Can't get cable modem pc light to glow

danhodanho
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
Anyone,



We use DSL (via ABS) for 4 macs and 1 pc - no problem. Wanted to switch to cable modem. Tried to hook cable modem first into imac and then into G4 PB (both with Panther). In either case, the pc light on the cable modem would not light up.



Any help would be appreciated.



Thanks

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 5
    mlnjrmlnjr Posts: 230member
    Did you tell your ISP that you have a cable modem now? Your ISP needs the MAC address of your modem to properly configure things on your end and theirs. You can't just plug in a cable modem and instantly zoom along.
  • Reply 2 of 5
    danhodanho Posts: 22member
    mlnjr,



    We never reached that point. The Comcast person tried to connect the cable modem to our mac via ethernet to get the pc light on the modem to light up, with the expectation to input the necessary ISP info afterwards. We never achieved the "lock up" - as if the ethernet port was broken. (When we tried it on my son's pc - no problem - immediately it lit up even as my son was simultaneously surfing the web via airport and our existing DSL connection).



    Any thoughts?



    Thanks
  • Reply 3 of 5
    mlnjrmlnjr Posts: 230member
    Oh, I originally thought you had bought a cable modem and plugged it in, expecting it to automatically work. My apologies for not understanding. Comcast is my ISP, too, and I can say that I've had this cable modem through three generations of the same company (first Media One, then AT&T Broadband and now Comcast) with no problems getting my computer to recognize it.



    In System Preferences > Network, there's an option in the second menu to "Show Network Port Configurations." There should be two configurations listed there, your dial-up modem and your Ethernet port. You can specify whether either connection is active. Check to make sure that your Ethernet port is turned on (Make sure the box is checked and click Apply if you need to make any changes.)



    What does your Network Preferences panel say if you switch that second menu to the item "Network Status"? On mine, I see that the cable modem is active and I see my IP address.



    I bet I can predict the answer to this one, but has Comcast's tech support line been of any help?
  • Reply 4 of 5
    danhodanho Posts: 22member
    mlnjr,



    Network Port Configurations:



    Internal Modem

    Built-in Ethernet

    Airport



    All checked "on"



    Network Status:



    Airport (green "light" - identifies network to which we are connected)

    Internal Modem (red "light" - identified as not set up)



    What you expected?
  • Reply 5 of 5
    mlnjrmlnjr Posts: 230member
    Yup. All of that makes sense.



    What doesn't make sense is why your cable modem won't work. I'm sorry I can't be of more help.
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