AirPort Card--Networking with PCs

[WDRAM]

If I were to install an AirPort card in my iBook, would it function like a wireless card for a PC and let me network with a wireless PC network? Or does it only work with an Airport base station?? Since the iBook is the lone Mac here, being able to network it wirelessly would be a real plus. So can an AirPort card connect to a PC network? Thanks.

[Colin]

"AirPort" is essentially just Apple's name for 802.11b networking -- so yes, you will have no problems getting it to use the same network as your PCs. Just enter the (E)SSID and channel number, and you're set (assuming the network is giving out DHCP addresses. If not, you may need to specify an IP to be used).

[ZeroAltitude]

Hello,

Just thought I would share a potential issue. The instructions for wireless access points are *heavily* geared towards the configuration screens you would get with a PC wireless access card. The most vivid example is that many instructions for WAPs tell you how to set up a secure WAP using a special key. Well, unfortunately, the Mac Airport setup screen does not have the same concept of a key as the PC WAP does -- or at any rate, not exactly.

There is a really cool utility called WEP Key Maker (don't remember where I got it from -- probably versiontracker.com). This utility allows you to set a key, as a phrase or password, and it gives you back the longish hex number that that key corresponds to. Using this, you can I believe manually set your Airport card and PC WAP to talk to each other.

I myself just didn't use encryption, and I in that way basically avoided the whole issue -- so if you're in my neighborhood, enjoy the free 802.11b

If you have any questions or problems, feel free to email me at 0@zeroaltitude.org with some noticeable subject line, and I would be happy to help you out if you're having some particular troubles.

-0

[WDRAM]

Thanks for all your help, guys. I picked one up at CompUSA yesterday, and installed it in the car. Then it was idiotproof and I got on the network seamlessly.