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i'm wireless

Ambrose Chapel

Ambrose Chapel

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 24, 2002
1,141
3
Massachusetts
it was just my birthday, and i got all these wireless presents for my TiBook. first, my gf got me an 802.11g PC card (she brought over her router too), then today my parents sent me a bluetooth d-link and apple wireless mouse. i love the instructions for setting up the d-link - it's 6 pages for windows, while the os x instructions are all of 4 lines long. heh. :cool:

it's pretty cool with all this new networking tech. i guess i'll need to trade in my mobile for a new bluetooth phone too. my menu bar is getting crowded though....8 menulets...

anyway, just wanted to share :)
 
yeah, it's been fun so far, though i realized that my cordless phone cuts out the signal completely if i'm close to the Ti. :eek:

it's funny - i wasn't planning on putting any more money into this laptop, and start saving for a rev b or c PB G5 (whatever is out late next year). and now i have all this new stuff for it.
 
Damn Straight. I have been using my PB wirelessly for the past hour, while setting in my leather recliner. WHOOO HOOOOO!
 
Just be sure to use some sort of key encryption with your system. The reason for this is to keep your system closed to people who like to use other's systems. It's not too difficult to make an application to listen for the wireless connection locations in a general area - then to attempt to connect to one of them. With the key encryption, using 64-bit or 128-bit, they would have to have a hard time guessing to get on the network.

This is kinda important to do, many computer users don't do this - and it's becoming more common for people 'jacking' into another's network, and compromising it from the inside.
 
TDT said:
Just be sure to use some sort of key encryption with your system. The reason for this is to keep your system closed to people who like to use other's systems. It's not too difficult to make an application to listen for the wireless connection locations in a general area - then to attempt to connect to one of them. With the key encryption, using 64-bit or 128-bit, they would have to have a hard time guessing to get on the network.

This is kinda important to do, many computer users don't do this - and it's becoming more common for people 'jacking' into another's network, and compromising it from the inside.
Click to expand...

i use 128 bit encryption, don't broadcast my network (so it can't be found unless you know the name) and to top it off... i have restricted the access to two wireless cards (specific MAC addresses). If someone gets a free ride after this, they deserve it for all the time and effort.
 
nargot said:
i use 128 bit encryption, don't broadcast my network (so it can't be found unless you know the name) and to top it off... i have restricted the access to two wireless cards (specific MAC addresses). If someone gets a free ride after this, they deserve it for all the time and effort.
Click to expand...

Hehe, nice setup. Mine is somewhat similar, but I manage all connections through a linux server. I have it where it's using 128bit encryption, and no broadcast...and a really messed up ID for connection. I haven't got around to trying to restrict individual cards.

This brings up a very good question. What program does one use in Mac OSX, to view the actual cards and to get their MAC address? The PB that comes in hopefully within 3 hours, will have an airport extreme card, and a gigabit ethernet - I would like to get the MAC for both of them if possible.

Thanks.
 
TDT said:
Just be sure to use some sort of key encryption with your system. The reason for this is to keep your system closed to people who like to use other's systems. It's not too difficult to make an application to listen for the wireless connection locations in a general area - then to attempt to connect to one of them. With the key encryption, using 64-bit or 128-bit, they would have to have a hard time guessing to get on the network.

This is kinda important to do, many computer users don't do this - and it's becoming more common for people 'jacking' into another's network, and compromising it from the inside.
Click to expand...

thanks for the tips. we do require a 128-bit hex password, and my gf checks every so often to see if someone tried to access the network. that's a good idea about not broadcasting though. we'll have to do that.

also, i have a bluetooth question: every time i wake the Ti from sleep, I need to launch the keyboard/mouse preferences and set up new bluetooth device. it sees the mouse (same name and everything) and then pairs it and it's fine. if i don't do that it won't see the mouse. is that normal? i thought once you set up a device the comp can always see it?
 
TDT said:
Hehe, nice setup. Mine is somewhat similar, but I manage all connections through a linux server. I have it where it's using 128bit encryption, and no broadcast...and a really messed up ID for connection. I haven't got around to trying to restrict individual cards.

This brings up a very good question. What program does one use in Mac OSX, to view the actual cards and to get their MAC address? The PB that comes in hopefully within 3 hours, will have an airport extreme card, and a gigabit ethernet - I would like to get the MAC for both of them if possible.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

To find your MAC address there are a few ways, (there are obviously more). My router setup page tells me MAC addresses of connected computers and the other way is to open system profiler, goto network and the "ethernet address" is the MAC.

Your hardcore setup will be a nasty thing for would be hackers :)
 
nargot said:
To find your MAC address there are a few ways, (there are obviously more). My router setup page tells me MAC addresses of connected computers and the other way is to open system profiler, goto network and the "ethernet address" is the MAC.

Your hardcore setup will be a nasty thing for would be hackers :)
Click to expand...
To get your MAC address, go to Network Utility in /Applications/Utilities

I changed my SSID name (pleasedonthackme :D), admin password, and I currently filter the wireless for my PB's MAC address, and one for a friend of mine. I don't think I turned off SSID broadcast though...
 
Ambrose Chapel said:
any help with my bluetooth question?
Click to expand...

Try waking the computer from sleep by pressing the Bluetooth mouse button. I heard somewhere that this will work, but I can't test it since I do not have a Bluetooth mouse.
 
hi.
I just ordered 2 Extreme cards and the hub, both refurbished from the AppleStore! should be here any day now. From what I hear it's just plug and play.

I'm not too worried about the neighbors picking up the signal, because it ain't like we're moving mass amounts of data. I prolly just won't do any online purchases with the laptop (that way the cc #s are secure).

By the way, on the g, how is your range? Our place is three stories high; the TV room is all the way on the 1st floor, and the hub will be on the the third floor. I looked into some antennae, but they seem like they don't work (and they cost $100+).
 
Westside guy said:
What version of OS X are you running? I've got the MS Bluetooth mouse rather than the Apple, but I haven't run into this problem at all under Panther.
Click to expand...

10.3.3, all the latest SW updates and stuff. maybe it's b/c my bluetooth antenna is external?
 
Ambrose Chapel said:
10.3.3, all the latest SW updates and stuff. maybe it's b/c my bluetooth antenna is external?
Click to expand...

Well just going by other posts on this forum I'd say you may be right - my PB has internal Bluetooth, so I don't really know. Perhaps someone else who has an external Bluetooth module can speak to this?
 
Westside guy said:
Well just going by other posts on this forum I'd say you may be right - my PB has internal Bluetooth, so I don't really know. Perhaps someone else who has an external Bluetooth module can speak to this?
Click to expand...

apparently Apple just released some Bluetooth firmware updater that's supposed to address this very issue. i'll wait and see if any horror stories come from it, then install it. firmware updates always make me a bit wary.
 
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