Considering that the original Airport cards are getting closer and closer to the price point of unobtanium, there is a need for remedy.  Old Mac’s need wireless lovin’ too.  Yet I for one do not appreciate having to spend over half the current eBay value of the laptop just to get a stinkin’ wireless card for it.

Turns out, there’s a hack (or hackS, see Update below!). http://tanais.livejournal.com/270720.html

Or make that two (or 1 1/2, this is based on the prior)… http://geektechnique.org/projectlab/662/diy-airport-for-that-old-ibook

These are accounts of using the cheaper, and more readily available (read: only $15 or so on eBay) WaveLAN cards as internal Airport card replacements (yes, internal, these guys don’t have external PCMCIA ports, and the Airport slot isn’t 100% PCMCIA compatible).  Unfortunately, they don’t quite fit correctly.  Enter soldering irons, dremels, and hacks galore!  I can’t wait!

Some people are choosing to hack the expensive laptop, however I’m thinking I hack the inexpensive $20 card instead.  I’ve acquired the needed WaveLAN card, and have already stripped the shielding to see what I’m up against.

I’m going to be attempting this on either my new Clamshell (Free! Thanks Joe!) or iBook G3 (Got it cheap on eBay!).

I’ll be sure to take pictures, etc.

Update!!!  Here are some new links so I don’t lose them again, and for the benefit of those who might care. This is a collection of similar mods that I’ve found online.

http://www.macmod.com/content/view/586/193/

http://www.vixen.demon.co.uk/wifi.html (mirror site for above)

And apparently the Sony Vaio PCWA-C150S “CarrierGate” is a VERY suitable Airport alternative, and has closer to (exactly!?) the same physical form-factor.  I’m working on getting one of these to try!  The Sony card also goes by the part/model number ERA-201D1.  This model was sold for the Aibo, so it’s even more expensive, but is apparently exactly the same.

http://homepage.mac.com/macinside/PhotoAlbum36.html