Computer help forum: Need a Wifi solution for a Mac G5

It's pretty simple really, and your "normal tech support" friend doesn't know what he's talking about. There is no G6. IBM is still selling the Power6, which would have probably been the basis for the G6 if Apple hadn't shifted to using Intel CPUs like 3-4 years ago. The Power6 however, is a server oriented chip for some of IBM's higher end server systems, and AFAIK has never been put into a desktop machine sold to the general public.

Tell your brother to call up Apple and get a part number for the Airport card that goes with his system. You didn't mention whether this was an iMac G5 or a PowerMac G5, but it doesn't really matter. I'm assuming the system is out of warranty or you would have called Apple about it already and they would have sent someone out with a new one.

The old G5 iMacs are easy to work on, as are PowerMac G5s so long as you don't have to mess with the water cooling system. So it shouldn't be too difficult if you know how to use a screwdriver and prevent ESD. There are plenty of teardown guides for various models out there on the web if you want.

In any case, once you know what the part number is, you can hit a few places that sell used Mac stuff, as well as poking around on ebay. Shouldn't be too hard to find someone parting out an iMac or PowerMac that doesn't work anymore, and isn't worth repairing, but has a perfectly functional Airport card. Just buy the airport card off them and swap it in for yours.

All told, I'd expect this to cost you less than $50. Maybe a bit more if you include shipping costs.

You can also try a USB device, just make sure that it claims to have PowerPC Mac support on the box. If it says something about a Universal Binary for Mac support, that should be fine as well, but I'd still double check online to make sure it'll work on a PPC Mac.

Finally... I'd stop paying attention to anything your "normal tech support" friend says about computers, or at least about Macs. They are quite clearly talking out of their arse here. The fact that they clearly seem to have missed out on the fact that Apple has been using Intel chips for several years now proves it quite handily. There's enough bad information floating around out there without you inadvertently spreading more of it by listening to anything this guy has to say without verification. I have someone like that at work. A supposed Mac "expert". I've learned the hard way that if he says that someone's desk is on fire, until you actually see the flames for yourself, he's wrong. And even then, there's still a good chance he's wrong. So it doesn't matter what he says he's tried in an effort to fix something, I go in and double check everything personally. All because I'm kind of the call of last resort. If I can't fix it, it means I have to order a new part because something failed with the hardware.