Wireless iBook problem (HELP!)

Hello, Mac Forums!

I'm having a wireless problem with my iBook that I just can't figure out.

iBook PowerPC G3 900MHz (M9018LL/A) with 10.4.11 installed.

It will connect via Ethernet at my home.
It will connect via AirPort at my friend's house, but not at my own.

I have a MacBook and a Windows machine that work via wireless, but I can't get the iBook to work. When I try log in to linksys with my password it tells me that it's invalid. The password, however, will work via Ethernet.

If the iBook didn't work at my friend's house, I would think that the AirPort card was dead or something, but it did work.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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What encryption you using on your Home Wifi on the Linksys? WEP?? WPA?

RE: Wireless

I'm pretty sure it's WPA2 Personal, whatever that's supposed to mean. I remember writing it down, but not what it meant.

Thanks for helping!

ok, one issue i have seen is the other security setting on WPA2 which is either AES or TKIP. Try changing that setting. Seen a few macs that would not connect to one option but did to the other.

Okay, how do I do that exactly. I can't do it now, as I'm at work, but is there like a toggle switch on the back of the router or something or do I have to access this setting online?

Also, if I switch from AES to TKIP or vice versa will I have connection problems with the other 3 computers that are currently working? When it comes to this type of stuff, I'm a newbie.

Thanks again.

Have not messed with Tiger in a while but in OSX under Networking and Wireless you select the network and edit and there should be a toggle right in the OS. That way it will not affect the rest of your network.

Do remember this is just a guess as I have seen that with some Macs and many Linksys routers using WPA2. Cant hurt to check. I will boot up my old 900 Mhz iBook with 10.4.11 and see what options are there and post a screen shot.

I have a MacBook and a Windows machine that work via wireless, but I can't get the iBook to work. When I try log in to linksys with my password it tells me that it's invalid. The password, however, will work via Ethernet.

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Ethernet does not require a password for internet access. And, since your home network is using WPA2 it's likely your iBook does not understand that form of encryption. Your friend is probably using WEP (lower form of encryption) which is why it will connect.

As a test, go into your router and set the encryption to WEP. See if it will work that way. Of course you'll have to reset the password also. WEP is really not secure but as a test it should be OK.

The 900 Mhz G4 iBook I have is connecting to my networks and most are wpa2. Booting it up now to check.

What you say makes perfect sense. I thought it would be something like that. As it test, it would be okay, but I don't think I would want to leave it on WEP if that is going to limit my security.

To test this, though, I would need to go online and access my router?

iBook G4 14" 900 Mhz with OSX 10.4.11 Tiger. WPA2 works with my 8 hotspots I have set up here for testing. ALL are WPA2.

Sad thing is there is no toggle like in 10.5 for AES or TKIP. Most of the routers here are Linksys WRT54gl's and one Dlink, Netgear and Apple AE.

Just in case there is any doubt, here is a screen shot. IBook 900 Mhz G4 OSX 10.4.11.

All listed WiFi networks work 100%.

This is posted from the above iBook hooked to a Linksys WRT54GL WPA2.

So, what you're saying is mine should work, too. Unless of course, having an iBook G3, as opposed to a G4, makes a big difference. It must be something else, but what? Maybe I'm just not setting my iBook up correctly. When I go into my Network Prefs and choose AirPort, it asks me to indicate the network I'd like to join. There's only one there, linksys, and that's the one I use. It then asks me to enter my password. I do this, and I know this to be correct, but it says it's invalid.

P.S. My replies are sometimes long in coming because I'm working. Fortunately, today the students (adults) are taking a test, so I don't have much to do except make sure they don't cheat (which they never do).

Me bad, when I first read your post I thought you said 900 Mhz G4! The G3 uses an older Airport card where this 900 Mhz G4 is an Airport Extreme. With the older Airport Card and Tiger I don't think WPA2 was supported. I have a friends 800 Mhz G4 with Tiger on it. Will go check that out.

Well then, if that's the case, switching to WEP may indeed work, after all. If I did so, though, will my other computers have any trouble connecting? They shouldn't, right?

I should mention that these computers are in the privacy of my own home. So, the only security issue I would have would be neighbors filching my wireless signal. I suppose WEP would make it easier for them. Of course, I'd be wiling to bet my immediate neighbors know little to nothing about hacking computer signals.

dtravis7 said:

Me bad, when I first read your post I thought you said 900 Mhz G4! The G3 uses an older Airport card where this 900 Mhz G4 is an Airport Extreme. With the older Airport Card and Tiger I don't think WPA2 was supported. I have a friends 800 Mhz G4 with Tiger on it. Will go check that out.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I don't think his G3 supports WPA2 with the older Airport card although I may be wrong. Anyway, let's see if he can test it with WEP as that should tell us.

teachergenki said:

Well then, if that's the case, switching to WEP may indeed work, after all. If I did so, though, will my other computers have any trouble connecting? They shouldn't, right?

I should mention that these computers are in the privacy of my own home. So, the only security issue I would have would be neighbors filching my wireless signal. I suppose WEP would make it easier for them. Of course, I'd be wiling to bet my immediate neighbors know little to nothing about hacking computer signals.

Click to expand...

WEP is only insecure if you have neighbors that are smart enough to crack it. Although WEP is easy enough to crack, someone would first have a desire to do so and then, the knowledge. Your other computers would have no problem whatsoever connecting to WEP.

I should mention that some modern routers no longer support WEP as an encryption option. But give it a try anyway.

The Airport WILL support it on 10.5.8. Just tried it on my old Power Mac G4 with old Airport card, but no go in Tiger. In Leopard they have updated the Airport driver to support WPA2. I was shocked when it first started to connect to my WPA2 networks after 10.5 was installed!

EDIT: just checked the my old Powermac G4 Digital Audio with 10.4.11. Old Airport card. Highest it's going is WPA Personal which is still quite secure. It's been so long since I booted into Tiger I was not sure what options were there!

Last question: So, do I access my router online by typing my IP address into the URL box, and then inputting my username and password? If so, what exactly should I be looking to change.

Actually, I just met up with our computer tech person, who, although new to Mac, said that the security settings for a router are like: a, b, c, d, g, n or something and that my router probably only recognizes "n" which I guess is the newest protocol. Does that sound right? He seems to think the reason my computer works at my friend's house is because he has all security settings (whatever it is) open.

I just want to say how much I've appreciated you taking the time to help me tonight. Thanks a lot. Believe me, I tried to figure this out myself. I loathe bothering people and asking for help.

Since I have you here, let me ask you a slightly off topic question. Would you happen to know how I can speed up my eMac (G4) or iBook (G3). They both have the maximum allotted Ram (memory), and are both running Tiger, but tend to work kind of slow. It's been so long since I've used Tiger. I can't recall if there were 3rd party applications like Speed Download or something to increase a computer's performance.

You don't have to answer this question. If you've already done enough. It's just I've got another hour before work ends, and I'm done grading all my tests, so I'm bored.