Help in Setting up ADSL modem (newbie)

Did you run the setup process on the PC or the iBook? It's not so clear, and I'd be surprised to see a company writing installers for OS X, especially when you don't need them.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=151979

HTH

Is there any other output (RJ45-LAN) other than USB?

What kind of a modem is that? Post manufacturer/model, so it will be easier for anyone to help you out.

USB modems often require specific drivers and it is quite likely that there is no driver for Panther if the company didn' write one.
Buy a DSL router. You configure it via HTTP and and computer can use it.

Dobby.

My heart sinks every time I see someone who got a USB modem for their broadband internet connection.

*sigh* \

If at all possible, see if you can exchange it for a real ethernet-based modem. ethernet modems are much more "plug and play" worthy. Literally anything with an ethernet port can plug into it. No need for special drivers or installations on the Windows or Mac side.

When I had DSL service a few years ago, I had to make a special request for an ethernet modem. They made some BS claim about not supporting something with it, but it was all a bunch of lies. Once I got the modem, I simply plugged it in and it worked no questions asked. I honestly don't know why they try locking you into proprietary USB devices like this.

I had this problem too - they (Wanadoo) tried to give me the same bs and then tried to charge 200 for an ethernet modem ugrade when I already had their cruddy usb

In the end I got a router and an Airport base station. The router will work fine and you can junk the modem. Ritually preferably.

Should get one for under 100 or you could just get an ethernet modem for a similar price probably.

Router is a device which "routes" network traffic, it simply takes a pocket and sends it somewhere.

A DSL router is a router with built-in support for DSL connection management.

Basically you can have your broadband connection being handled in 2 ways:

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1. You have your DSL modem connected to your computer.
Your computer handles the connection (it "dials in"), in other words it controls the dsl modem.

Your modem can't be controlled by your mac as there are no drivers for OS X for that particular modem. Since it uses USB connection, OS needs to know what's being connected to USB ports, etc...

SO IT WON'T WORK.

What can you do?

You can call your provider and check if they can give you a different model with a LAN port instead of USB. your mac won't have any problems with a modem connected through LAN port.

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2. You can get a wired/wireless dsl router + you still have to exchange your modem

A dsl router can do the following for you:
a) it controls your modem, so your computer won't have to do that. You can set it up so it is always on-line, turn on your mac, and you're on the internet, no "dialing". Always on connection.
b) Additionally often dsl routers provide more than one lan ports, so you can connect multiple computers to it and have them all share your internet connection.
c) Often dsl routers offer additional services such as firewall, DMZ, port forwarding, traffic logging etc...

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To sum it up:
You will have to exchange your modem for something non-usb (you need a LAN port and not USB). If your provider won't do it for you, you can buy one cheap i'm sure.

You don't have to use dsl router. It's up to you.
Personally i like to use it, as they are not expensive, and give you lots of options, plus always-on connection is really convenient.

Since you're using an iBook, consider wireless dsl router.
With that you can walk around with your laptop and be connected to the internet at the same time.
Once you do that, there's no coming back to wired connection, it's just soooo convenient.

Consider if advantages are worth the cost. And remember that you DO NOT have to buy apple base station as your wireless dsl router, there are many many others, cheaper and with more options. They are harder to set-up, but you'll save some cash.

Hope that helps a bit.

segovius, i was replying at the same time as you were, so i did not see your reply.

I didn't mean to say that apple base stations are bad (i use one myself at home, and have 18 of them here at work), i was trying to say that there is a cheaper hardware out there doing the same thing.

Hi

Start with the DSL modem :-)

Yes you will need an airport card for your iBook.

As far as wireless routers...

personally i like linksys, they look like crap :-), but they work well.
There are many others, and in theory ;-) they all should work.

If you want to spend a bit more, apple base station is good choice as well.
With apple BS you can connect your printer to BS' USB port, and print wirelessly. Just make sure your printer is one of the supported ones, or if you planning to buy one make sure it will work with apple BS.

Apple BS pros:
- easy to set-up (hey, it's apple)
- rendezvous support,
- USB port so you can print documents from your sofa :-)
- status of DSL connection displayed on menu bar (not a big thing , but nice)
- easy management through AirPort admin utility.
did i mention easy set-up and configuration? (this can be really painful on other hardware, where you have to use web-based interface, and something does not work, or you have all these options and you don't know what are they for etc...)
-WDS (you can extend range of your network by adding additional base stations, and they would connect wirelessly to a main base station, without the need of running the wire to each one, not big deal in a home environment usually though)
- they look cool :-)
- the ones with a modem can be connected to an outside phone line allowing you to "dial in" and access your network from any place. (but that can be also accomplished without using a phone line, so again, not a big thing)

Apple BS cons:

- price (compared to similar hardware from different manufacturers)
- range (usually shorter than of the other routers, depends how big your place is, can be a problem, you can extend it using a bs with an antenna port, but then you would have to spend more money to buy the antenna, plus you would have to buy a BS with a port...)
- one LAN port, you will be able to connect ONLY ONE computer using LAN (don't confuse it with wireless), if you have only one iBook, then it's OK, but if you plan on or already have couple computers, you will have to either buy a hub, or equip them with WIFI cards to connect them all to a BS)
- no built-in firewall, and many other options found on other dsl routers. Most people do not use DMZ, and since you're using mac firewall is not as big of an issue as on a PC side, (you can always use one built into OS X), but still..)

It all depends how much you want to spend.
If price difference will be acceptable for you and you don't feel to confident in setting-up your router, Apple BS may be a good idea.

I use one because i'm 100% sure it will work with my mac, i can monitor all my base station using one application, i can upgrade them all in one shot etc...

It really depends what your needs are.

Or to put it that way: If you live in an apartment building, or a small house, you're not interested in all the advanced features of some DSL routers, or have 1-2 computers, you will not regret $$ spent on Apple BS.
On another hand if you need more configuration options buy something else.

I hate to tell people to buy all that stuff, but when you go wireless, you won't look back. It's amazing. iTunes sharing, iPhoto sharing, browsing the web, and printing wirelessly is really something worth spending the $$$ on.

Good Luck.

(Nie ma za co, powodzenia :-) )

Hi

Before BUYING dsl modem, check with your provider first, maybe they can exchange it for you for free.

Whether you go with apple BS, or 99% of any other dsl routers you will still need dsl modem.

Apple BS is WIFI certified, so it will work wit any wireless card in either 802.11b, or 802.11g standard. (short answer, yes, it will work)

HTH

Open up terminal application (go to applications -> utilities -> terminal

type in this:

ping yahoo.com

what's the output?
Does it say reply from.....?

If it says unknown host, try this, type in:

ping 216.109.127.30


Again what does it say?

OK...

hey can you get on some sort of iChat/AOL chat, or something?

When you ping something, you should get a response from the remote host, in your case i don't think it works, which can few things.

1. your modem is not connected.
2.your computer is not grabbing proper IP from the router
3 dns

or something else:-)

If you are able to jump on iChat, then it would be much faster, as we can go over the setup, etc..

My nick is: piwozniak (piwozniak@mac.com)

OK...

Steb by step:

1. make sure your cables are properly connected: DSL from wall jack into DSL port on your modem/router, and LAN from LAN ports into your LAN port on the iBook.

2. Press and hold reset button for 5 seconds, this will ensure that all settings are at their factory defaults.

3. On your iBook, open System Preferences , go to Network , from show drop-down, choose Built-In Ethernet. Make sure your setting are as follows, Configure IPv4: Using DHCP:

If you don't see this option, go to PPPoE tab, and uncheck Connect using PPPoE checkbox, then go back to TCP/IP tab and, make sure you have Using DHCP in IPv4 now.
Click on Renew DHCP Lease.
Make sure in your IP Address it says 192.168.1.2
In Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
and in Router: 192.168.1.1

IF IT DOESN'T STOP AND POST BACK.

Leave DNS Servers, and search domains blank, and click Apply Now.
Close system preferences.

4. Open up your web browser. Type: http://192.168.1.1
When you see login screen:

type: admin as username and admin as password.
Verify that DSL status is Disconnected
Lan IP is 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server: Running.

5. Go to Setup Screen:


Click on Wireless settings.
Check enable AP box, and enter name of your wireless network in SSID box. (it can be anything you want, no spaces and better to keep it short..)
Click Apply
NOTE: At this point your router can accept clients oner wireless connection, dsl connection is not active yet, but wireless network is, right now IT IS UNSECURED, so anyone in range can connect.
It is always a good practice to secure it, check in the manual, they explain it there. Any questions, ask.

6. OK, now click on Connection 1 button (big square button, towards the bottom.


Enter your username and password in appropriate boxes. (check with your ISP if you don't know it, usually they give you some sort of a booklet with that info)
Make sure Nat box IS CHECKED, Firewall is optional, i would leave it UNCHECKED, until you verify all is working, then turn it on.

Click on Apply

7. Click on tools tab, then click on system commands, then click on Save All.
Router will restart, Go to Status tab, see if beside WAN it says connected, if it does, GOOD, if it doesn't.... the fun begins here, it can be many different settings, beginning with wrong PPP type (PPPoA instead of PPPoE), or one or more of these extra properties. First change PPPoA to PPPoE in Connection one, basically go through step # 6 again, but use PPPoE instead of PPPoA.
After you change it, do save all again, and check status. If it's connected, good, if it's not, you will have to call your provider and verify the settings for you.

8. If status shows wan as connected, go to Tools tab, and click on ping test button (on the left)
type in this in IP address to ping:
216.109.127.29
click on test.

it should say something like xx bytes from 216.109.127.29, xxxxxxxxxxxx

If it works, check if you can open any websites on your powerbook. If you can't post back.


NOTES:
As you can see there are many things that can be configured in different ways, Apple BS don't have most of these extra settings, so it is easier to make them work, but they are not as flexible, and you would need to use external modem.

DON'T FORGET to enable firewall if all is working well. AND DON'T FORGET to secure your wireless network. (check the manual, or post here)

Good Luck!

Hey, no problem.

On your router, go to SETUP tab, then click on Modem Setup button.
Change modulation to GDMT.

Click Aply

Go to TOOLS Tab.

Click on System Commands Button, click on Save All.

Go to SETUP tab

Click on Connection1

Nat box should be checked ON, if it's not, check it ON.

Change Encapsulation to VC

Click on Apply

Go to TOOLS Tab.

Click on System Commands Button, click on Save All.


----------------------------------------------------

I think for any setting to "stick" you have to go to TOOLS, and click Save All.

NAT is used when you have x number of computers on your local network, and you want to be able to get out to the internet on all of them. Your router will use one public IP and share it for all the computers on your local network.


See if it works now, What do you see when you go to Status?


REMEMBER to do Save All after you make any changes.

OK,

Good news:

Connection 1 pppoa 217.43.118.125 Connected.

means it's connected, so that's good...

Now, do you have a PC there?

If you do, try connecting it the same way your mac is connected, and change NAT from your PC.

Or if you have a different browser on your mac, try it.


If you're still unable to make it work, shoot me an e-mail: piwozniak at mac.com

I can tell you how to set it up, so i can connect to it, and do all these changes.

It's just faster to exchange e-mails, than to post here.

but hurry up dude, as i have to run out in about an hour, after then, we can continue on monday.


*** FOR NOW ONLY ENABLE NAT, DON'T WORRY ABOUT OTHER OPTIONS, AS IT APPEARS TO BE WORKING ***


:-)

well, it's ADSL season. I am trying to get a DSL setup and I am going with the router option. The ISP tells me that I have to use his router. Why can't I use a commericially available ADSL router instead?

Most Likely, because they won't be making any $$$ on you.

oisleep..

When you say, it works slower, what do you mean?

Page loads, data transfer?

Don't use Explorer to compare page load time to your PC, use Safari, it's much faster.

If you want, go there:

DSL On-Line Speed Test

And test your connection, first using router, then going straight to your PC.