Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Connecting wirelessly

A

Astyl

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 21, 2005
9
0
Hi,

My main machine is a G4 Powermac desktop (dual 533 Mhz) which is connected to broadband via a modem/cable on the ground floor of my house. I have an eMac (on the second floor) which I'd like to connect wirelessly to the Internet (the only Internet access point is on the ground floor) - keeping my current wired connection on my Powermac (which doesn't have an Airport card).

Is there a way I can do this? If I buy a wireless router can I access the Internet with both machines (the Powermac wired - the eMac through an Airport Extreme card?)

Would this work? Which router works best?

Thanks for any suggestions. (I'm new to this as you may have guessed!)
 
You sort of hinted at a cable broadband connection, in which case you need a Broadband Wireless Router such as a Netgear WGT624, Linksys WRT54GS or D-Link DI-624. As well as the wireless capability (for your eMac with Airport card), it has 4 10/100 ethernet ports (so you can connect the G4 with an ethernet cable).
It's always useful to have a machine connected with an ethernet cable so you can connect to the admin setup utility of the router for setting things like security, and ESPECIALLY performing firmware upgrades (which should never be attempted over a wireless connection).
I would go for the Netgear as they are so easy to set up - they auto detect your isp settings in about 4 mouse clicks). Linksys are also a good brand.
 
Hi stevep,

Thanks for your reply! You're right, I'm connected to Toucan broadband in the UK via a cable from an external USB modem. My machine is a graphite Powermac G4 which doesn't have an Airport card. My brother has an eMac which he wants to connect to the Internet via my broadband connection. (He would have to get an Airport Extreme card of course).

From what you say it appears a wireless router will allow me to connect my modem cable to it as I do currently without the need for me to upgrade to an Airport card. My brother would then be able to connect his eMac wirelessly to the router to share my broadband connection.

Does this sound feasible? Pardon my ignorance - this is new territory for me - and I appreciate the advice.

Cheers
 
Astyl said:
From what you say it appears a wireless router will allow me to connect my modem cable to it as I do currently without the need for me to upgrade to an Airport card. My brother would then be able to connect his eMac wirelessly to the router to share my broadband connection.

Does this sound feasible? Pardon my ignorance - this is new territory for me - and I appreciate the advice.
Click to expand...

It sounds like you're on the right track. Whatever router you go with, you'll probably need to connect your setup as follows:

Cable modem -- Router -- Mac G4 (using Ethernet rather than USB)
(wireless to eMac)

Typically, the modem you have can talk to one device. Currently, it is your Mac and in the future it will be your router. Connecting the router via Ethernet and your G4 via USB may cause problems with IP addresses. It depends on the modem and how capable it is. If you want to share files between the Macs, you'll probably definitely have to have them both connected to the router.

There are many routers out there that have wireless capability and typically four wired ports. Any of those will work. Also, don't forget the Airport Extreme Base Station. It's quite pricey, but easy to setup and in the profile of a UFO.
 
Hi Osprey76,

I am currently connected to ADSL broadband via a USB modem. If I understand this right - with a wireless ADSL router I can connect my current G4 graphite Powermac to the router via an ethernet cable without the need for an Airport Card.

I can then connect the eMac from another location in the house via an Airport card to the router thus allowing both computers access to the Internet (one wired, the other wireless).

As long as this is possible I'd be very pleased. Doesn't this mean that I'd be bypassing my USB modem altogether?

Thanks for your input.
 
I'm confused now. Do you have a cable broadband connection (eg Telewest or NTL), or do you plug your usb modem into a British Telecom phone outlet? Who is your ISP?
The broadband routers I listed above are only suitable for a cable broadband connection.
If you have a normal adsl connection via your BT socket, you need to chuck the usb modem away and replace it with an ADSL modem router like a Netgear DG834GT or a Linksys WAG54G.
DON"T rush out and buy the wrong one!
The ADSL modem router will connect to your BT phone outlet (via a DSL filter) using a cable with rj11 plugs which look like small rj45 cat5 network plugs. Then you use a standard rj45 cat5 ethernet cable to connect your computer to one of the four network ports on the router. Your eMac will obviously connect to the router wirelessly when you get the Airport network card installed in it. Set the router up using the G4, as I mentioned in post 2 above.
 
Hi Steve,

Sorry about the confusion. I'm fairly new to this. I should have clarified that I'm connected to Toucan Broadband in the UK via a Speedtouch USB modem to a BT line.

I've just realised that this has implications for the kind of router I should buy. I appreciate your words of caution.

I'm looking at the Netgear DG834G wireless ADSL router. I plan to connect two Macs to the Internet - one wirelessly through an Airport Extreme card and the other wired (as you suggest via an Ethernet cable).

I take it this would render my USB modem redundant. Are there any drawbacks to this in terms of quality of access? Otherwise it seems from what you're saying that this is the best solution.

Many thanks for your comments.
 
Astyl said:
I take it this would render my USB modem redundant. Are there any drawbacks to this in terms of quality of access?
Click to expand...
Yes, very redundant, and no to 'any drawbacks' - quite the opposite in fact. A usb modem needs drivers installed, and when Apple releases OS X updates these can sometimes stop working. When you replace the modem with a router you're using TCP/IP to communicate with the network, which is a universally understood protocol - meaning that different operating systems and hardware can all talk to each other.
The Netgear you mention should be fine.
 
That's great. Looking forward to the transition. Hopefully all will go smoothly.

Many thanks for steering me in the right direction.
 
most wireless routers also have ports for physical connections to it. You just have to run the ethernet cable from your ADSL router to your routers input.

Westell also makes a wireless router with built-in DSL modem. Takes away the need for having a seperate modem and router, and makes life easier.
 
Dg834gt

I wonder if I might join this forum. I have a DG834GT running with a laptop pc. I would like to connect the Netgear router to my G4 Mac running OS 10.3.9 but I am not sure how. I did not get past first base since the documnetaion suggesetd I contact http://www.tempel.org/joliet/ to change the codes required. However this site only deals with Macs up to OS 9.4.

Can anyone help with this?
 
Are you trying to connect wirelessly or via a wired connection?

If wired, get an ethernet cable (one probably came with the router). Plug one end into the LAN ports on the router (probably labelled LAN or ethernet 1,2,3 etc) and the other end into the Ethernet port on your Mac (it looks kinda similar to the modem one but has <...> beside it.

The Mac should just see it and off you go. Check in System Preferences that Network is showing Ethernet and you'd be off.

If wirelessly, check that the iMac has an Airport card and that it's switched on. Then turn on the Airport and see if the name of your network shows up in the list from the menu bar. If so, click on it and if your network is password protected (it should be), enter the password. If you've hidden the name of the network (ie not broadcasting the SSID), then you'll need to go to 'Other' in the drop down airport icon (in menu bar) and type in the name of the network, then choose the encryption type and enter the password.

If you have an access control list on the router, then you'll need to get the MAC address of your Mac (it's in system preferences under Airport and it's the number with lots of 00:24: etc in it) and add it to the list.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back