Need to make the Mac Pro wireless

Phate

Phate

Phate

Caporegime
Joined
1 Nov 2003
Posts
35,691
Location
Lisbon, Portugal
Right,

Mac Pro needs to go wireless, so I headed to the Apple store in Lakeside, who tell me that they do not resell cards for home users to install :confused:

this is apparently because it isn't just a pci card, I'm told it needs 3 cables running to it to various parts of the pro as well :confused:

Only thing I could think is that these are arials...but all the same I was a little peeved...he told me even the "genius'" have trouble installing them!!!

So if anything that sounds like a challenge, to source my own and fit it!

Can anyone tell me if the bloke was talking complete trollop? or is he speaketh *** truth?

he said if I brought it in they would fit one for £30. But taking a 30kg machine JUST for a wireless card...na thanks...
 
The other connections are probably just the antennae. If it's anything like my various G4 PowerMacs the antennae are already in place, they just need to be attached to the card when you install it.

Find out what model card they're using, source it from elsewhere, and install it yourself.
 
Fstop11 said:
I would imagine they are just difficult to install due to the layout of the MacPro's case. They are surely not gonna just be plug in and go.. To be honest unless it is not a tricky procedure then 30 coins for it to be done isn't awful.
Click to expand...

I've had the case open several times, it's dead easy to get at the pci slots - it should just be plug and go really...
 
BillytheImpaler said:
The other connections are probably just the antennae. If it's anything like my various G4 PowerMacs the antennae are already in place, they just need to be attached to the card when you install it.
Click to expand...

Thanks dude :) I'll pull it open this week and have a look, right now I'm using a 20m network cable into the hub in another room :p

If the antennae are already there then I'll just buy the card!
 
Doesn't use a PCI card, it attaches onto a slot elsewhere on the motherboard.

mac_pro_n_card.jpg
 
TheVoice said:
Doesn't use a PCI card, it attaches onto a slot elsewhere on the motherboard.

mac_pro_n_card.jpg
Click to expand...

Oh ok. I see!!

do you have a link to an installation guide by any chance? and if you can post it a link to where I can buy one from? :)
 
A quick Google should come up with one for you, I remember seeing a few when my housemate wanted Bluetooth and Wi-fi installed in her MacPro. She ended up getting it installed for her though.
 
TheVoice said:
A quick Google should come up with one for you, I remember seeing a few when my housemate wanted Bluetooth and Wi-fi installed in her MacPro. She ended up getting it installed for her though.
Click to expand...

Cheers bud, I'll have a look later! :)
 
Bluetooth, even though there's ironically one there marked 'BT'. I remember reading that people had found they could improve their wi-fi signal by swappand and changing the antennas used.
 
Caged said:
So what's the BT aerial for then :p
Click to expand...

Utter confusion for anyone who dare install it themselves? :p

EDIT: I'm wondering if it is the Bluetooth, just the No.1 cable goes off around the case and comes back around and they labelled it BT.

It's a possibility :p
 
If it proves to be difficult to source a card have you considered using something like the homeplug system, would probably be faster than wireless too.
 
wij said:
If it proves to be difficult to source a card have you considered using something like the homeplug system, would probably be faster than wireless too.
Click to expand...

No.

Is that a system where you plug one into the wall and into the hub, then the other into a plug in my room with a network cable into the pc?
 
electric ant said:
Could get an Airport Express to extend your network maybe...
Just throwing a few ideas out there
Click to expand...

Yeah bring on the ideas dude! :)

Ideally I want internal wireless, the hub gives off a good range, so I should be fine to be honest. Phone picks up the network with very good signal in my room, even though it's through a wall I'm technicall 8ft away from the hub...

if it doesn't work...we'll try other stuff :)
 
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