Oh my god im back on the PC!!!

[JW8725]

This afternoon my ethernet connection on my modem failed. Its done it before last year! Then I had to call out a technician and the wait was 4 days! Im having trouble connecting from the USB of the modem to the USB of the mac.

The only option was to connect that same USB to my PC. Im back on windows, please help cos its crap. I cant even use it properly anymore cos i've just become so used to mac os.

I've tried connecting the USB to my airport express but it wont detect a signal for some reason?? Any wise ideas??

[wrldwzrd89]

You've probably got one of those oddball modems that doesn't have Mac USB drivers. The USB port on the AirPort base station is only meant to be used with a USB printer - it will not share other devices, like a modem (most likely because of the driver issue mentioned above).

[Dreadnought]

Probably a Motorola modem? Sorry, but they don't support usb for the Mac... The only thing you could do is reset it, that takes with mine about half an hour before it's back. I'm lucky that I only experienced that once!

[JW8725]

Well this is the company im with

http://www.home.ntl.com/icat/broadband&source=ntlworld_topnav

The modem looks like some type of OEM without manufacturers name :confused:

[Eniregnat]

This afternoon my Ethernet connection on my modem failed. Its done it before last year! Then I had to call out a technician and the wait was 4 days! I’m having trouble connecting from the USB of the modem to the USB of the mac.

The only option was to connect that same USB to my PC. I’m back on windows, please help [because] its crap. I cant even use it properly anymore [because] I’ve just become so used to mac os.

I've tried connecting the USB to my airport express but it wont detect a signal for some reason?? Any wise ideas??

First off, get a surge protector for the modem, really. Induced surges (from cabling) or actual spikes from an outside source, can fry modems. Get a surge arrester with phone line protection. Pardon the link (http://www.aarp.org/learntech/computers/howto/Articles/a2003-03-13-surgeprotectors.html), but it's all I could find quickly.

Then again, it is more likely a shoddy modem.

The reason your AirPort Express wont work with a USB modem is that it is not designed to. The USB port will provide bus (USB line) power, but nothing more. You can charge an iPod Shuffle, but not access it. I bet that comes down the line, but for now the Express won't connect to anything other than a printer.

I know Speedtouch (http://www.speedtouch.com/support.htm) makes fairly good external modems (We have a back land line modem should our digital line die), and I know that they sell in the UK.

[Applespider]

I know Speedtouch (http://www.speedtouch.com/support.htm) makes fairly good external modems (We have a back land line modem should our digital line die), and I know that they sell in the UK.

Some of the Speedtouch ones don't like playing with Tiger apparently...

[ajwitte]

The reason your AirPort Express wont work with a USB modem is that it is not designed to. The USB port will provide bus (USB line) power, but nothing more. You can charge an iPod Shuffle, but not access it. I bet that comes down the line, but for now the Express won't connect to anything other than a printer.


The USB port on the AirPort Express is a real (data and power) USB port, but it is meant for use with the Express's print server and therefore the AirPort only has USB drivers for printers, not other USB devices (like modems).

[jeremy.king]

Couldn't you just ask your ISP for a modem with an ethernet port instead of USB?

[asif786]

ok i think the dude has an ntl cable modem, just like me.

this comes with both ethernet and usb. i think he's saying the ethernet port is buggered. unfortunately, cable modems special, so you'll have to phone ntl and ask them to replace/repair the modem/

[Eniregnat]

The USB port on the AirPort Express is a real (data and power) USB port, but it is meant for use with the Express's print server and therefore the AirPort only has USB drivers for printers, not other USB devices (like modems).

Yea, at some point down the line both drivers and support will likely be release. I know it's a real dataport, really all that's needed is for apple to unlock anything other than printer support, as it is USB 1.0 compliant. It's really more a point of Apple's Airport protocol, not really even a 802g issue.

I wonder what is going to happen with wireless USB? Humm, what the future will hold.

Found this on Google (http://www.macosx.com/content/faq.php/q2452/Tiger,-Broadband-And-Modems-In-the-Uk.html), simular topic. The other UK posters might help.

[mklos]

You can always run the internet into the PC, make sure it works, and then share the connection out to the Mac. All you'll need is a straight patch cable. Macs have an ethernet port on it that crosses the signal over when it detects another computer connected to it without a crossover cable. Or, if you have a router/switch, then just run the ethernet cable from PC into the router/switch and then use a patch cable to go from one of the extra ethernet ports to the Mac.

[JW8725]

I called NTL (my ISP) whom connected me to a call centre in India. Hmm...Lucky for them I speak Hindi too cos the lady couldnt get her english out. Anyway she wasnt much help, kept askin me to restart the comp, wait for 30 seconds and repeat. I was like well my little bollywood baby this is costing me so just send a technician round or send me a replacement...."but sir we fix problem soon no?" Errrm..err.

Well anyway Someones commin round for Thursday. WTF thursday? Anyway good news is that I turned my airport on and its connected on someone elses net. You see there is a GOD!

[dream23]

Hey there,

I have NTL, and although their modems come with both ethernet and usb connections, the usb does not work on macs - this is what the help people will tell you if you phone them too. There aren't any drivers for it - besides, macs generally dont like networking through usb - it wasn't designed for that after all, it was designed for keyboards, printers and the like.

Get a new modem, or if you can stretch, get a router and share your internet connection between both the mac and the pc.

Happy NTL-ing

--dream23