Using a third-party card and gateway with PowerBook Pismo

Question

Hi,
My birthday present this year was an Apple PowerBook Pismo - the G3 400 model (full spec. below). It runs the latest version of Mac OSX (10.4.6 as below). Before I got the Pismo, I bought a Linksys WPC54G wireless card for my original laptop, a ThinkPad T23. This works fine with my Linksys WAG354G gateway, but I'm wondering if I can do the same with the Pismo, since original AirPort cards are still hovering at £70-£90.
My Linksys card is the revision-3 ie 'v3' version. It seems to be detected by my Pismo - running the AirPort setup wizard means it is detected and the access point is found. My network is protected with WPA (I think it's version 2) encryption, and AirPort asks me for the network password during setup. However, the next screen is blank - the screen that asks about base stations. Clicking 'Scan Again' does nothing, and I cannot continue. This was all with the original verison of Mac OS 10.4, by the way. I updated the Pismo last night, so I'll have a go with it. Since it is detected by AirPort, would I be correct in thinking the card has the Broadcom chip that is AirPort-compatible? It shows up in Apple System Profiler as 'Third-Party Wireless Adaptor,' if that helps.
Thanks in advance for your help,
Rob Johnson

Answer 1

You're quite welcome zwarbo.
Should you need it, the procedure (as I remember it, my Pismo's out of action at the moment) is as follows:
Insert the card into the 'Book and allow Mac OS to find it. Once the 'PC Card' symbol appears beside the clock, click on the symbol and read the drop-down menu. If it says something like 'Unknown brand - Network Controller,' the Pismo has found your card. Next, open 'System Profiler' (Hard Drive -> Applications -> Utilities). Point to 'Network.' If your card is working as expected, it should display 'AirPort Extreme.' If not, you may have a card using another brand of chip, since only cards using BroadCom chips are supported natively by Mac OS. It's hit-and-miss what chip you get in your card - there doesn't seem to be a general trend. My card has the FCC ID 'Q87-WPC54GV3' and the IC ID '3839A-WPC54GV3,' if this helps.
If it does show up as AirPort Extreme, here is the full procedure for setting up the card for your network:
- Open 'System Preferences'
- Head to 'Network'
- There should be an option, possibly in the drop-down box, to select 'AirPort.'
- You will then have the option of switching AirPort on.
- Select 'Only Join Preferred Networks'and either search for your access point, or manually input your router's details (the default IP address for the WAG354G is 192.168.1.1).
- Now, when you insert your card, AirPort should automatically switch on and connect to your network. Naturally, if you want to use your Pismo on the move, you'll have to uncheck the above and try another way. Enabling the 'Show AirPort Status' is useful, while you're there.
Take this as a rough guide. My Pismo has a battery problem, so I'm having it sorted. As such, I can't actually use it, so when the 'Book is back in action, I'll double-check the procedure (I don't posess another Mac other than an ancient iMac G3, long before wireless). The Mac should remember your WEP or WPA key, unlike the Linksys Windows utility, which is tempermental at best.
Hope this helps,
Rob Johnson