Setting up an IMac for 802 Wireless Network

Factual Questions
1

I’ve setup an 802.11b wireless network at home and now two PCs are using it. When I got it originally I thought I would be able to set up the Mac I bought in 2003 with it, but I found out I couldn’t. I’d like to get it set up now for someone else to use but I’ve run into some problems.

First of all, I have a belkin router hooked up to a dsl connection, and belkin usb adapters for both pcs. I can get another of those adapters, but they didn’t work on the mac because the software was only for PC and it seems Mac wants to only have its airport networks be used.

So I found a website with a software download that claims to allow most adapters to work with the mac. I hooked up the mac directly to ethernet and downloaded it. But it wouldn’t even try to connect to the router mere inches away.

I’ve also talked with apple which confirmed they only sell the Airport Extreme card which is incompatible with my older Mac. They said to buy a regular Airport card from Ebay. Unfortunately, when I looked at that card, it was the kind you put in a slot, and I don’t think my IMac can be opened up to put anything like that in it. And before I go monkeying with that, I want to know for sure that it will work.

So has anyone else gone through this, and what’s the best way to get this Mac hooked up?

2

I use one of these with my Mac network at home on the router side but I’m pretty sure it can be configured as a bridge to use it on the computer side. Never had problem accessing or configuring it with any Mac.

3

Wait… . this shouldn’t be a problem at all. What kind of computer is it? (iBook or imac or what?) You should be able to pull up your keyboard and there’s a slot marked for an old airport card. On the Apple website there are instructions on how to do that. You actually say imac briefly, now I notice-- is it the white one with the bowling-ball base? You should be able to turn it over and open up the bottom and find an airport slot. Once it’s put in you should be able to find any 802.11 router.
I’ve had iffy times with 3d party wireless cards in a mac.

4

Never realized the bowling ball base had a bottom that could be unscrewed. Thanks. I’ll try to get an airport card then. Apple no longer sells the basic one on its site.