Questions about Wireless Net connections On MacBook

[Danyell]

Hi, I just got my first Mac. It's a MacBook with OSX and a 1ghz hard drive. Anyway, other MacBook users have told me that MacBook can automatically detect local internet servers and connect to them, without any use of additional or external hardware. Is this true? If so, how can I do this?

I was also told by different sources that in order to go wireless I'd have to get an aiport router or a Dlink or Linksys wireless router. The Dlink router doesn't come with a network adaptor, so I'm not sure if I need one or if I would have to buy one separately.

I currently use a cable modem at my house, and we also have a basis router connecting the network. It just doesn't make sense to me that I would need a seperate router just to use my MacBook wirelessly.

I know I'm probably missing something very obvious here, but I've had limited experiance with Macs, so I would really appreciate any help on this. Thank you!

 

[alexstein]

Your MacBook has Wireless capability that means that it has all the hardware build (Apple calls it airport) in to connect to a wireless network. Go to <System Preferences>, <Network> and click on Airport. Airport will detect Wireless Networks in your surrounding area.

If you have a Broadband connection you still need a Router that can emit a wireless signal hence Wireless Broadband Router. A regular Ethernet Router does not have such capability.

 

[Danyell]

But the people I know that use MacBooks tell me that after they set up they're connection, it automatically detects wired connections in other buildings. My boyfriend has a cable modem in his apartment and his friend was able to bring his MacBook over and get a connect from the modem without a wireless router. How is this possible?

 

[mad jew]

Either your friend used a cable (USB or ethernet), a connected computer created a wireless ad-hoc connection (unlikely), or the modem had wireless router capabilities.

 

[Danyell]

Either your friend used a cable (USB or ethernet), a connected computer created a wireless ad-hoc connection (unlikely), or the modem had wireless router capabilities.

I know he didn't use a cable of any kind. I don't think the modem has wireless capabilities, unless Optimum Online modems all have that, which would make me think mine did too..? I know he's done it other places too. Btw, I like your username.

 

[mad jew]

Haha, thanks.

Is it possible that your friend was picking up a neighbour's signal? In order to connect wirelessly to the internet, a wireless router must be present even if it's not necessarily immediately visible. They're pretty cheap so if your current modem doesn't already have one built in, it won't cost much to get one.

 

[Danyell]

Is it possible that your friend was picking up a neighbour's signal?

I think it is very possible. In fact, that is the new working theory. What router would you recommend? I know Dlink is supposed to be good and only $50 or so. Are there others that are as good and maybe cheaper?

 

[mad jew]

Most people 'round here seem to recommend LinkSys. I don't know how the prices compare, but it's easy to set up and reliable once it's working.

 

[jamone80]

i'm on a belkin router and it was a breeze hooking up. had for about three months and no major problems experienced. heres a linky:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833314006

this cost just a little over $40.

 

[thugpoet22]

i have a macbook as well, 2ghz 1g of memory, and it works very well with my hope network. I have three computers acutally 4 computers connected to the network. Two of the computers are wired in and the other two connected wirelessly. One of the wireless computers is my sisters desktop, which is in a different room from the router and my macbook. On the network there are two windows computers, a linux computer and a mac. And im using linksys, its very stable. The first thing my mac wanted to do when i turned it on was check for updates, it acquired the the internet connection and started downloading 5 minutes after taking it out of the box. Trust me if there's a network present, the mac will find it.

Even when i go to my aunts house who uses dsl but yet still has a wireless connection, i still can use my mac there. And i dont have to tell it to switch internet providers or anything like that. It simply searches for the strongest singal as default, the one thing that still has me amazed about apple is actually how little i have to do to get things done.

Conserning your problem. You probably have a wired router allowing you to share one internet connection with multiple computers. To use wireless with you macbook, you will need a wireless router. Like the other posts said they have come down in prices. Probably because were moving to a new starndard. So the 802.11 g is probably what you might want. I suggest Newegg.com or Tigerdirect.com if your buying online.