No Wifi -- Airport antenna damaged. Any ideas?

[DolemiteJackson]

I have dropped my iBook 500mhz and destroyed the screen. Unfortunately, I no longer receive wifi. I've concluded that the antenna running through the hinge has become damaged. Since portability is no longer a factor, what can I do to utilize my Airport card and once again receive wifi? External antenna? (how?),
USB antenna thingy (such thing?) All help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[grapes911]

Before you go this route, are you sure the wire just didn't get unplugged from the card?

 

[DolemiteJackson]

Yeah, I've unplugged and reinserted the antenna wire to Airport card and reseated the card. Positioning the screen at certain angles used to work, but even that has failed now.

At first I thought of a USB antenna, but since my Airport card still works, I reckon that's not a good solution. I'm at a dead end here.

 

[grapes911]

The D-Link DWL-122 is supposed to work if you find the right driver. But wireless USB dongles are flakey at best with OS X. More expensive, and more reliable, is a wireless bridge such as the Linksys WET11.

 

[DolemiteJackson]

I've heard mixed reviews about using the dongle. Ideally, I'd like to find an external antenna that I could plug into the Airport card.

I've been told that the hinge on these iBooks is known to pinch the antenna. Has anyone experienced this, and what did you do?