I Need A Mac Guru...

I need a Mac Guru.

If you know somebody who could help, would please have them email me? I'll give you the specifics:

A couple weeks ago, I was generously gifted a G4 mac tower. I have equipped with the appropriate, but reasonable, "toys": keyboard, mouse, flat screen monitor (on sale for $100! W00T!), card reader, FireWire for transferring multimedia, and a Hawking USB wireless adapter. The tower was configured for ethernet connections to the internet and no "airport" (is that it?) but our modem is a different floor than the machine and I'd rather not move it up to the spouser's office. (I'm sure he doesn't want it up there either).

Now the problem:

I have configured the USB wireless and it is receiving signals clear as day.

The system doesn't know it exists and will not connect to the internet.

The "create a new network" does not give me the option of saying "connect through this wireless adapter".

I'm clueless what steps to take next and frustrated almost to the point of tears, breaking things or avoidance. Not what you want to feel after such a generous act. NOT the "great fun" everyone has been promising with this machine, though it is beginning to be a little fun to play with. Heck, I thought the big challenge would be getting used to using a keyboard and mouse after 12 years of laptops! (and yes, that is a BIG challenge).

BTW, since I've been a long-time windows worker, I know to close a program by clicking on the icons in the upper right of the screen. Why did Mac think that clicking the upper left is so much more "intuitive"? It's not. I'm looking that THOSE type of challenges more as ways to grow strong connections in my brain (challenge that gray and white matter! make it strong!).

Still, I'm curious by the decision. When I close a book, I close it right to left; when I bookmark a page in a book, I move from right to left. Why was it "intuitive" to close from the left? You Mac afficianoados chat amonst yourselves and let me know.

And if a guru somewhere can get my mac talking to the internets.. I'll be forever grateful. For now, I'm gonna stop whining and sign off from my Vista (sucks rocks)-platform laptop.

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.