Mac Daniel's Advice

Online With a PowerBook Duo

- 1999.11.17

Q. I just purchased a PowerBook Duo 270c from a friend of mine for $100. I am able to network it with my newer computer, but I would like to get this PowerBook online on its own. What kind of modem should I purchase? I also need an external floppy drive.

A. First of all, congratulations on getting such a good deal! The PB Duo 270c usually goes on eBay for around $175. But on to your question.

To do everything you want to accomplish, you're going to need a DuoDock. You have two options: the DuoDock or the DuoDock II. Either one will come with the full compliment of desktop ports (modem, printer, SCSI) and a 1.44 MB floppy disk drive. The DuoDock II comes with some more features, including a 68882 math coprocessor, a level 2 cache, an optional second hard drive, and NuBus slots. The Duo Dock II will also support your Duo 270c's color screen. From what I see on eBay, you can get a decent DuoDock for about $30.

You will also need an external monitor, an external modem, a keyboard, and a mouse. The keyboard and mouse will not be a big expense, and if you keep your eye out for a good deal on the monitor, you could get into a workable one for $50-$75. Modems will not be expensive - you can often pick up a 33.6 kbps modem off of eBay for around $30.

Believe it or not, I'm not a paid endorser for eBay! :) There are other sites out there where old Mac parts can be found, as well as newsgroups.

Julie Fugett is a network administrator for an almost 100% Mac department at a large Midwestern university. Her favorite movie of all time is Tron, and she still can't come up with a decent name or theme for her personal website.

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