Not quite sure if this is the correct forum but had to start somewhere. I have a G5 1.6 with airport extreme card. Just purchased a Motorola SBG900 modem/gateway that is wireless. I have Comcast cable and hooked it up to the Motorola, plugged in my AE and the G5 picked up the signal automatically and asked if I wanted to enter the network. GREAT! This was so cool that the Mac did this so effortlessly. Guess it's why I came back from the dark side. I think that I'm getting pretty good reception too. Used CNET's test site and getting 1836 kbps. Another test is giving me 2.6 megabits. Both sound good to me as I went from dial up to cable/wireless. Ok, here's the problem. My son just got a PC with a wireless card. It is generic, basically a AMD 2.4 with a wireless card. Initially, we couldn't get the wireless card to recognize there was a signal. The two leds on the card did not even illuminate. Well, today I played with the PC (BTW it is running Windows XP Home) and got the wireless card up and running. It now shows a great signal and yes the card's led's are illuminated. However, when I got the IE and try to get on the net it goes absolutely nowhere. I'm stuck. Anyone out there with some suggestions?????? Thks in advance. Cheers
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Cable Modem..Wireless...Mac & PC Help
- Thread starter zagato27
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One thing I found in this situation is that XP by default enables 802.1x security. You might turn that off (it's just a checkbox that needs to be unchecked).
As far as specifics go, you might want to tell us exactly what card you've got, if you've changed the default SSID for your network, if you've got WEP/WPA/whatever enabled, etc.
As far as specifics go, you might want to tell us exactly what card you've got, if you've changed the default SSID for your network, if you've got WEP/WPA/whatever enabled, etc.
Westside guy said:
Unfortunately, the card I fear is generic. I'll have to check further on this but it's just a tad late or early here on in the East. WEP is disabled at the moment. As to the SSID for the network. Geeez, time to get out the dictionary or would that be wireless for dummies. The PC does recognize the wireless network and shows great signal strength but I just can't get IE to "go" anywhere. I'll try to find the security box you mentioned. Might be a week or so b4 I get back with you.
Hmmmm, thought that all the Pacific NW was soggy. Oops, sorry bout that. You must be along the coast as the interior is desert like as I recall. Spent some time in Tacoma and I know it was soggy. Thanks for the help.
zagato27 said:
I would blame the card too much for the problems...sadly I think the problem in Windows. I have a DLink card that I had lots of trouble setting up in Windows.
If you are getting a signal then the problem is with Windows. I would recommend setting the laptop beside the wireless base and then try going throught the network wirzards...
You might also try to ping the base station just to make sure it's connected.
Dippo said:
Well, the card is actually in a desktop in my son's room. I'll relocate in the same room as my Mac (line of sight from the Motorola wireless). That way I can check out help sites on the net with the Mac and run through the wizards per your suggestion. Why does this have to be so darn hard w/ Windoze???? Add to this is the time limit. Microsoft in their wisdom has put a "timer" on their XP so that you have to register it w/in a certain time or I think it quits. Last week it said 14 days. Guess we've got a couple to go and I think that you can register via phone. Wonder if M$ has a toll free help line? I'll have to do a search. Thks
zagato27 said:
Another thing might be worth checking because it's fairly easy.
Does your wireless router/gateway have a Web interface you can use to configure it? For example, with my D-link router I can go to http://192.168.0.1 and adjust the configuration. If you're not sure, check the literature that came with it (or else check their Website).
Basically I'm not suggesting you make changes to your router - I just want to know if, from Windows, you can get to it. You said you can't get to the Internet; I'm trying to figure out whether or not you have any network connectivity at all.
i know this doesn't help...
I'd say throw out the PC but I know that's not what you want to hear. Did you set up both your Mac to share internet and the PC to act as a 2nd tier internet connection (share network via your Mac's connection). One solution (if you can call it that) is using your son's PC as the main broadcast point, and then sharing your connection via the Mac. The Mac has absolutely no problem being part of a network in any scenario, and I find it much easier to just set up the network on windows computers rather than screw around trying to get it to recognize my Mac. Granted I haven't used a PC since Windows XP was announced (I refused to use their registration method, unlike so many other fools, nothing like a computer telling you your no longer authorized to use your computer because you added RAM to it).
I'd say throw out the PC but I know that's not what you want to hear. Did you set up both your Mac to share internet and the PC to act as a 2nd tier internet connection (share network via your Mac's connection). One solution (if you can call it that) is using your son's PC as the main broadcast point, and then sharing your connection via the Mac. The Mac has absolutely no problem being part of a network in any scenario, and I find it much easier to just set up the network on windows computers rather than screw around trying to get it to recognize my Mac. Granted I haven't used a PC since Windows XP was announced (I refused to use their registration method, unlike so many other fools, nothing like a computer telling you your no longer authorized to use your computer because you added RAM to it).
zagato27 said:
FINAL UPDATE: IT WORKS!!! As mentioned above, relocated my son's PC to the same room as my G5 and compared settings. Found that on the PC, "Proxy" settings had been checked but not so on the Mac. Changed it and everything worked great. Now my son is getting "excellent" reception in his room and we were able to register XP with M$ in the nick of time. I keep my fingers crossed that the PC keeps working at least the wireless/internet portion. Now all my son has to do is keep up with all the patches that M$ has. Glad I don't have to worry about that stuff. Hmmm, I did just download the latest Panther update 10.3.3, it seems to be a bit snappier.
Wanted to thank everyone for their help. I always know where to come when I need it
