I am looking for WiFi card recommendations, as the internal wifi is not working very well on my newly acquired machine. I have the G5 PCI-x 2 GHz model:

https://everymac.com/systems/apple/powermac_g5/specs/powermac_g5_2.0_dp.html

Thanks,
IKE

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I have seen some G5 PowerMacs with wireless antennae out the back, but don't know if that is available for your model. I've never tried using the Apple AirPort wireless networking with my G5 PowerMac towers, only the built-in wireless networking in my MacMini and PowerBooks.

Another option that I have used successfully is a wireless network bridge (I think that is what it is called). I have one made by NetGear that I have used not only on some of my MorphOS systems, but also with my X1000 and even 68k big box Amiga Classic systems as well. They are quite cheap and need no drivers, since the system just sees it as a regular Ethernet connection.

Edit: Also just noticed that you're located in Southern Calif., where I grew up and spent most of my life, and often visit. Nice to know that there is another MorphOS user in California and maybe we can meet next time I am down South. I was just there, in the mountains near Lake Arrowhead, and in Big Bear Lake, about a week ago helping a friend.

[ Edited by amigadave 30.10.2020 - 08:52 ]

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As amigadave pointed out, your best bet is to probably modify a wireless router and use that as a "wireless bridge" to your network. This can sometimes be a headache if the right wireless routers arent used. All mine are ARM based wifi routers, so all of mine are Broadcom chipset.

I believe something like an Asus RT-AC66u would be just fine or even older routers that are around broadcom chipsets. I just always had lousy luck with Atheros chipsets.

Unsure if there are even pci express 1x that has such an old wifi chipset on it that would work.... Now that I think about it, might be worth experimenting getting an old M.2 wireless card that is the same chipset as that of an old airport card and combining the two? Unsure if something like that would even work.


[ Edited by Doffo 30.10.2020 - 13:27 ]

>> Another option that I have used successfully is a wireless network bridge
>> [...]. I have one made by NetGear [...]. They are quite cheap and need
>> no drivers, since the system just sees it as a regular Ethernet connection.

> As amigadave pointed out, your best bet is to probably modify a wireless
> router and use that as a "wireless bridge" to your network.

I don't think amigadave suggested to modify a router but to use a device specifically made for the purpose at hand.

> All mine are ARM based wifi routers, so all of mine are Broadcom chipset.
> I believe something like an Asus RT-AC66u would be just fine or even
> older routers that are around broadcom chipsets. I just always had lousy
> luck with Atheros chipsets.

The chipset shouldn't matter. My wireless network bridge uses a MIPS-based chipset by Atheros/Qualcomm and works fine.

> Unsure if there are even pci express 1x that has such an old wifi chipset
> on it that would work

IKE's G5 Mac is PCI-X, not PCIe. PCI-X slots can take PCI cards with the right voltage.

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I appreciate the corrections. :) I just had bad luck at times where certain routers would struggle connecting, and using another of the same chipset worked. Just my bad luck I guess. :)

I thought he said he had a Quad G5, so why I thought he didn't have PCI-X to at least try and find a card based around that.

Again, appreciate the corrections! :)

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Your G5 is a dual processor 2,0 GHz "AGP" PowerMac. Your internal AirPort Extreme A1027 card needs to be hooked up to an antenna. The wire that it's connected to leads to an antenna connector in the back. You need to plug in an external antenna for the WiFi to work properly as the aluminium case is pretty much shielding the signal.

That said, the original antenna is quite hard to find and pricey. But you can acquire any external antenna with an MCX connector (just make sure you get the correct "gender") and you're good to go.

I've got at the moment an A1177 EMC 2023 - 2.3GHz Dual-Core PowerMac G5, but it needs a WiFi card and Bluetooth.

Does the A1026/A1027 Airport Extreme or A1029 AirMac Extreme cards fit in this model, as they do in the EMC 2061 models, as they seem to fit the slot, but the metal plate above has 2 pushed/pressed out brackets with screw holes that seem to be intended to secure the correct WiFi card with a couple of screws, rather than the pressed/punched/cut out slot as in the EMC 2061 models. There are no holes in the A1026/A1027/A1029 cards for them to be secured with any screws so I doubt the standard Airporrt Extreme cards for the G4 and G5 earlier versions is the correct card, unless a previous owner has removed a bracket/screws that would have fitted into this position to secure the standard Airport Extreme cards.

Anyone got an Airport Extreme card of any kind fitted/working in their A1177 PowerMacs?

I have an A1044 Bluetooth card which seems to be the same fitting for this A1177 EMC 2023 model mounting as the ones for the EMC 2061 models, but does anyone know if this is the correct card or do I need a different card for this A1177 model of PowerMac?

[UPDATE] - I now realise that the A1177 should have an A1126 or A1127 combined Wifi/Bluetooth card clipped/fitted onto a daughter card that slots into (and screws down onto the 2 threaded plate bracket positions on the steel mid-panel) which is the lone Airport Extreme slot in the earlier PowerMac G5s, such as my EMC 2061 model.

I have seen someone fit an A1026/A1027 Airport Extreme card into this slot under the mid-shelf of the PowerMac as in the earlier EMC 2061 models, like mine, but fitted this way in the A1177, and there is the same location for a separate bluetooth card (A1044) as there is in the EMC 2061 that exists in the A1177. So, does anyone know, have already tried, and successfully fitted the A1044 bluetooth card, and the Airport Extreme A1026/A1027 card in an A1177 in that position for it to function as it does in the EMC 2061 models?

As you wrote, the PCI-e G5 PowerMacs require a special "runway" card that enables mounting of standard AirPort/Bluetooth combo module known from Mac Mini/late PowerBook. Then you just hook up the internal antenna cables and you're good to go. Unfortunately, the "runway" adapter is hard to find and pricey like hell. You can mount an A1027 card though and it should work (or so I heard) but it would require a different antenna (some use it with antenna cable from "AGP" PowerMac G5 and an external one). Not sure about the standalone Bluetooth module though.

@ koszer - thanks for the advice - do you know what the Apple part number is for that "runway" card?

Have you tried an A1027/A1026 Airport Extreme in the smae position Airport port on an A1177?

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The Apple Part number for the "runway" card is 630-7054 (as seen here, here and in dozen of other places.
You should be perfectly fine using the A1027 with A1177. As seen on this video. Mind that (as far as I know) the A1026 won't work with MorphOS though.

@ koszer - thanks for the links and the part number, that has helped a lot, and the YouTube video is basically what I suspected would be OK to try, so all that's good, and very helpful, many thanks.

[UPDATE] - I've installed an A1027 Airport Extreme card successfully on the A1177 running on a Mac Leopard installation, so I don't see any reason it wouldn't get recognised under MorphOS, and I only needed to plug into one of the USB ports a standard PC USB2 bluetooth dongle and now there's bluetooth on the Mac, so no need for one of those overpriced "Runway" cards that I'd otherwise probably have to import from USA, and pay customs duty on, along with shipping costs, which would probably push the total price for a small PCB to $100 or more.

The only issue with the Airport Extreme is finding a way to get the older aerial connector to connect with the button type (female) connector that are pre-fitted in the A1177 PowerMac, but I managed to find in my PowerBook parts a small board, Apple part number 603-5812, which seems to be from an A1106, that has an Airport Extreme aerial plugin connector and a male button aerial connector on the small PCB, so they connected up quite easily, as I was expecting to have to solder on one of the connectors which I knew would be very fiddly/tricky, so it's all worked out nicely.

I've added this information on here so others know it is possible to get both WiFi and bluetooth in the A1177 PowerMac, for quite a small amount, and without having to use a "Runway" card.

Hello,

It's not internal but it work on all MorphOS hardware:

External WiFi module 300 Mbps

or

External WiFi AC module 750 Mbps

I have AirPort Extreme wifi card too

[ Edité par Papiosaur 14.09.2021 - 19:12 ]

Thanks Papiosaur (Yannick) for that info about such items available in the MorphOS Store - handy to know you're catering for such hardware, as Airport Extreme cards aren't as easy to source, and that problem is only going to get worse in the future, I suppose.