Are there any Non-Airport, WPA2-compatible wireless options for OS 9?

[Salumbre]

Basically, I scored a couple of older 'Books a few days back, and I am in retro heaven. With one caveat: I cannot connect to a modern secured WiFi network using the original Airport software. Something to do with the encryption protocol, I can't remember the details beyond WPA 1 and 2, but I know that's it.

So, are there any non-Airport options? PC cards with their own software? I know there are choices if I run OS X, but I just don't wanna.

Specifically, what I'm using right now is a (g4 upgraded) Wallstreet with an Orinoco Gold card.

 

[ziggy29]

Basically, I scored a couple of older 'Books a few days back, and I am in retro heaven. With one caveat: I cannot connect to a modern secured WiFi network using the original Airport software. Something to do with the encryption protocol, I can't remember the details beyond WPA 1 and 2, but I know that's it.

So, are there any non-Airport options? PC cards with their own software? I know there are choices if I run OS X, but I just don't wanna.

As far as I know, there is no way to directly use a WPA wireless device with OS 9. The system software simply does not support it. The only way I know to get WPA or WPA2 to OS 9 is through a wireless Ethernet bridge, which is how I connect all of my OS 9 machines to WPA. I have another router connected to my primary router that can dish out WEP to a small number of IP addresses within the network, and at times when I'm not doing stuff where I'm paranoid about security, I can use built-in Airport. But mostly I use the wireless ethernet bridge.

 

[Salumbre]

As far as I know, there is no way to directly use a WPA wireless device with OS 9. The system software simply does not support it. The only way I know to get WPA or WPA2 to OS 9 is through a wireless Ethernet bridge.

Hmm. It sounds easy, but I have zero experience with wireless Ethernet bridges. Would that be a plug-and-play thing?

 

[ziggy29]

Hmm. It sounds easy, but I have zero experience with wireless Ethernet bridges. Would that be a plug-and-play thing?

No, but configuration is easy and browser based. If you know how to set the gateway, DNS servers and subnet masks for a DHCP server, you can do this.

 

[Salumbre]

No, but configuration is easy and browser based. If you know how to set the gateway, DNS servers and subnet masks for a DHCP server, you can do this.

Oh, so you mean that you set it up just like a regular router?

 

[bobesch]

Oh, so you mean that you set it up just like a regular router?

The bridge-device connects wireless with the router and gets it's own ip-adress - that and the other wlan-settings have to be configured by getting access to the bridge via LAN-cable and a browser-based setup.
As soon as the bridge is configured and connected to the wireless-network it is able to share the network-connection via ethernet-cable. Just plug&connect with any device of choice. As long as you stay in your wireless-network it's a once set, ever forget setup...
Some bridge-devices are powered by usb (usb then has the only function of a power-supply): with a Clamshell etc you can even walk around then with the bridge connected to both ethernet- and usb-port ...

 

[Salumbre]

It sounds like an easy fix, thanks! Not exactly mobile, but easy.

As for USB, bobesch, I'm afraid that rules out the Wallstreet, as it does not have USB ports. I'm not sure if a PC USB card could power a USB-powered bridge.

 

[bobesch]

It sounds like an easy fix, thanks! Not exactly mobile, but easy.
As for USB, bobesch, I'm afraid that rules out the Wallstreet, as it does not have USB ports. I'm not sure if a PC USB card could power a USB-powered bridge.

Ah, ok, understand. I'm gonna check, if my ASUS-bridge, that I use with a Clamshell/os9 will be powered by the USB2-PCMCIA-card I use with my G4-PowerBooks ...
If it doesn't work a slick external 10.000mAh battery (those one's to be used to reload smartphones on the go) could do the job.
Would look outrageous Apollo13-like to fix bridge and powerbank with velcro (or 'better' duct tape ... ) at the backside of the display. And would make the Wallstreet truely wireless again!

 

[Salumbre]

Ah, ok, understand. I'm gonna check, if my ASUS-bridge, that I use with a Clamshell/os9 will be powered by the USB2-PCMCIA-card I use with my G4-PowerBooks ...
If it doesn't work a slick external 10.000mAh battery (those one's to be used to reload smartphones on the go) could do the job.
Would look outrageous Apollo13-like to fix bridge and powerbank with velcro (or 'better' duct tape ... ) at the backside of the display. And would make the Wallstreet truely wireless again!

Please do! It's such a funny idea, carrying around that sort of space monster...

 

[bobesch]

Please do! It's such a funny idea, carrying around that sort of space monster...

Powering the bridge via PCMCIA-card-USB didn't work unfortunately. So your Wallstreet does need the additional battery...
Here's how it looks like
Unfortunately I didn't get that damn thing to work with the Powerbook/OS X. It did work with the Clamshell/os9. That's really naggin' me now!



Here's a much better solution: #3

 

[Salumbre]

Powering the bridge via PCMCIA-card-USB didn't work unfortunately. So your Wallstreet does need the additional battery...
Here's how it looks like
Unfortunately I didn't get that damn thing to work with the Powerbook/OS X. It did work with the Clamshell/os9. That's really naggin' me now!

View attachment 697123

It's a rather, er, Frankensteinian look, isn't it?

Thanks for letting me now, bobesch!

 

[reddrag0n]

i use one of these for some of my os9 machines to connect to wireless
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124432