serial port did I remove a critical part associated with the Airport card?

My problem is that I recently moved and I cannot find any manuals as they are packed in some box which I cannot find.  Could someone let me know where I can find manuals and internal pictures for the G4 450 MHz. I know there was a URL published sometime ago here on TS.

I am desparate for some  help as my wife has not had acess to the internet in over a month and she is very angry at me.      

MamaMoose

[kelly]

MamaMoose. Here's some information.

PowerMac G4 (Digital Audio): Customer-Installable Parts Instructions

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75313

Customer-Installable Parts

http://www.info.apple.com/usen/cip/index.html

Not sure if that's the same as your Sawtooth. But it's probably ok.

http://www.lowendmac.com/ppc/g4saw.shtml

AirPort: Troubleshooting Outline

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106858

We don't want Mrs. MamaMoose to be unhappy.

[MamaMoose]

Kelly,

Thanks for your help. Unfortunately the instructions say that the Airport card should be installed with the bar code down but I can't get it to fit that way. The only way it fits is when the Airport card bar code is face up!

In any case, I will talk tomorrow to the guys at The Mac Store, here in Beaverton. They are part of a six store group in the Portland area. Unfortunately, Apple is putting in an Apple store in a big Mall about 1 mile away. I am deeply concerned Apple will screw this independent such as they did with the ComputerWare chain in the SF Bay area.

Thanks,

MamaMoose

[MamaMoose]

It looks like Airport will not be a solution to setting up my LAN. After upgrading to OS 9.2.2 and using a new Airport Card in my G4 450 MHz. the Airport card was still not recognized. Fortunately the good folks at The Mac Store here in Beaverton will take back the new Airport card. Obviously, something is damaged in the G4 but it would be too costly to diagnose and fix.

So, unless someone has another solution to my problem, tomorrow i will take my 250 Lb under my wife's desk, deill a hole from there into the garage and run 65' of Cat 5 up over the garage ceiling and then down to a hole into my office. Another approach is to run the cable undr the crawl space but I am afarid once down there they would need the fire department to get me out. I would gladly hire someone to do this but there is no one in the local yellow pages that offers inside wiring service except Verizon who charges $180/hour!!!

MamaMoose

[kelly]

Tom. Something wrong with your Motherboard?  

They make USB to Wireless Adapters.

http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=175

Pretty extensive list in this Thread.

http://forums.dealmac.com/read.html?f=1&i=...68230&t=1268230

[kelly]

Just in case.  

"The card comes pre-attached to the adapter required for installation in an iMac. Installing into an iBook or G4 requires first removing this adapter."

http://www3.macintouch.com/airport.html#installation

http://www3.macintouch.com/airport.html

[Bill]

"2) What looks like the Airport antenna has one end dangling. Thast end has a small metal plug. Where does that go?"

That "small metal plug" should fit in the end of the airport card if it is the same configuration.

At least that how it worked with my 933.

[MamaMoose]

Welol, I finally got the G4 450 sawtooth to recognize the Airport card. How, you ask? I remembered that OS 9.2.2 has extensions - remeber those. And I had turned off the Airport extensions since I never planned to use Airport 4 years ago. So, using Conflict catcher I turned on the Airport extensions and Voila, the Airport card was recognized!

Boy do i feel dumb!!!      

Followiong this success, I turned on my Airport base station and connected its WAN port to one of the free outputs on my Linksys wired router. But, when I opened the Airport Setup Assistant it could not find the base station. I have a graphite base station with three ports including WAN and LAN. Perhapos I should hook up the base station via its LAN port?

Stumbling, rumbling, bumbling,

MamaMoose

[MamaMoose]

The perils of MamaMoose and Airport continued. Finally got the base station to be recognized by connecfting the router to the LAN port of the base station.

Still no joy until I went into the Airport setup in the G4 Sawtooth and established the connection. All is well and Mrs. moose has e-mail and internet.

Thus endeth the story with the moral "You aint as smart as you think you are when it comes to computers".

ManmaMoose

[kelly]

First step in troubleshooting is to make sure everything is plugged in.