Connecting a Mac Computer to a Wireless Network

To connect to wireless networks, a computer must have a wireless adapter. Use the instructions below to find out if your computer has a wireless adapter.

If your computer does not have a wireless adapter, you'll need to obtain one, install it and then return to this page.

Mac OS X

1. In the Apple menu, choose System Preferences.
2. Click the Network icon.

3. Click the Show menu and select Network Port Configurations (the wording of this is slightly different with different versions of Mac OS X, but it will be the last option in the Show menu).

   If you find AirPort listed under Port Configurations, your Mac has an AirPort wireless card and is ready to go wireless. If AirPort is unchecked, check the box and click Apply Now to activate the AirPort card.

   If AirPort is not listed, your Mac may be AirPort-ready. This means that your Mac is not yet wireless-ready, but you can purchase and install an AirPort wireless card from Apple. (Older Macs may not support AirPort but you may be able to find a third-party adapter from another company.)

   Note: If you're running a Macintosh operating system older than 10.3, you will not be able to connect to a network that is using WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access). Cruzio recommends upgrading your operating system if you need to connect to WPA networks.