New macBook and Airport Extreme Connection to a Classic iMac

Question

I have an iMac Power PC 750 (32.24) operating with OS X v. 10.3.4. I currently am hooked into the internet with a Siemens Speedstream 420 DSL modem. I plan to buy a new macBook and want to use it with a wireless router. According to the information in the Apple catalog, the current Airport Extreme Base Station will not operate on the version of OS X that I have available in my Classic iMac.
If I buy the new Airport Extreme router, can I set up the Airport Extreme router using the new macBook and simply connect my Classic iMac to the internet using the ethernet port on the Airport Extreme router and an ethernet cable. The iMac does not have an Airport card.
Thanks

Answer 1

Yes, it is fairly simple, but that is relative to your familiarity and experience. You use the AirPort Utility and it walks you through the basic set up. You have the option to manually configure additional detailed or advanced features at any time later. Enable the WPA2 Personal encryption, that will require wireless clients to enter a password, there is also a feature to turn off broadcast or stealth mode, I don't remember what they call it exactly now, so that the network name is not broadcast for additional security, so to connect you have to manually enter the WiFi network name and password. I bought an open-box unit, which was actually used/returned and had already been set up with a network name and password, so I had to perform a factory reset, it took a couple of tries to get it to reset, but then it worked fine.
The default internet configuration should work when you hook everything up, most of the time. It usually searches all available network ports until it finds one available, but you may specify particular settings when you are at home, at work, or at a public hot-spot, or dial-up, so you can manually connect to the preferred method, or change the order in which it searches, so as not to wait for the computer to search for a connection that isn't available, or sometimes get confused thinking it might be available and continue to wait. You use System Preferences: Network to control this. Create a new Location, then look at the Network Port Configurations, you can deselect the ones that don't apply, so on the iMac you would have only the Built-in Ethernet active, but on the MacBook you would use the AirPort. You can drag these around so the preferred one is on top of the list.
Most wireless routers will work fine with both Macs and PCs, I bring a Dell home from work and use it fine on my AirPort. The AirPort Utility on the CD can be installed on a XP/Vista PC also. Conversely, some non-Apple third-party router web-based configuration utilities may require Internet Explorer that might not work with Safari on the Mac.
"The way to go," depends on your needs. Check the specs for total number of wired ports, max number of wireless ports, speed, range, etc. for what you think will satisfy your needs for your network. The AirPort Extreme Base Station may have a higher price tag than some other brand wireless routers, but it works great and has some unique features such as the shared USB port for printer or USB disc sharing. Other than sharing the internet connection, you will also be able to share a printer and the hard drives, iTunes libraries, and even remotely control one computer from the other using a Virtual Network Computer software like Chicken of the VNC.
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/networking_security/chickenofthevnc.html