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I was wondering if a Clamshell iBook SE (466 MHz/FireWire) would be capable of connecting to a public WiFi spot like that of Starbucks.
The speed of the internet is not of concern to me and I will have OS 9.2 and OSX Tiger at my disposal.
Earlier Mac models
I found that the web browser successor to TenFourFox is supposedly InterWebPPC, which I will take for a test drive once I’m up and running
the device I’m using for a solid state drive is called “M.2 NGFF B+M Key SATA SSD to 44 Pin 2.5 IDE Converter Adapter Card with Case”
it has to be M.2 SATA and not NVMe, but there’s nothing to patch or firmware to mess with. The Mac just sees it as a regular drive. Not to mention that a 32GB M.2 SATA will run me about $5-$10
it looks like this:
1—The first issue is that wi-fi hardware was optional in the clamshell iBooks. Have you confirmed yours has a Airport card installed?
2—The other issue can be the wireless security protocols that public networks use. They may be far newer than what a 24-year old wireless-equipped iBook was designed to handle.
When your iBook was made, WEP was the predominate wireless security protocol, but notoriously weak. It was not superseded by the more robust WPA protocol until 2003, two years after your iBook was discontinued. That means unless a public network has retained the old and much-derided WEP on their system, you may not be able to connect.
I had to fire up a stored G3 Mac from 1998 running OS9 Mac to remind myself how to check what hardware options your computer has. From the Apple menu, do "Apple System Profiler." I believe that an installed Airport card will show on Profiler's first page.
Thank you for the response. First off, the clamshell does have an airport card. I've put it in myself and I know it works cause it sees my wifi, but I can't connect because of your second point with WEP only security options in the clamshell.
It's been forever since I've been to a Starbucks, but I'm not sure if they use a password to connect to their wifi. If they don't, do you think I'll run into any issues with connecting?
As a adendum to this question, how about hotel wifi? The last time I connected, there was a pop up where I had to put my room number and last name to connect to it. Does this act like WPA, or is this more like approving a device on an otherwise unprotected wifi?
You are welcome. I had to ask about the card because so many people asking here think every Mac noetbook came with wireless. Wifi wasn't standard equipment on iBooks until 2004.
— It's been forever since I've been to a Starbucks, but I'm not sure if they use a password to connect to their wifi. If they don't, do you think I'll run into any issues with connecting?
Not sure. I don't think the "log-in/no log-in issue" is affected unless the software running the WI-FI network refuses to recognize really old macOS versions. It seems the industry as a whole is quicker to abandon old versions of macOS than is Apple!
— As a adendum to this question, how about hotel wifi? The last time I connected, there was a pop up where I had to put my room number and last name to connect to it. Does this act like WPA, or is this more like approving a device on an otherwise unprotected wifi?
Room number and name sounds more like a way to keep outsiders from sniping the signal by non-customers that a conventional password system, so the type of security protocol may not be a factor. The level of wifi security is set and can only be changed by the administrator. Even if the main system can handle WEP, it is not available to users unless it is activated on the base station by the admin.
I think the larger problem you will encounter is that few web sites support ancient browser versions. You could have the best connectivity possible and still be told the site does not recognize your geriatirc browser. I've encounters that on much newer Macs that yours.
I need to research other possibilities. Probably can't get back here until Thursday.
I have another project for the clamshell before I take it on the road. Going to be installing M.2 SATA to IDE in there. I've done it for an iBook G4 and had success with it. That's for another thread if I do run into issues though lol.
Not really sure what I would need the internet for, it was just one of those "I'd like to have a fully functional retro system" type of things.
My PowerMac G5 that I use for old games has TenFourFox I think. It's based off of FireFox, so I may try that. There's another one that had been mentioned before, but I don't recall the name. When I get to the point of testing this thing out, I'll look it up.
I'll also make sure to update here with my findings if I get to it soon.
DeathStalker13 wrote:
My PowerMac G5 that I use for old games has TenFourFox I think. It's based off of FireFox, so I may try that. There's another one that had been mentioned before, but I don't recall the name. When I get to the point of testing this thing out, I'll look it up.
Had a quiet moment at my volunteer "job' and thought I'd check back. I use TenFour Fox on a 1.42gHz G4 eMac as well, but even that is getting its share of rejection notice and is really slow, even on our 300MB cable internet service. Floodgap no longer updates it either. Sad.
Hey, keep us posted. The SSD project sounds interesting!
Would a Clamshell iBook connect to public WiFi?
