Member Avatar for westsidesnob310

My roommate bought an airport express before I had moved in. We now have 3 computers wireless off this router (Me and my two roommates). Recently my boss gave me his old G4 laptop and I am having a hard time connecting to the internet. My G4 shows full bars for the wireless signal, but am still unable to connect to the internet. Does anyone know how to get this computer to connect.

My G4 connects wirelessly at work.

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Brief summary tied to the thread: ’s G4 shows full AirPort signal but no Internet, yet it works on the office network. Full bars only prove the Mac is radio-associated to the Express; they do not guarantee an IP lease, correct authentication, or DNS/routing. Other replies have suggested router-level checks; if those are already done, the next useful diagnostics are at the Mac/network layer.

Straightforward diagnostics (quick to check)

  • Inspect the AirPort/TCP‑IP status in System Preferences > Network > AirPort > Advanced > TCP/IP. A self‑assigned address like 169.254.x.x means no DHCP lease; a 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x address indicates an IP but still might lack gateway/DNS.
  • Use the Terminal to separate local vs upstream faults: ping <router IP> then ping 8.8.8.8. If the router responds but external pings fail, the problem is upstream or DNS.
  • Clear the saved wireless profile: delete the SSID from Preferred Networks and rejoin, retyping the passphrase. Create a fresh Network Location to reset interface state.
  • Check for proxies, custom DNS entries, or a static IP that does not match the router’s subnet.

Further checks and cautions

  • Verify wireless security/compatibility: older G4 firmware or OS builds can have trouble with newer router encryption modes. Temporarily testing with a simpler SSID/security (briefly and safely) can reveal compatibility issues. Do not leave encryption disabled.
  • Update the Mac’s system/airport firmware and the Express firmware. Power‑cycle the Express and router. If convenient, test the G4 on a phone hotspot or another known network to confirm the issue is specific to the home SSID.
  • If basic network checks pass and other clients work, look for DHCP client limits, static lease conflicts, or base‑station access controls (noted earlier in the thread). These items commonly explain a single client failing while others succeed.

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Member Avatar for junt

1st things first check your wireless router configuration and you should know it thru one of your units with are connected,
2nd check your wireless configuration in your network preferences pane pls specify OS you are using so as we may know how to redirect you to the correct settings.

junt

Member Avatar for redage

The express station might use MAC-adresses ( and MAC has nothing to do with McIntosh,
tranlates into Machine Adress Counter or s.th. of the sort, you find them on windows too.)
Therefore the router locks you out. In the system-profiler (About this MAC) under network, you find your wireless MAC-adress which you will have to tranfer to the express station.

best redage

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