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Message |
    
kdm
Citizen
Username: Kdm
Post Number: 70
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Friday, November 4, 2005 - 2:11 pm: |     |
My goals:
1) a laptop that my wife can send emails and shop online with
2) a desktop computer for kids to go to www.sesamestreet.com
3) a desktop for me to do Quicken, Excel and go to www.fidelity.com.
4) All networked together and using same printer.
What I have:
1) ibook (circa 2001)- old version of OS X , no wireless capability currently
2) imac (circa 1997) - OX 9, no wireless, currently my "finance" machine but I want to give to the kids
3) cable modem - connected via ethernet to ibook
4) HP printer/scanner - connected via USB to ibook
What I'm thinking of buying:
1) a new G5 or refurbished G4?? to use as my finance computer
2) an Airport hub to connect to cable modem and printer
3) something to make the ibook function wirelessly
4) I doubt that the iMac could be made wireless so I'd connect that to the modem or AirPort hub via ethernet
Questions:
1) Does this make sense?
2) Will old browser on iMac work on today's websites?
3) What am I forgetting about? (I'm sure lots of things - and I'm sure I have some of the lingo messed up)
Your help is much appreciated.
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Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 10595
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, November 4, 2005 - 2:25 pm: | |
What you're thinking:
1. What G5 or refurbished G4? What's your budget for the new finance computer? I think anything will do.
2. An airport hub is fine, but any wireless router will do, too. They all use the industry standard protocols. I have a very nice Linksys router I paid $65 or $75 for.
3. There are lots of wireless add-ons you can get for the ibook, such as http://www.bizrate.com/marketplace/search/search__cat_id--497,prod_id--7626363.h tml. I found this by googling "usb wireless mac".
4. You may be right, but with OS X, you could probably do it. But you'd have to find a G3 (right?) version of OS X. I'll be looking for one soon, since I just bought a G3 imac. I paid $69!
OS 9 is not supported and there haven't been any updates to it or to applications (such as browsers) for a long time. My wife uses OS 9, and she uses Mozilla 1.2 which seems to suck the least of all.
I recommend a print server which is a device that connects on one end to the ethernet (wired or wireless) and on the other end to your printer. That way, no specific computer needs to be running for you to get to the printer. Some printers have ethernet built in.
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monster
Supporter
Username: Monster
Post Number: 1520
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Friday, November 4, 2005 - 2:30 pm: | |
Sounds good to me, my sons iMac is wireless, there is an adapter that you can use to put an original Apple wireless card into, that's what I used.
I had WamCom ( http://weblogs.mozillazine.org/asa/archives/003566.html ) set up on the old iMac using OS 9.2.2, but it's getting a little long in the tooth and the newer version of Netscape is doing well.
You don't need to spend the extra money on an Airport, other wireless routers will work too, just make sure you get one that can connect to your printer (or get a print server). I have a networked laser printer plugged into the router, it's great to able to print wirelessly from my iBook.
You could get a wireless USB adapter for the iMac, that way you don't have to run a wire (if that would be a problem).
The wireless adapter would work for the iBook too, but the card of course is more convenient, just a little more expensive, and the old ones seem to be keeping their high price range.
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monster
Supporter
Username: Monster
Post Number: 1521
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Friday, November 4, 2005 - 2:35 pm: | |
If you max out the RAM in the iMac, and UPDATE THE FIRMWARE!, you can put OS X on it.
You could always try it out, and if you are not happy with the performance, move back to OS 9.
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kdm
Citizen
Username: Kdm
Post Number: 71
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, November 6, 2005 - 8:44 am: | |
Thanks Monster and Tom for the advice. I knew I could count on some good advice based on your other posts.
What type of machine and software would suffice for the printer server? What application must be running on this to function as a server?
How does one go about updating firmware? How hard is that?
I forgot to mention I have a G3 running OS 9 in the attic - a relic of the old small business I used to run. That is connected to a 19" Radius monitor. The only purpose for this machine for the last 5 years has been to downnload photos from my digital camera (which I plan on replacing simply because it is so inconvenient to go to the attic just to downlaoad photos (the camera software/hardware wouldn't work on the ibook or imac - that's another story)). Do you think that machine could be a print server?
I haven't really set a budget for the machine (G4 or G5). Given that I only do basic stuff I don't need the state of the art. I just want a bigger screen (presumably a flat screen) and don't want to fall too far behind the software curve. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 10614
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, November 6, 2005 - 2:22 pm: | |
A print server is usually a little system all by itself, not a computer. http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=4026550 is a fancy one at $90. I think you can get one for as little as $20 or $30. They don't run any operating system, as far as the user knows. You just plug it in and don't worry about software.
The old attic system could be a print server, but it's overkill, especially since it would consume more power from the wall than a thingy built to be a print server.
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monster
Supporter
Username: Monster
Post Number: 1533
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Monday, November 7, 2005 - 2:08 am: | |
Keep in mind also that some of the wireless routers out there have a built in print server as well. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 10633
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, November 7, 2005 - 12:34 pm: | |
Oh yeah, I forgot! Definitely buy one of those!
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Eponymous
Citizen
Username: Eponymous
Post Number: 10
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 9, 2005 - 10:47 pm: | |
Your iMac would also be very happy with a wireless ethernet bridge. This little device will attach to any ethernet port and attach to the wireless network itself, allowing your computer to think it's wired to the network. Even works on things like ReplayTV units. There are plenty of USB-wireless adapters out there too. Both would be cheaper than getting a wireless card for your iMac.
For the iBook, I would get a card, just for convenience, but that's a matter of preference.
Also make sure the iMac has a decent amount of RAM for OS X (512 megs at least). It should run just fine for the kids.
The Apple Airport Express can give you wireless access, a print server (via USB), and the ability to stream your iTunes collection to your stereo, if that happens to be nearby (that's a wired connection). All with Apple's usual ease of use. Not the cheapest solution (though not much more expensive either), but if you use the music, it's very nice. You cannot hook a computer to it via ethernet.} |
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