Installing airport extreme card imac g4

apparently you can use a wi fi usb adapter
see
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1903539?start=0&tstart=0
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-WIRELESS-CARD-for-iMAC-MAC-Apple-Airport-G3-G4-G5-X-/130334850512

But suggest checking if the g5 has a wireless card installed in it first before buying a dongle.


you may have an airport extreme card but if it does not have one see link below
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201713

suggest asking an apple store for advice on the g5 Imac

this help link should show where the card should be installed in your G5
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+G5+17-Inch+Model+A1058+AirPort+Extreme+Replacement/966

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPrDmIlESQI

Here ya go.
should give you what you need
[PDF] iBook G4 (Late 2004) Getting Started (Manual) File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick View
install one, see “Installing an AirPort Extreme Card or Additional Memory” on page 51. ... You can also find information on the Apple Bluetooth ...
manuals.info.apple.com/en/ibookg4gettingstarted.pdf - Similar

It depends on the speed of your iMac as to which AirPort card you need. The 700/800 machines use the original version while the 1ghz uses the AirPort Extreme wireless card. You can find both on sites like eBay

Several steps to try.
1) Make sure your iMac Airport card is powered on. You can do that with the Airport icon in your menu bar (looks like a pie wedge), or go to System Preferences / Networking / Airport and make sure Airport is on (also, enable "Show Airport Status in Menu Bar" to get the handy icon).
2) Temporarily move your iMac as close as possible to the Airport Express. Pull down the Airport icon and see if the name of your network shows up. If it doesn't, you have a bad Airport card in your iMac. Otherwise...
3) Move your iMac back to where it was. See if the Airport icon still shows your network's name. If not, you may have a bad Airport antenna in your iMac, or you may simply have too many intervening walls or be at too far a distance.

Hi Kathy
What message do you get? does it say anything like "Not airport card found" or something similar.
A couple of things to check. First make sue that the card itself is fully home in the socket. Second, make sure that the arial lead is properly connected. It is really easy to think that the arial is connected when it isn't. The plug is a very close fit. it should click into place and you should not be able to get a finger-nail between the plug body and the card - if you can it's not connected.
Failing that, the card may well be faulty - sometimes happens with eBay.

There are six models of Power Mac G4 computers: AGP Graphics, PCI Graphics, Gigabit Ethernet, Digital Audio, QuickSilver, and QuickSilver 2002. You cannot install an AirPort card in the Power Mac G4 (PCI Graphics); the rest accept original version 1 Apple Airport cards. The card is simply inserted through an opening in the PCI card guide and seats itself into a socket on the logic board. Then you attach the loose antenna cable to the hole on the end of the Airport Card. You're done.

On the iMac choose Create Network... from the Airport menu. Then the Gateway laptop will be able to join the iMac's created network.
macs2u

I would get a vendor to do it because then the work is under warranty. It is simple enough to do, but covering bases with expensive things is best.

At this point you are much better off installing a USB wireless antennae than spending money on an Airport card, cracking open the iMac, and installing it.

USB wireless adapters are cheap, plentiful, and have more capabilities than the generation of Airport cards that were made for G5 iMacs.

well imac G4's don't  have built in airport (wireless internet) included as usual with apple its another item you must buy an airport extreme card  then hook it up to an airport base station another item to buy via wireless internet then hook you airport extreme base station up to your modem via ethernet. whew ok now sync the airport base station to your imac using airport set up application then select your network and type your WEP password and viol internet in about 1 hour if your lucky hope this helped my fingers hurt now LOL.