Modem for a Mac (1 Viewer)

[bobbyg2]

My brothers have a Macintosh with a Mac OS (Yes, when it opens it says "Mac OS")

I was wondering if there was any modems compatible with it. It has a Ethernet port, so and expansion card isn't necessary. The modem I have on the family PC isn't wireless and it's ethernet port isn't working for some reason.

Any solutions to get that Mac some Comcast?

 

[Michael_K_Sr]

Kinda confused what you're trying to do. You say your brothers have a Mac, but you have a PC that has a non-functional Ethernet interface. If you have Comcast, you should be able to run straight to the Mac's Ethernet port either from the cable modem or a router.

 

[JohnRice]

Any Ethernet cable modem should work. You will have to call Comcast to get it configured, but that is all you need. That is unless they are running a very old OS. Since it is a Mac, it is clearly running Mac OS, but that doesn't tell which one it is. Anything 10.3 or later should be no problem.

 

[bobbyg2]

It's an old OS. It may be the original since 'Mac OS' is all that comes up, it doesn't say a version number. Well, at least I don't think it has a version number. I only started it up 2 times.

And I don't want a router. Most routers are Ethernet only, not USB. I'll need a router that transfers a USB to a Ethernet.

But, preferably a modem. I want it to be corded mainly because of less cash and I don't have to worry 'bout hackers slowing down my connection.

*EDIT*
The modem I just bought had a CD that wouldn't open up in the Mac OS. And I can't find the installation disk for the modem that Comcast supplied for me.

 

[nolesrule]

OK, let me get this straight. You have your cable modem connected to the PC via USB because the PC ethernet port doesn't work.

Is that correct?

First, why are you buying a modem?

My advice to you is to purchase a cheap network card for the PC and install it. Get a router and then connect the cable modem and both computers to the router.

 

[bobbyg2]

The thing is, the modems start-up disk isn't working on the Mac. It doesn't recognize it. I'm guessing that the start-up disk is made for windows and it doesn't work in the Macs. Now, I don't even know if these Macs have PCI slots, or whatever other slots... It's kinda old so I don't think it does...

*EDIT*
I wanted a modem because hard-wired computers are faster than wireless computers. This is mainly so my brothers don't get so p'ed off and come into my room to go onto my computer.

 

[Michael_K_Sr]

Need to know what kind of Mac you have before anyone here can tell you how many PCI slots it has, if any.

Also, why not password protect your own computer to prevent unauthorized use?

 

[nolesrule]

For the record, your replies make no sense to me, so I am going to assume what you are trying to do is connect one computer to the USB port on the cable modem and one computer to the ethernet port on it.

You can't do that. They aren't separate ports. They are 2 types of connections but a single port.

In order to share the cable modem internet access among multiple computers, you will need a router. Then you connect all computers to the router using ethernet cables. That should work automatically if all your ethernet ports are operational.

If you don't want a wireless router, get a wired router. Although, quite honestly, unless you are doing heavy network sharing, wireless is fine because the speed of the slowest wireless routers available are still multiple times faster than your internet access speed.

 

[bobbyg2]

Is there a router that receives the signal? I don't think a card will work with this computer, it probably doesn't have a PCI slot.

*EDIT*
Isn't a modem going to be faster than a router? 'Cuz my brothers need all the speed they can get with that old computer...

 

[JohnRice]

Get used to it. I have tried to help Bobby before and he is all over the place. Ignores the responses he gets and basically engages in a disjointed conversation with himself. In fact, Bobby reminds me of a line from an Angel episode I watched last night...

"Compared to you, I'm downright linear."

I'll give this one simple bit of advice. To find out the OS version, click on the apple in the top left corner fo the screen, and choose "About This Mac". That will tell you the OS. If it is lower than 10.3, you are probably stuck without upgrading.

BTW, PCI slots are not a factor for a cable modem. Plus, you don't use the CD to configure the modem. What you use (Network Utility) is part of the Mac OS. You simply hook up the modem, then you call Comcast tech, give them the serial number and probably model of the modem, and they connect it to the network. That is all.

 

[Ken Chan]

On the modem? If it doesn't work, call Comcast to replace the cable modem. Then buy a router, wireless or not, and hook up all the computers to it via Ethernet.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

CJ

 

[bobbyg2]

I'm giving up on that old mac, my brothers can use my moms computer when I get my own computer!

Now, is there such thing as a wireless USB router?

 

[bobbyg2]

Haha, very funny...

 

[nolesrule]

Wireless USB router? No. But you can purchase a USB wireless adapter for connecting to an 802.11x router.

 

[bobbyg2]

That's what I'll do then.

 

[Steve Tannehill]

First, if you want a modem for a Macintosh, Apple sells a USB modem that will hook your Mac to any phone line. It requires Mac OS 10.4.3 or greater. But this is for telephone-based internet access, not broadband.

But it sounds like you have a cable modem which has a non-functional Ethernet port. Is this correct? How are you getting any internet access from this cable modem? And if Comcast supplied this cable modem, why did you buy another one? If your parents lease the cable modem from Comcast, Comcast should replace it for free.

Here is the easiest way to distribute internet access to all your computers.

1) Make sure that each computer has an Ethernet jack. Most Macs from the past 10 years have one. For those PC's that don't, get an Ethernet card or a simple USB-to-Ethernet converter, like this.

2) Run an Ethernet cable from the Cable Modem to a Router, and configure the router to distribute client IP addresses via DHCP. You can get a simple wired router for cheap; you can also invest a little more and get a router that handles wired Ethernet and wireless.

3) Assuming you have a wired router, run Ethernet cable from the router to each computer; configure each computer to get its IP address automatically via DHCP. This is the default in Windows and Mac OS X, and it is a simple control panel selection in Mac OS 8 and 9.

For configuration, you may have to provide the computer with the IP address of the router (typically 192.168.0.0 or 192.168.0.1). You will need to contact Comcast to configure your router with its settings. It should be fairly simple.

- Steve

 

[MarkHastings]

I totally agree with Steve (and others)....why are you trying to get the Mac to work with a 'band-aid' LAN rather than trying to fix the LAN in the first place?

The USB solution is bad. If the Mac has ethernet, then you don't need anything else. If your modem's ethernet port is broken - get it FIXED first, before adding more band-aids. Once you fix the ethernet port, the Mac won't need anything done to it.

The key thing with computers is: Solve the problem first before trying to solve the issue that is being caused by the problem - i.e. Cleaning blood off the floor is no way to stop a gushing wound. Fix it at the source and then you won't have to worry about cleaning the floor any more.

 

[JohnRice]

Mark, reality clearly hasn't sunk in yet.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

linksys uses 192.168.1.1

CJ