Connectivity of swiveled iMac first generation

Hi,

The best way may be to use a Wi-Fi range extender with wireless Ethernet bridge capabilities (operating in a client/adapter/bridge mode) connected to the Ethernet port of the iMac. The Edimax EW-7438RPn Mini is merely one example.

"swiveled iMac" sounds like one of the 15" – 20" PowerPC-based "iLamps" released between 2002 and 2003, all of which had a flat-panel screen permanently attached to a computer base by an adjustable metal arm.

It sounds as if the OP never installed one of the optional AirPort (802.11b) or AirPort Express (802.11b/g) cards; or maybe the OP did, and the old iMac just doesn't support the forms of WiFi security required by more modern WiFi routers.

Old Toad wrote:

See if you can find a USB/WiFi donegal to use with your Mac. What model Mac is it? Go to the  ➙ About This Mac and get the model and year.

If it's one of those iLamps, some of those have USB 1. An Ethernet-to-WiFi adapter would probably make more sense than a USB-to-WiFi adapter on machines where 12 Mbps USB 1 and 10/100 Mbps Ethernet are available.

[Edit: "original" and "first generation" suggest the machine is an iMac (15-inch Early 2003) with USB 1 and Ethernet ports, and a slot for an optional AirPort (802.11b) card.]

FWIW, I suspect you are correct and the optional AirPort card is not installed. I'm not certain what sites would work on a Mac running OS X 9.2.2 to 10.5.8 when High Sierra and Safari already have issues with some sites.

A USB Wi-Fi adapter with drivers for Mac is difficult to find for anything earlier than Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger (which would be the last compatible system version for a first generation iMac G4 flat panel).

A Wi-Fi range extender with wireless Ethernet bridge capabilities (similar to the one mentioned in my previous message), or a dedicated wireless Ethernet bridge, does not normally require special software/drivers. Typically, a web-based setup is used (if necessary, on another computer). The device would work even under, for example, Mac OS 9.2.2. Modern wireless security would be possible.

Another matter, as dialabrain also indicated, is that the browsers compatible with operating systems before Mac OS X 10.4 cannot be used with today's (secure, https) web sites. A TenFourFox browser (now discontinued) for Mac OS X 10.4 has limited compatibility with secure sites. Otherwise, one would have to visit the few remaining plain http sites only.

An iMac G4 flat panel could of course be used for local file transfers et cetera via a wireless network, though.

https://everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/index-imac.html

See if you can find a USB/WiFi donegal to use with your Mac. What model Mac is it? Go to the  ➙ About This Mac and get the model and year.

You're welcome!