Hosting and bandwidth provided by MacHost.
Q
& A:
iMac
G3/G4 Q & A:
Networking & Communication
How
can I network the iMac to my existing
Mac?
There are several ways to network the iMac to another Mac.
For Macs that have 10Base-T or faster ethernet pre-installed and are capable of running MacOS 8.6 or higher, the first Mac can be added to an AirPort network via a crossover ethernet cable between the computer and the hardware access point and the iMac can be added to the same network by the wireless AirPort connection.
If the other Mac has ethernet pre-installed, but is not capable of running MacOS 8.6 or you are not interested in using wireless networking, you can just use a simple crossover cable, or Ethernet cables and a hub, to connect your iMac to another Mac. Two "Flat-Panel" iMac models can be connected with a standard ethernet cable, as no crossover-cable is needed. A "Flat-Panel" iMac can also be connected with a standard ethernet cable to many other recent models from the Power Macintosh G5, PowerBook G4, and iBook series.
Two AirPort-equipped iMacs, or one AirPort-equipped iMac and another AirPort-equipped Mac, can be networked together without the AirPort hardware access point by using "direct computer-to-computer communications" within a range of approximately 50 meters.
The "Fall 2003" "Flat-Panel" models, if the optional Bluetooth module is installed, can wirelessly transfer files between any two systems with Bluetooth capability, even across operating systems, using the "Bluetooth File Exchange" utility. This method is slow, however, and really should only be used for small files when an AirPort (802.11), AirPort Extreme (802.11g), or wired network is unavailable.
Any "Flat-Panel" model can also be connected to another FireWire-equipped Mac, by using "FireWire Target Disk Mode". In this mode, the other computer simply will appear as a second hard drive on the desktop of the iBook. According to Apple "to use Target Disk Mode, simply connect the computers using a FireWire cable, then start the second computer while holding down the "T" key on its keyboard." For additional information, please refer to Apple Support Document #58583.
For more information on networking, please refer to the excellent Mac networking site, Three Macs & A Printer, which covers basic types of networking in-depth.
How can I network the iMac to my existing Windows-based PC?
Because PCs network card configurations vary, and your PC may not have an Ethernet card pre-installed, your situation will vary greatly, as well. Again, Three Macs & A Printer, discusses this topic in Connecting one Mac and one PC.
What type of modem comes with the iMac? Can another one be used?
Although it was originally announced with a 33.6 modem, in the US all versions of the iMac have shipped, and continue to ship, with an internal 56k modem with support for both K56 flex and v.90 standards ("Flat-Panel" models support v.92 standards). This modem can be removed and replaced with another Apple modem in the future, or an external USB modem can be added. If a second modem is added, both can be used concurrently (by different applications) provided that two phone lines are available.
In some parts of the world, at different times, iMac models shipped without an internal modem.
Can an ISDN, Cable, or ADSL connection be used with the iMac?
Yes. Along with every other Mac that has 10/100Base-T or faster Ethernet pre-installed, the iMac is designed to accommodate ISDN, Cable, ADSL, and other high-speed connections that plug into the Ethernet port.
For additional information on ISDN, Cable, or ADSL connections, please refer to Yahoo's directory listing.
Sure. The iMac would make an excellent low-to-moderate traffic server, like any other MacOS-based computer of similar speed. The only disadvantage of using an iMac for a server is that they are not designed to stack on top of one another, obviously, so you're limited to a few iMac-based servers.
However, just to prove that the iMac can be a server, CelticWeb, a Boston-based ISP, launched an instant e-mail service using an iMac as the sole server.
Does the iMac support LocalTalk? AppleTalk?
The iMac does not natively support LocalTalk-based networking (a wiring standard for AppleTalk), but an adapter can be used to connect the iMac to a Localtalk Phone Net Network. The iMac also supports AppleTalk (the protocol) over an Ethernet-based network.
How can I physically secure the iMac?
Quite easily. Although CRT-based iMacs (all iMacs shipped from May 6, 1998 to January 7, 2002) do not have a built-in port for a lock, a security cable or a padded chain can be locked to the handle of one iMac, threaded through other iMacs, and then locked to a building support or other immobile object to discourage the vast majority of potential thieves.
The "Flat-Panel" iMac models include a "built-in Kensington slot" for use with a "Kensington locking kit" to secure the iMac to a desk. A "custom screw kit" is also available to make it more difficult to access the RAM, AirPort card, and other internal components of the "Flat Panel" iMac.
iMac Main | iMac G3/G4 Q & A (Main) | Next Q & A Section
Home: Q & A: Apple: iMac G3/G4 Q & A: Networking & Communication
EveryMac.com is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind whatsoever. EveryMac.com, and the author thereof, shall not be held responsible or liable, under any circumstances, for any damages resulting from the use or inability to use the information within. For complete disclaimer and copyright information please read and understand the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy before using EveryMac.com. Use of any content or images without expressed permission is not allowed, although links to any page are welcomed and appreciated.