Best way for a G5 to connect with wifi?

[Tuppy]

I have a 2005 PowerPC G5 "Quad-Core 2.5 GHz" that has no wifi connectivity, and thus can't connect to our home network or the Internet.

The reason I want to keep this old G5 going is that it runs the program Adobe GoLive that I created and maintain my website with. So I need to be able to get on the Internet with this Mac to make changes to this website. My newer (Intel) MacPro won't run GoLive.

As I understand it (correct me if I'm wrong) you can add wireless connectivity to a G5 by either adding a wireless card to one of its PCI slots (I've seen cards that have little antennas sticking out the back of the case) or install an Airport Extreme card to the motherboard. I know how to install PCI cards, but I've never tried to plug anything into the internal works of a Mac, so I have no experience there. I'm also not sure whether this Mac has PCI or PCIe slots.

What do you suppose would be the best way to add Internet connectivity to this old G5 Mac?

 

[ferrarr]

Are both Macs in the same area? I know I can share my Mini Wi-Fi internet through the ethernet port? I just used it to reinstall winOS 10 on a 2011 Dell I am donating to Good Will.

 

[pigoo3]

As I understand it (correct me if I'm wrong) you can add wireless connectivity to a G5 by either adding a wireless card to one of its PCI slots (I've seen cards that have little antennas sticking out the back of the case) or install an Airport Extreme card to the motherboard.

Yes...get the WiFi card that mounts to the logic board. No need for a special PCI card.

Like this:

Apple A1026 Airport Extreme WiFi Card iBook eMac iMac Power Mac G4 G5 Powerbook | eBay

Item does show signs of use.

www.ebay.com

HTH,

Nick

 

[harryb2448]

When I had that model it was necessary to install a wifi/bluetooth combo card. DV Warehouse had them (ten) years ago lol).

 

[Tuppy]

Are both Macs in the same area? I know I can share my Mini Wi-Fi internet through the ethernet port? I just used it to reinstall winOS 10 on a 2011 Dell I am donating to Good Will.

Yes...get the WiFi card that mounts to the logic board. No need for a special PCI card.

Like this:

Apple A1026 Airport Extreme WiFi Card iBook eMac iMac Power Mac G4 G5 Powerbook | eBay

Item does show signs of use.

www.ebay.com

HTH,

Nick

Thanks, Nick, but the trouble is, if you look at some of the other people who are selling that same Airport Extreme card, they say that it won't work in this particular model of Mac, the G5 Quad-core. One Ebay seller of that same card Airport writes this:

"Will work in PowerMac G5s except for late 2005 G5s with Dual-core 2GHz, Dual-core 2.3GHz and Two dual-core 2.5GHz PowerPC G5."

And that''s exactly my Mac, the G5 Quad 11,2. So, those internal motherboard cards won't fit my Mac, and I haven't been able to determine whether any Airport card at all will work in this particular model of G5. Until I do, internal Airport cards are ruled out.

And, the only wifi PCI cards I've seen on Ebay (or anywhere else) are not PCIe. This Mac takes PCI-express cards, and from what I've been able to tell so far, there were never any such wifi cards made.

So, I'm skunked both ways. I don't know how I'm going to get wifi into this Mac, if at all.

 

[Tuppy]

When I had that model it was necessary to install a wifi/bluetooth combo card. DV Warehouse had them (ten) years ago lol).

Thanks Harry. I

Are both Macs in the same area? I know I can share my Mini Wi-Fi internet through the ethernet port? I just used it to reinstall winOS 10 on a 2011 Dell I am donating to Good Will.

Great idea, Bob. The Mac Pro that I have connected to the modem is only eight feet away from the G5 Quad-core that has no wifi. If I link those two computers with an ethernet cable, you're saying that the G5 could get onto the Internet that way, by sharing the wifi of the Mac Pro?

Well, that would be a solution, all right, but I've never had any computers linked by ethernet and I'd have to figure out how that worked. I have David Pogue's big fat "Missing Manual" for OS-X El Capitan (which is what the Mac Pro is running) and somewhere in those 825 pages he must explain how to do it.

Let me see if I can find (or go out and buy) an ethernet cable long enough to connect these two Macs, and then find out how that works. Thanks!

 

[harryb2448]

This is the card you need. Little devil to install:-

Apple AirPort Extreme Bluetooth Combo Card A1126 A1133 A1134 A1177

Compatible Models Configuration Model No. EMC # PowerMac Power Mac G5 (Late 2005) Power Mac G5 Dual-Core 2.0GHz, 2.3Ghz, 2 x Dual-Core 2.5Ghz M9590LL/A, M95

www.macpalace.com

 

[Tuppy]

Thanks, Harry! I'll go looking on Ebay (or elsewhere) for one of those cards, but I'm not looking forward to mucking around in the interior of the G5 trying to install it, after your warning about how difficult it is. Maybe there's a video tutorial somewhere on how to do it--I'll look.

As to Ethernet, I found a long Ethernet cable and connected the two Macs together, and managed to get them to see each other's files, but the G5 still has no wifi--I can't make any connection to the Internet on the G5. They're sharing files but they're not sharing the Internet connection.

The Mac Pro still gets on the Internet, though (I'm using Firefox on both Macs) but when I activate Firefox on the G5 all I get is a window that says "Cannot locate server."

Nothing that I've tried in the Network Preferences window changes anything. The G5 seems to have a hex on it when it comes to getting on the Internet.

But, at least I've found a way for the two Macs to see each other and share files. That's a gain. Thanks, Bob!

 

[harryb2448]

I would suggest the installed Airport card has failed. Have a look through this particular manual about replacing the Airport/Bluetooth and runaway cards:-

https://tim.id.au/laptops/apple/powermac/powermac_g5_late2005.pdf

 

[ferrarr]

You need to enable Internet Sharing in System Preferences > Sharing.

Share the internet connection on Mac with other network users

You can use Internet Sharing settings to share the internet connection on your Mac with other devices on your local network.

support.apple.com

 

[harryb2448]

So long ago Bob did Leopard have Internet Sharing available in System Preferences?

 

[Slydude]

So long ago Bob did Leopard have Internet Sharing available in System Preferences?

Yes. It did and the process for activating it really hasn't changed much. Basically, it's a matter of finding the Sharing preference pane and ticking the option to turn it on. You also have to indicate what connection will be shared to other devices. This page talks about enabling screen sharing but you can see the internet sharing option in the included screenshot. Leopard Makes It Easy to Share Your Mac’s Screen Locally and Over the Internet

 

[Tuppy]

Yes, Leopard has the Internet Sharing pane, but after linking the two Macs with an Ethernet cable and getting them to see each other, I ticked the Internet Sharing box (on both machines) but there was still no Internet connection on the G5. Whenever I launched FireFox there, I got a window that said "Firefox can't find the server."

So much for the Ethernet method, I guess. It doesn't work for this G5 but it was worth a try.

So, since there were no PCIe wifi cards made for this model of Mac, as far as I can tell, it's back to the Airport card solution.

Thanks for the link to MacPalace, Harry--they have that Airport Extreme Bluetooth Combo Card card (part number 661-3692) in stock, for $23, but then they want $15 more just to mail it to you. Kind of a steep price when there are a lot of Airport cards on Ebay for prices like $10 with free shipping, but before I bought one of those I'd have to make sure the part number was right. A lot of these Airport cards look alike but have different part numbers. If I can't find a for-sure correct 661-3692 Airport card on Ebay, I'll go back to MacPalace and pay them what they ask. It's expensive, but it's a sure thing, after all, and they give a 60-day warranty, which is worth something.

Thanks also for the link to the repair manual for this model of G5 (the late 2005 Quad-Core) that shows where the card goes. I downloaded the PDF and looked it over, and it appears that if you take out the inlet fan, and then the upper bank of memory chips, you get access to the slot where the Airport card plugs in. It plugs into yet another card called the Runway card (they did have fun naming these things, didn't they--maybe they've also got taxiways and hangars in there someplace too).

I assume/hope that the two little wires that they call antenna cables in the manual will be present in the computer when I go to install an Airport card, because those wires have to be plugged into the card for it to work. Maybe I better open up this G5 and make sure all that stuff is present and accounted for before proceeding any further.

Sooner or later, one way or another, I'll get some wifi into this old Mac (I hope). I do appreciate all the help and suggestions I'm getting here! Seems like eventually something is bound to work.

 

[Slydude]

It's been a long time since I used a G5 but I'm pretty sure internet sharing works. If it's not working for you there's something odd going on.

Make sure that once internet sharing is on that you have the settings correct. It's easy to get them wrong. It may take a bit of experimentation to get things correct.

 

[ferrarr]

Just to be clear, the G5 will not have Wi-Fi, and you don't need to check Internet Sharing on the G5 either. But you do need to make sure ethernet is configured properly on the G5.

 

[pm-r]

I have a 2005 PowerPC G5 "Quad-Core 2.5 GHz" that has no wifi connectivity, and thus can't connect to our home network or the Internet.

Is it not possible to connect it using its ethernet port???

It also seems that there is a USB option available:

Ethernet: 2 (RJ-45)
Details: External USB modem optional. "Two independent 10/100/1000BASE-T [Gigabit] Ethernet (RJ-45) interfaces with support for jumbo frames" standard.

Power Macintosh G5 "Quad Core" (2.5) Specs (Late 2005, M9592LL/A, PowerMac11,2, A1117/A1177*, 2023): EveryMac.com

Technical specifications for the Power Macintosh G5 "Quad Core" (2.5). Dates sold, processor type, memory info, hard drive details, price and more.

everymac.com

- Patrick
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[Tuppy]

Thanks Patrick, and everybody, but repeated attempts to get a wifi connection through the ethernet link between the two computers has gotten me nowhere. I've tried all sorts of adjustments to the settings while they're linked, and made sure that the Internet Sharing box is checked on the Mac Pro (I also tried checking the same box on the G5's Sharing panel, to see if it made any difference), but no go. The two computers can "see" each other and share files while thery're linked by the ethernet cable, but no matter what I do, Firefox on the G5 insists that it "can't find a server." That selfish Mac Pro just refuses to share its wifi with its older cousin.

So, later today, I'm going to open up the G5 and see if it really does have a slot (or "Runway" as Apple calls it) for an Airport card on the motherboard, along with the two antenna wires, and if it does, I'll go looking for one of those cards. I was hoping to find a wifi PCIe card, which would be simpler to install, but I haven't been able to find any evidence that any such cards were manufactured. Ebay sellers offer PCI cards with Airport and an antenna on them, but no PCI-e cards, which is what this G5 requires. So it looks like it will have to be a card for the motherboard instead.

 

[Tuppy]

Okay, I opened up the old G5 and spotted the slot for the Airport card, and the two loose wires that plug onto the card, and then I went to the MacPalace website (thanks for the link, Harry) and bought an Airport Extreme Bluetooth Combo Card for $23 plus $15 shipping. Whenever the card arrives I'll plug it in there, attach the two wires to it, and see what happens. With any luck I'll have wifi. Will report here one way or the other.

Thanks to all for the help!

 

[Tuppy]

Well, I got the Airport Extreme card from MacPalace today, but since it wouldn't fit into the slot on the motherboard that I thought it was supposed to go into, I looked into the manual that I downloaded for this Mac, examined the pictures in it (see one attached), and now I realize that the slot I thought was for the Airport Extreme card is actually for something called a Runway Card.

So how it works is: the Airport Extreme card fits onto the Runway Card, and the Runway Card fits into that slot.

So now I have the Airport Extreme card, but no Runway Card to attach it to.

MacPalace has a picture of the Runway Card (see also attached), but has none in stock, and when I called them I was told that they don't ever expect to have any again. So that source is out.

No Ebay search for a Mac G5 Runway Card brings up anything.

So I'm stuck again. Does anyone know where I might find a Runway Card for this Late 2005 PowerMac G5 Quad-Core?

 

[pm-r]

The two computers can "see" each other and share files while thery're linked by the ethernet cable, but no matter what I do, Firefox on the G5 insists that it "can't find a server." That selfish Mac Pro just refuses to share its wifi with its older cousin.

Okay, call me confused, but why are you attempting to use Firefox for any file sharing???
I thought it was a Finder thing and that's what would normally be used or am I just out to lunch???


- Patrick
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