06-03-2009, 05:57 PM

Hey! Thanks for checking my thread out, I could surely use the help! So my issue is...

Wanting to familiarize myself with mac's OS before I bought a new mac, a friend of mine recently gave me a 12" Powerbook G4 (the 1ghz, DVI model, running panther os for now) to have.

Everything has be going great until I craved wireless internet connection. After research I bought an AirPort Extreme Card off of eBay. So far, after installing the card and software, it doesn't detect a card at all. Since I'm newer to macs, I feel perhaps I'm missing something? A step I should have taken?

So far, to troubleshoot, I have removed and reinstalled the card. I made sure both the card and antenna fit snugly. Reinstalled the software, but it said I have the latest version. I'm honestly not sure what to think. Any thoughts? Thanks!

06-03-2009, 06:24 PM

I'm always willing to help a lady out .

Does the card show up under System Profiler? When you say it doesn't get detected, what is telling you this (system preferences)?

06-03-2009, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by vansmith

I'm always willing to help a lady out .

Does the card show up under System Profiler? When you say it doesn't get detected, what is telling you this (system preferences)?

Thanks van!!

Honestly, nothing detects it! lol I try the "AirPort Setup Assistant for Graphite or Snow" and the first page I get tells me "The appropriate hardware was not found on this computer." It tells me to shut the computer down and double check it's installed. The system profiler says No Information found.

Using the apple support install guide and also looking at a couple others, I installed it a few times! It seems so simple. Take out the battery, open the port, move the antenna, pop in the card, attach the antenna, slap the battery back in and... Bam!

06-03-2009, 07:36 PM

You bought the Airport Extreme card from Ebay correct? Was this a used card? I am wondering if maybe the Airport card itself is defective? Since you used that guide it should be installed correctly. OSX should just pick it up and use it. Are you sure the card is seating all the way down on the on the socket in the powerbook? Is the right side up? Do you feel it seating on the pins?

Something is going on. Every Airport card I have plugged in just worked. I did nothing but boot up the computer. Check and be sure the card is in correctly like I mentioned above.

06-03-2009, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by dtravis7

You bought the Airport Extreme card from Ebay correct? Was this a used card? I am wondering if maybe the Airport card itself is defective?

That's what I was thinking. Do you have another Mac to test this on? If it is defective, did you arrange some sort of a return agreement with the seller?

06-04-2009, 08:34 AM

Is it possible that Panther predates the existence of that particular card? Perhaps the drivers simply aren't available.

Panther is pretty dated nowadays...

06-04-2009, 02:28 PM

CWA, everything I found says 10.3 works. The Airport Extreme card goes back to machines that came with Panther. The early Mac Minis could be configured with an Airport Extreme card and came with 10.3.6 Panther.

I ran into one thread where they were having the same issue as the OP and they found that even though the card seemed to be plugged in correctly needed be pushed harder into the socket then it showed up.

06-04-2009, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by dtravis7

CWA, everything I found says 10.3 works. The Airport Extreme card goes back to machines that came with Panther. The early Mac Minis could be configured with an Airport Extreme card and came with 10.3.6 Panther.

I ran into one thread where they were having the same issue as the OP and they found that even though the card seemed to be plugged in correctly needed be pushed harder into the socket then it showed up.

Hahaa! Well that was an easy fix! As a last ditch effort to reinstall the card, I figured I wont be as careful this time and push like you mentioned! It took a little force, but it clicked and works great now! I feel silly for crying wolf when it was just me not giving it tough love. I've installed a fair amount of PC stuff before, but I guess I just wanted to be nice to my first mac. Thanks for the help guys! I'm so glad everything's up and running now!

06-04-2009, 10:46 PM

Glad you got it working!! Great news. Now enjoy that Powerbook!!