I currently have four computers (one Mac G4 and three PCs) wired to a Netgear wireless router. I recently acquired a Mac Pro. Where I want to keep and use the new computer will make running a new cable impractical. I’ve asked several Mac users how to make the computer wireless, but they all have different answers. How does one make a Mac Pro wireless?
Current Mac Pros come with AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless, already equipped. (You can double-check that the AirPort card is present in your Mac Pro by opening the System Profiler application and clicking AirPort in the column on the left.) Check your menu bar for the AirPort logo (it’s shaped like a baseball diamond), and click it to turn AirPort on. The Mac will scan for wireless networks, and if your Netgear router is in range, you can select it, enter your network’s password, and you’ll be connected.
Mac Pros have four PCI Express slots for adding expansion cards
like this AirPort Extreme card sold by Other World Computing.
While current Mac Pros have that AirPort Extreme card standard, some previous Mac Pro models didn’t. When the Mac Pro was introduced in 2006, it came with two Ethernet ports (for wired connectivity) but the AirPort Extreme card was an optional add-on. It didn’t become standard until 2010. But you can still add an AirPort Extreme card to a Mac Pro that didn’t come with one. We recommend picking it up from Other World Computing, which sells the Apple AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wireless Mini-PCIe Card ($89.99). It comes with installation instructions, and you won’t even need any tools since the Mac Pro is so easy to open. That card’s 802.11n speeds are the fastest available for your Mac Pro, and once it’s installed, you’ll be able to connect to your router wirelessly.
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