Posted 07/28/2008 at 1:06am
| by cyoung
I just bought a Mac Pro, but I didn’t realize that its default configuration doesn’t include an AirPort Extreme card. How can I get this machine wireless now that I’ve already purchased it?
You can purchase an 802.11n USB wireless adapter and plug it into one of the USB ports of your Mac Pro. Two good options are the MacWireless 11n USB Stick ($89.98, www.macwireless.com) and the AftertheMac 802.11n Wireless Adapter ($89.95, www.afterthemac.com). You can also use these wireless adapters to bring 802.11n wireless speeds to an older Mac that didn’t originally come with 802.11n built into it. Note that you’ll need to install software drivers (provided by the vendors) to enable these USB adapters to work, and these drivers may need to be updated for compatibility with future Mac OS X upgrades.
If you’d rather not deal with installing additional software drivers or taking up an extra USB port on your Mac Pro, your best bet would probably be to bring your Mac Pro into an Apple Retail Store or an Authorized Apple Service Provider, who can install an internal AirPort Extreme Wireless Card Kit (approximately $49.95) for you.