HELP with Tenda W311M USB WiFi Adapter!!!

[namethisfile]

I recently salvaged a late 2005 DC G5 that is fully functional except wifi... (as I accounted here, https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/are-there-still-any-powermac-g5-owners-out-there.2125970/)

I bought a Tenda W311M USB wifi adapter hoping it would work since I read a little into it and that the chipset or driver for this particular USB adapter is of the Ralink something-something variety that people on the net has said works in older OS X and PPC Macs.

And, even, though that Tenda has individual drivers on their website for each iteration of OS X from 10.3 to the present... the 10.5 driver for Leopard that I need and used doesn't work... in my desperation, I also tried 10.3, 10.4, 10.6 and above (which installed but didn't let me open the wireless utility adapter)....

to that wireless utility adapter, which seems to be the piece of app to interact with the wifi dongle doesn't do anything when I click on it on the title bar or when opening the file in the Applications folder.

I managed to find another driver for Leopard maybe, Version 3?, if I remember correctly would manage to get me as far as having the Wireless Utility Adapter open but the app looks barren and doesn't seem to notice or show that the USB dongle is plugged.

I'm really out of ideas and hoping someone here can help!

Thanks!

 

[MisterKeeks]

I recently salvaged a late 2005 DC G5 that is fully functional except wifi... (as I accounted here, https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/are-there-still-any-powermac-g5-owners-out-there.2125970/)

I bought a Tenda W311M USB wifi adapter hoping it would work since I read a little into it and that the chipset or driver for this particular USB adapter is of the Ralink something-something variety that people on the net has said works in older OS X and PPC Macs.

And, even, though that Tenda has individual drivers on their website for each iteration of OS X from 10.3 to the present... the 10.5 driver for Leopard that I need and used doesn't work... in my desperation, I also tried 10.3, 10.4, 10.6 and above (which installed but didn't let me open the wireless utility adapter)....

to that wireless utility adapter, which seems to be the piece of app to interact with the wifi dongle doesn't do anything when I click on it on the title bar or when opening the file in the Applications folder.

I managed to find another driver for Leopard maybe, Version 3?, if I remember correctly would manage to get me as far as having the Wireless Utility Adapter open but the app looks barren and doesn't seem to notice or show that the USB dongle is plugged.

I'm really out of ideas and hoping someone here can help!

Thanks!

Because USB WiFi adapters are based on common chipsets, you don’t need to obtain your driver from Tenda. Instead, you can simply find the driver directly from the manufacturer.

The W311M seems to either use a RT5370 chipset or an MT7601 chipset. Hopefully it’s the RT5370 chipset - I see much more evidence of Mac support for that chipset.

 

[namethisfile]

Well, I am officially giving up on trying to get this Tenda W311m USB stick to work. Even, if it does work, which it does OOB on Linux... the performance of it is abyssmal from where I am on the 2nd floor.

But, maybe I will share some pictures to tell the tale of my recent wireless woes...



The G5 sees it...



But, the Ralink Wireless Utility doesn't... Nor does Network Pane in System Preferences...



Everything is zero, zero, zero....



Remember this? I installed both versions for 10.4 Tiger.... The Ver. 4 one adds an ugly wireless signal icon on the menu bar... but, won't let me open the Wireless Utility, like I was able to do in the Ver. 3 one... (photo below shows ver 3 and 4 DMG's)...



The ugly wireless icon on the menu bar...



I called customer support, which didn't help and I emailed customer support and they haven't replied back.

Could it be because the program is Universal instead of PPC?...



I don't know...

What I do know is that I am done with tiny nano USB sticks because I don't even wanna use it on the salvage PC I have running Linux because the signal is too weak.

At least, it was only like $8 which is the reason why I don't even wanna return it for a refund...

Still, disappointed though it didn't work... I was hopeful when I saw their website...

 

[1042686]

Best of luck to you!

 

[Dronecatcher]

Try this package - this is what works for my USB wireless buds (Tiger.)

 

[namethisfile]

Try this package - this is what works for my USB wireless buds (Tiger.)

What is it? Will it work for a rt2870 usb wireless adapter? Or a fly in the seat of your pants thing?

Do you have a link of where it comes from officially, instead? More kosher that way...

 

[Dronecatcher]

What is it? Will it work for a rt2870 usb wireless adapter? Or a fly in the seat of your pants thing?

I've got a USB wifi dongle (Edimax) that uses that Ralink thing you tried but this package works better even though it was supplied with a different adaptor (Neotech).

 

[namethisfile]

I've got a USB wifi dongle (Edimax) that uses that Ralink thing you tried but this package works better even though it was supplied with a different adaptor (Neotech).

Ok. So, your Edimax USB adapter works better on this driver you linked to instead of the one supplied by Edimax?

UPDATE: Okay, so since you have an Edimax USB wifi dongle and it works with Ralink thing, then I am going to find the official Edimax driver for it, which I found and going to see if that works. And, if it doesn't... I guess I can try this one... but I don't really want a 3 in 1 utility software if I only need it for USB wifi...

anyway, thanks for the link and will report back...

 

[Dronecatcher]

I don't really want a 3 in 1 utility software if I only need it for USB wifi...

The 3 in 1 naming is nonsense - it's the driver and utility same as in any none Apple wireless setup.

 

[namethisfile]

The 3 in 1 naming is nonsense - it's the driver and utility same as in any none Apple wireless setup.

Ok, so... tried the edimax website first... and found a PPC/10.4 driver for a wlan_n usb dongle and the result is the same as the steps above with the Tenba thing....

I install it, then it restarts and then nothing... the wireless utility won't open just like the one from Tenba... i tried the power pc version...



Guess, it's time to try yours now.

Will report back...
[doublepost=1531075983][/doublepost]Dronecatcher,

Tried your file... same result... the wireless uility won't even start... maybe, it needs to be manually installed... but haven't the steps in this direction, yet...

you know, like configuring info plist or kext thing? I don't know...

But, it's still a no go... thanks for the help, though...

 

[Dronecatcher]

So frustrating :/

 

[namethisfile]

So frustrating :/

I know... all this has made me remember how different macs were at this time. Sometimes, infuriatingly so...

 

[1042686]

Just saw this pop up on ebay - an apple bluetooth/airport extreme G5 quad/Dualcore upgrade kit for $30. Considering you can still find these stupidly priced at $100+, that's a decent price and should work seamlessly with you on dc2.ghz. No association to the seller.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Wireless-A...279260?hash=item5b49266e1c:g:3pgAAOSwsFpWRhzE

 

[weckart]

Just saw this pop up on ebay - an apple bluetooth/airport extreme G5 quad/Dualcore upgrade kit for $30. Considering you can still find these stupidly priced at $100+, that's a decent price and should work seamlessly with you on dc2.ghz.

That is just an Airport Extreme card with a bit of wire to act as an aerial. The proper kit is a smaller grey module incl. bluetooth with a scarce Runway card. Definitely not $100 worth. In fact, $30 is a bit much, too.

Just forget the dongle and get a PCie mounter for a mini-PCIe WiFi card. That should only set you back $15 or so.

 

[namethisfile]

That is just an Airport Extreme card with a bit of wire to act as an aerial. The proper kit is a smaller grey module incl. bluetooth with a scarce Runway card. Definitely not $100 worth. In fact, $30 is a bit much, too.

Just forget the dongle and get a PCie mounter for a mini-PCIe WiFi card. That should only set you back $15 or so.

I do have an airport extreme card for my 12" PB G4 and installed it in the PMG5. The system recognized it with the airport icon and airport option in the Network pane under System Preferences. But, of course, no signal.

Is the Airport Extreme card a mini-PCIE card?
[doublepost=1531127791][/doublepost]

Just saw this pop up on ebay - an apple bluetooth/airport extreme G5 quad/Dualcore upgrade kit for $30. Considering you can still find these stupidly priced at $100+, that's a decent price and should work seamlessly with you on dc2.ghz. No association to the seller.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Wireless-A...279260?hash=item5b49266e1c:g:3pgAAOSwsFpWRhzE

Yeah, it's not the official card for the Late 2005 Powermac G5's... it looks like a regular airport extreme card with wires for antenna. If, one was to use that in a Late 2005 PMG5, the airport extreme card would fit. But, I am not sure how strong the signal would be...

 

[mode11]

In situations like this, I’d cut my losses on an $8 USB dongle and just go for one that you know works. The Ralink-based Edimax wireless-n one that DC mentioned works well on Tiger and Leopard. Another option is a Ralink based PCI card. I got one with 3 aerials for a QS; cost me about £10 on eBay.

Shame you have to use the Ralink panel rather than the built in AirPort software, but it works well enough.

Another option is an Ethernet to wireless adapter, which could be used for various old Macs once configured. Seem cheap on Amazon.

 

[elf69]

Another option is an Ethernet to wireless adapter, which could be used for various old Macs once configured. Seem cheap on Amazon.

We have sold units like this for xbox/playstations/etc

work quite well, oddly enough the one we sell is tenda brand.

 

[weckart]

I do have an airport extreme card for my 12" PB G4 and installed it in the PMG5. The system recognized it with the airport icon and airport option in the Network pane under System Preferences. But, of course, no signal.

You need to connect an aerial wire to the AE card. Either splice it to the PM's internal aerial or just trail a wire outside. The aluminium casing of the PM acts as a Faraday cage to incoming signals so the card needs all the help it can get.

It is not a mini-PCIe card. Those are about half the size.
[doublepost=1531141206][/doublepost]This is what you need

One of these:



and one of these:



A Broadcom BCM4321, preferably 2006 vintage and Apple branded. Others will work but show up as generic WiFi in System Profiler.

That is what I have in my PM G5.

 

[namethisfile]

You need to connect an aerial wire to the AE card. Either splice it to the PM's internal aerial or just trail a wire outside. The aluminium casing of the PM acts as a Faraday cage to incoming signals so the card needs all the help it can get.

It is not a mini-PCIe card. Those are about half the size.
[doublepost=1531141206][/doublepost]This is what you need

One of these:

View attachment 769699

and one of these:

View attachment 769700

A Broadcom BCM4321, preferably 2006 vintage and Apple branded. Others will work but show up as generic WiFi in System Profiler.

That is what I have in my PM G5.

Oh, gotcha! It's one avenue... for sure... but I am skeptical of really putting anymore $$$ into a machine I found in the dumpster... but, when I do find some pennies under the bed... maybe using the ethernet will be the easiest solution using one of those ethernet-wifi adapters or ethernet/wifi extender thingies. Again, at a price, so I will have to wait and see...

In situations like this, I’d cut my losses on an $8 USB dongle and just go for one that you know works. The Ralink-based Edimax wireless-n one that DC mentioned works well on Tiger and Leopard. Another option is a Ralink based PCI card. I got one with 3 aerials for a QS; cost me about £10 on eBay.

Shame you have to use the Ralink panel rather than the built in AirPort software, but it works well enough.

Another option is an Ethernet to wireless adapter, which could be used for various old Macs once configured. Seem cheap on Amazon.

Yeah, I didn't know about Edimax before getting the Tenda one. My guess that that Tenda W311M might not be working is because it is a new revision of the Ralink chipset that no longer works for older macs? So, perhaps, all Ralink chipsets today has had this revision, even the ones sold by Edimax? I don't know... just guessing based on the Edimax drivers specifically for 10.4 and PPC not working as well as the official Tenda ones on their website that are intended for 10.4 Tiger...

(I also tried this with Leopard when I first got the Tenda wifi adapter with the same result)

We'll see... I don't wanna spend too much on an old computer I found in the dumpster... though... but using ethernet to wifi or one of those ethernet/wifi thingies might be an easier route (pun intended), although, at a certain price...