How does does Wireless and a Wireless card work?

Question

I bought an imac G5 1.8ghz We already have a BT wireless connection and I want to hook up to that. I gather that I need an airport card but I'm not sure how to insert a card into the machine there is a CD portal and ones for USB as well. How does this wireless business work and what do I need for my machine running Tiger 10.4.11?

Answer 1

The AirPort Extreme card appears to be the correct product
but you should be able to tell from some of the Apple Support
information in the form of their product support page for your
specific computer model. The main support section has a side
bar menu of products and if you find iMac G5, then look into it
further, you can identify what exact model iMac G5 you have.
{+If you have looked under the Blue Apple in the Finder menu bar+
+and chosen About this Mac> more info> System Profiler> then,+
+look under Network> Airport card, you can see if one is installed+.}
There are manuals, instructions and other info available, too.
The manual to install the physical AirPort Extreme card is in
the manuals link in the iMac G5 page in Apple Support.
Since there were a few different models of iMac G5, you should
be sure to get the install instructions that match your computer.
The card itself could be used in many different Mac models, so
it will NOT have installation instructions with it for your iMac G5.
{The hardware installation is the point of reference here; not the
CD software, which very likely is outdated and not needed at all.}
Apple - Support - iMac G5 models:
http://www.apple.com/support/imac/g5/
Apple - Support - Manuals:
iMac models (from newer Intel, on back to older)
http://support.apple.com/manuals/#imac
Since the iMac G5 (PPC) and iMac (Intel) look similar, you
will have to identify your computer in the G5 category to
be able to get the correct AirPort installation instruction .pdf.
How to Identify your iMac (note three designs)
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1463
The software CD included with that older Airport Extreme package
will likely be older than your OS X version in the computer now.
{So, you will NOT need to install that software to use the AirPort card.}
Examples of .pdf download manuals on how to install an Airport card
are as follows (these are actual links to these manuals.) +So, these may+
+not be for your specific iMac G5 computer.+ To be sure, use Identify page.
• _iMac G5 20-inch_ AirPort Extreme Card Replacement Instructions (Do It Yourself Manual)
iMac G5 AirPort Extreme Card, 20-inch 4. Pull the tab on the card to remove the card from
the AirPort card guide. Important:
http://manuals.info.apple.com/enUS/imacG5_20inchAirPort.pdf
• _iMac G5 17-inch_ AirPort Extreme Card Replacement Instructions (Do It Yourself Manual)
iMac G5 AirPort Extreme Card, 17-inch 4. Pull the tab on the card to remove the card from
the AirPort card guide. Important:
http://manuals.info.apple.com/enUS/imacG5_17inchAirPort.pdf
{Since the above are examples, and there were more than two designs, you should
check the ' how to identify your iMac ' page under the iMac G5 and Intel, to be sure.}
Good luck & happy computing!
PS: if your 1.8GHz iMac G5 is a 17" LCD with Ambient Light Sensor, the wireless
AirPort Extreme is a built-in component: Model # M9843 (1.8 GHz) and in the older
1.8GHz iMac G5 20" the card is listed as an Optional part, in pre-light sensor model.
{ edited 2x - to add info }