Need help extending my WiFi range on my imac!

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Hi.



I have the last G5 imac made before Apple went Intel 4 years ago. It works fine. It has wifi.



But heres the deal. I just moved into an apartment in NYC. There are TONS of free wifi hotspots down the block from me that I can pick up on my ipod touch when I go outside. But INSIDE my apartment, my imac is out of range.



I need SPECIFIC advice on what I need to extend the reach of my imac to pic up wifi signals.



Again, these are FREE hotspots, so it's all legal.



Do I need an antenna? Or something else? Or both? What kind and how would I hook it up. How far is the reach? Be detailed, but keep it simple so a laymen can understand it.



Thanks alot for any and all help.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 2
    bbwibbwi Posts: 812member
    Ok, "legal", not exactly. Most free WiFi hotspots do have Terms of Service that you must agree to before you can connect. These terms may say something to the effect that you have to be in the store to use the WiFi or be a current customer yadha yadha...



    Hawking makes WiFi adapters for Apple with mixed reviews on the quality. Buy an 802.11n USB adapter from them from a place that allows returns in case it doesn't work
  • Reply 2 of 2
    Really it depends how adventurous you are and how much you enjoy arts & crafts. If you want, you can open up you're iMac and disconnect the antenna, replacing the connection with a coax line to your own, external antenna. If you do this, I guarantee you'll get what you're looking for.



    There are a lot of folks online who recommend Yagi-arrays for this sort of stuff, but they have narrow bandwidth. A "cantenna" is a better bet (google is your friend).
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