How can I set up this old router?

[PowerPCFan]

(Moderators feel free to move this thread, I didn’t know where to put it)

Here’s the deal: I don’t have an AirPort card for my G5. Now, the logical thing to do is to buy a used one from eBay but I don’t want to spend money. I have a few Ethernet cables, an old Apple airport router from early 2010s, and a netgear router that I don’t know the wifi SSID and passkey to (got it from a friend) I also have a pci Ethernet card in my g5 and a usb to Ethernet adapter too. Any way I could get internet from my ISP router in my office to my bedroom across the hallway? There is no way I could move the ISP router and I can’t connect wirelessly. I also dont want to run long Ethernet cables down the hallway. I want a permanent solution that looks decent

 

[bradl]

Okay.. couple of options here. If the ISP is providing internet access to your home, what you'll need to do is set up the Netgear or Airport router as a switch to the ISP router. With the Netgear router, it should be easier to do, so let's start there.

On the back of the Netgear router there should be a sticker that shows what the default admin passwords are, as well as the model number. Look for that model number, and then look up the manual online for that model number. In the manual, it should give instructions on how to reset it back to factory default settings. When you do that, it should be reset back to the default password and SSID that are listed on that sticker.

When that is done, also in the manual should be instructions on how to get to the admin panel for the device in your browser. In there, you can set up the SSID and password and anything else you may need. Also in that manual are instructions on how to set it up as a switch or bridge to your ISPs router. Technically you should be able to do that as WiFi or over Ethernet, however there will be a slight issue if setting it up as WiFi. The issue is that the Netgear router could serve Ethernet speeds to your Mac, but anything further upstream from it will be limited by WiFi speeds to your ISP's router. So it will be relatively slower than Ethernet, but will still work.

Another problem is that if you can't connect to your ISP's router over WiFi (which if you could, would make both the Airport and Netgear router obsolete), the Netgear router wouldn't be able to connect to it over WiFi either. So your only option would be to run ethernet cable from your ISP's router to the Netgear router, and then have the Netgear router serve WiFi or Ethernet to your devices in your bedroom.

Does the G5 support WiFi? If it does, then a simpler solution would be Ethernet to the Airport (leave it in the same room as the ISP Router, then go WiFi from the G5 to the Airport. If it doesn't support WiFi or you don't have the ability ot add a WiFi card to it, then you'll have to go Ethernet.

There are options, so it all depends on what the G5 is capable of, and if WiFi can go bidirectional as a bridge/switch on the Netgear.

BL.

 

[PowerPCFan]

Okay.. couple of options here. If the ISP is providing internet access to your home, what you'll need to do is set up the Netgear or Airport router as a switch to the ISP router. With the Netgear router, it should be easier to do, so let's start there.

On the back of the Netgear router there should be a sticker that shows what the default admin passwords are, as well as the model number. Look for that model number, and then look up the manual online for that model number. In the manual, it should give instructions on how to reset it back to factory default settings. When you do that, it should be reset back to the default password and SSID that are listed on that sticker.

When that is done, also in the manual should be instructions on how to get to the admin panel for the device in your browser. In there, you can set up the SSID and password and anything else you may need. Also in that manual are instructions on how to set it up as a switch or bridge to your ISPs router. Technically you should be able to do that as WiFi or over Ethernet, however there will be a slight issue if setting it up as WiFi. The issue is that the Netgear router could serve Ethernet speeds to your Mac, but anything further upstream from it will be limited by WiFi speeds to your ISP's router. So it will be relatively slower than Ethernet, but will still work.

Another problem is that if you can't connect to your ISP's router over WiFi (which if you could, would make both the Airport and Netgear router obsolete), the Netgear router wouldn't be able to connect to it over WiFi either. So your only option would be to run ethernet cable from your ISP's router to the Netgear router, and then have the Netgear router serve WiFi or Ethernet to your devices in your bedroom.

Does the G5 support WiFi? If it does, then a simpler solution would be Ethernet to the Airport (leave it in the same room as the ISP Router, then go WiFi from the G5 to the Airport. If it doesn't support WiFi or you don't have the ability ot add a WiFi card to it, then you'll have to go Ethernet.

There are options, so it all depends on what the G5 is capable of, and if WiFi can go bidirectional as a bridge/switch on the Netgear.

BL.

My g5 does support Wi-Fi but doesn’t have an airport card. It uses the Wi-Fi bluetooth combo card.

thanks for the other solution.

The router is the N600 Netgear Dual Band Router WNDR3400

Netgear made 3 versions of this router (v1, v2, v3) but I found the v1 manual. Not sure what version mine is.

PDF manual:

https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/WNDR3400V1/WNDR3400_SM_23MAR2010.pdf

Check out pg 45 in manual.

 

[PowerPCFan]

I also forgot to mention that I have Xfinity internet modem from cable line and that is a router modem combo. I also have a new Netgear Orbi mesh system sitting next to the modem, connected via Ethernet to the xfinity router. Not sure if it would help make things easier if I was connecting a Netgear router to a Netgear router, instead of an xfinity router to a Netgear router.

Im doing my best to try and explain this but it’s sort of tricky

 

[PowerPCFan]

Nevermind just found a Wi-Fi extender in my closet and just set that up in repeater mode. It has an Ethernet port so I used that to connect.