on being the lex for a day (<-- month moar laik)

[dubdobdee]

i: can haz nu mac book wahoo!
ii: need to access interweb via broadband
iii: old imac has broadband via landline (supplied by lovely problem-free nildram)
iv: what do i do to tap into it? (am checking with nildram if i need a router that's specific to their services)

i am in no tremendous hurry -- i want to do this all orderly and sensible for once, not just busk

Comments

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

non wireless router = you need a short 'ethernet cable' that goes from router to mac book. on the mac book the socket has a symbol like this on it

< . . . >

though thicker, centred dots. there should be a similar socket on the router. if you have a cable that fits those (looks like a fatter phone connector) you should be off and running.

nildram's swift response

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

"Hi, The only thing you will need to change is the router you use. The broadband service does not need to change at all. We continue to deliver the broadband via the phone-line as usual. Basically [what] the router does is allow you to connect more than one computer to the internet; wirelessly if you wish. So you need to acquire a wireless router and then you just plug it into the phoneline replacing the modem/router you are currently using. You can then wire your original mac to the router and use the new macbook to connect wirelessly. You can buy the router from us if you wish. We sell a Billion 5200G router at £39.99. (Or if you want to regrade your broadband to a year's contract we will send this router to you for free.) Otherwise you can go into any computer hardware store and ask for any ADSL wireless router. Any will do, just make sure it is compatible with Macs (most are). So you will only be changing the way you receive our service once it gets to your house, which is completely your business, we do not need to change anything at our end. I would be happy to offer further advice if you like, please don't hesitate to get back in contact. Kind Regards, F____ J____ Customer Care"

Re: nildram's swift response

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

wtf sort of router DO you have? and how was it connected to your last mac/pc?

i'll google make and model if you can say what it is

my current set-up

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

is this a modem or a router? it is called hermstedt webshuttle dsl

the landline comes to a dsl filter (excelsius z-blocker model z-420uk) then one bit connects straight into the imac, then other bit goes through the webshuttle, which THEN connects with the imac

this is a bit tangly but only went seriously wrong ONCE, when i upgraded the imac and there was a bug in the similarly upgraded software for the webshuttle, which i needed some patch-in stuff to fix (which they sent very quickly)

Re: my current set-up

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

ok. that's a USB modem/router, not an ethernet-based one. so ignore what i said before. it should go

landline -> filter -> webshuttle -> mac

no idea what the bit direct from filter to mac is, and might be unneeded. you will prob need to download 'driver software' to make the mac recognise the webshuttle.

new mac = you are probs on 10.5 (leopard). let me look for you...

Re: my current set-up

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

all bad news. hermstedt went bust years ago (it seems), and although i can find some stuff to download, i really don't think it's gonna work for you.

surprisingly the specs of the hardware still stand up. but it does look like you need to get a new modem/router.

annoyingly nildram's new-user sign up includes a free wireless router.

Re: my current set-up

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

the cheapest new sign-up is actually the same as i already pay i think -- but they might not be happy about such a blatant finagle on my part!

[petrajane.livejournal.com]

How old is the iMac? Like, what kind? My friends in Melbourne have one desktop imac and a gajillion laptops (mac and PC), and they connect the imac to the broadband modem normally then turn on sharing so it wirelessly shares its interwebs with all the laptops in the house (with a password of course so neighbours can't haxxxor them). If your old Mac allows it, you could do that, and have wireless internets without having to buy a new thingamee.

[petrajane.livejournal.com]

(in 10.4 internet sharing is in System Preferences > Sharing (under Internet & Network) > Internet)

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

imac is six years old i think -- osx 10.2.8 (after free upgrade), kernel sez it dates to 2003 but i think i remember i had to get a new thingy when something weird happened while under warranty, and my broadband sub dates to 2002 (and i got broadband after i got this computer)

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

this is a grand plan! on 10.2 there is def still "Internet Sharing" (turns your iMac with wireless card into a base-station as petra rightly sez) and probably much in the place described. though it might need extra fiddle :-/

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

it says:

"Internet Sharing Off
Click START to allow other computers to share your primary connection to the Internet (Ethernet Adaptor (en1)).

You are connected to the Internet over ethernet Adaptor (en1). This connection will be shared with computers connected to Built-in Internet.

[_] Share the connection with other computers on Ethernet Adaptor (en1)."


Is this wirelessly compatible? What would I have to type into my macbook to reach out through the Menk-iferous Aether?

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

in system preferences go to "Network" and there might be a magic button to walk you through it. you may have to look specifically in the "Airport" pane there for said magic button.

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

yikes :(

don't know what "airport" pane is

is any of this related to "appletalk" (which is disabled as i currently connect thru PPoE)

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

oo is "airport pane" the dropdown with lots of options?

viz:
wbeshuttle dsl
internal modem
built-in ethernet
network port configurations <--- is this the magic button/

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

this is on your macbook. in system preference > network

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

looking something like

http://tokerud.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/11/15/network_system_preference.png

(this is all assuming that the internet sharing on the imac is working ok.)

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

aha! but macbook not yet started up as v.early in start-up it arsks me questions i cannot answer re interwebs network desired -- but i haven't firewired it up to this imac yet, to download necessary info, as i was afeared of dl-ing all the spyware crap that is clogging up my imac

(i will never tease the lex again) (this week)

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

my attitude to any and all computer-related teasing is a slightly smug "just you wait and see". I consider myself VINDICATED here!

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

ok i have

a: started up and configured macbook except for interwebs access
b: reconfigured imac to allow internet sharing (i think)

what i don't know is how to get the macbook to reach out and wirelessly find the imac (i keep bein asked abt airport networks)

i guess i have to NAME my network and then hunt for it? what else will i need?

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

it might be that the imac is already broadcasting a suitable named network.

on your macbook, system preferences > network. try a magic button. perhaps "Assist me" will work :-/

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

omigod i did it (but i don't quite understand how)

a: i moved the macbook right next to the imac
b: i picked an airport network to select (=g604t_w!reless) (ftb it didn't need a password)

and now i am posting from my macbook!

yikes yippee

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

so am i in fact kangarooing off a neighbour's router??

Re: yikes yippee

[(Anonymous)]

mark tht sounds like u r nicking yr neighbours webs :/

internet sharing on os x won't let u use the imac as a wireless router unfortunately ie it won't broadcast a signal via the aer

but it does allow you to use imac as a bridge ie internet goes into imac comes out and juices macbook. u would need an ethernet cable to connect the twocomps (ie internet sharing via etjernet en1) but it is a bit clunky ie turn on omac to usemacbook on net wtf

how much is airport these days??

cozen

[jel-bugle.livejournal.com]

Hey! I bought a macbook the other day! I just got orange to send me a livebox thingie, set it up, called the 50p a minute call centre coz the internet didn't work (was only on for 4 mins in the end). Now I am wireless! I could be writing this from any room in my house, this is the future!

You could be using someone else's network, there are two unpassword protected routers near me!