[G4] help on installing an internal mac modem (i'm A NEWB!)

[Dave March]

I'm pretty sure that all the G4 Power Macs use
more-or-less the same internal modem, which mounts to
the logic board.  The phone jack/filter/cable assembly
is seperate, and should have a small cable running
under the logic board to the place where the modem
would be mounted.  Look around the edges of the logic
board for a small cable with a small unused connector
at the end.  It may be taped to the metal chassis to
keep it out of the way.

If you find that, you are very near where the internal
modem goes.  There's a small connector on the logic
board where the modem connects to the board at one
end, one or two elevated screws that secure the modem
card at the other end, and the little cable from the
phone jack also connects to that end.  If the external
jack is there, accessible from the rear panel (I take
it you were able to remove the metal cover without
removing the daughter card or logic board), then it's
just a matter of finding that cable.

Then all you need is the modem card -- thirty bucks
from any number of vendors.  I think Beta Macs has a
few, but they're probably used, and I don't exactly
get a "good vibe" from their website.  It may not be
possible to get a new one, but go with a vendor you
trust.  I just jury-rigged the modem card out of my
old iMac to install in my MDD.  They're pretty much
the same animal except for the connectors.  I can find
the part numbers for the original G4 modems, if you
like.  In fact, I could probably find a links to
photos of an installed modem without too much trouble.

If you're not confident about doing the installation,
or can't find the cable and connector in your machine,
then I guess a USB modem would work about as well, but
I don't have experience with those.  As for PCI modems
for Mac, all I know is that the only one I ever found
was very expensive.

--DKM



--- Brandon Sternburg <happyhlaut at yahoo.com> wrote:

> I just got an old tower g4 and plan to upgrade it. I
> understand the pci port upgrades. Installing hard
> drive and ram. But i am trying to find an internal
> modem for my tower i've come across the internal
> modems suppoively supposively use in these Tower
> PC's
> but looking at the pictures i can't figure out how
> you
> install it. I'm not sure exactly which model i have.
> It is a 533mhz g4 tower with a very small microphone
> port. So i figure maybe it's the digital audio 
> model
> which also featured the agp card. Reguardless the
> port
> on the back that looks like it should be where the
> modem goes. but the port has a small metal box there
> with what i thought was a modem. It had a phone
> port.
> I only had to move it to the side. Howerver the
> operating system (os X 10.3.9) says there is no
> modem.
> I thought maybe it was a driver issue but even
> started
> up under os 9 there is no way to access this modem.
> if
> it IS a modem. reguardless i want an internal modem
> and before i purchase it i need to figure out:
> 
> 1. if the lil box potentially hard wired to the
> mother
> board is a modem
> 
> 2. if it isn't how do i install a modem in it's
> place.
> 
> any help would be greatly appreciated. i've searched
> for hours on google with no info turning up at all.
> I'm totally confused and will be making my decision
> on
> what i'm going to purchase next week. Anyone know
> about this. I mean i'd hate to use up one of the 4
> pci
> ports for a modem if i don't have to.
> 
>

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com