[Ti] Can't get Mac to go wireless (Platinum Powerbook 1g mem)

[Scott Strehlow]

> Found the following.  Guess I need to buy the card. :)
>
>   Wireless Card Type:	AirPort
>   Wireless Card Locale:	USA
>   Wireless Card Firmware Version:	9.52
>   Current Wireless Network:	wireless network not available

No, you have a card.  It is the 802.11b version (11 Mbits/sec).  You  
need to make sure your router is set to use only "b" mode.  It is  
probably set to "g" and that is why the Mac is not seeing it.

Log into the router's configuration tools.  From any machine you have  
that is connected (preferably by wire), open a browser and go to the  
IP address of the router.  If you don't know what that is, check the  
network setup on the PC and look for the "default gateway" or  
"router" address.  If you cannot find that, then take the IP of the  
PC itself and change the last number to 0 or 1.  One of those is most  
likely the right address.  These are very common address  
assignments:  198.162.1.0, 198.162.1.1, 198.162.2.2, 198.162.2.1
I have a Belkin router and its address is 198.162.2.1.

After you put that address in the browser's address bar, hit return.   
You should see the status screen of your router.  If not, try the  
other variant of the address.

Once here, look around for the wireless network configuration  
section.  If you don't have an admin password on your router, create  
one.  If you are not using WPA security, set it to that if available  
on all of your computers.  WEP is pretty useless as it can be broken  
with just a few minutes of listening and the right software.  It is  
better than nothing though.  Pick an encryption key which is pretty  
random and contains letters, numbers, and punctuation.  Make it as  
long as is practical.  Mine is 63 characters, but 13 is probably  
enough.  If you must use WEP then it will have to be a specific  
length (which I can't remember).

Find the wireless channel setting and make sure the Mac is set to the  
same channel.  If the SSID is still the default that was in the  
router when it shipped, change it.  For example "Mike_Private" or  
"KEEP_OUT" or something similar would be good.

Here is why working from a wired computer is helpful as you won't  
keep losing connectivity while making these changes.

Then set the PCs to these new settings, and go through the wizard on  
the Mac.  When you first try setting it up, put the Mac in the same  
room as the router to eliminate signal-strength as a variable to deal  
with if you have connection problems.  Once it connects there, then  
move to whatever place you want to use it and then worry about the  
signal.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

Scott