Networking 2 Macs + Broadband modem question

Mat

Mat

iSmell
Hi all. First of all I apologise for posting another 'help me rig up my network thread', but mine seems to be a lil differernt to all the previously posted ones.

Alright, I will be getting DSL broadband on at my house in the next few weeks and have some general queries. I also don't know all that much about networking, routers and broadband.

I have a 14" 700Mhz iBook running OS 10.2.8, and a Blue/White G3 running OS 8.6 (I know 8.6, that's old), when I get the broadband on I would like to have these two networked and both able to access the net. Both have ethernet. At the moment I occasionally hook them up to transfer a file or two. To have them networked and able to access the broadband, do I need a DSL modem (supplied by ISP) AND a router, or can I get them both in one?

Pretty much what the setup will be is the G3 will be there for most of the general internet duties (mainly surfing, and e-mail), and the iBook will come and go with myself, and I'll want to be able to just plug it in and download updates and maintain my webpage from it.

All help welcomed. Thanks peeps.
 
do you know if your DSL is PPPoE? Basically do you have to use a user name and pw every time you connect or is it always on regardless? If it is PPPoE you will be able to share you internet connection using your iBook, Im pretty sure Jaguar has ICS.

If you plug the modem into your hub/switch either by using the uplink port or a crossover cable, then have both Macs into the hub. Create the internet connection on your iBook, then share the connection. Configure the G3 tower to obtain IP via DHCP and it should be able to connect to the internet.

If your DSL is not PPPoE, you will have to have a second network card in one of your machines to share the connection w/o buying a router. If you put 2 in your old G3 i think you would have to update your OS because I'm pretty sure that 8.6 doesn't support internet connection sharing.

Routers are easy, ICS is cheap.
 
Cool, thanks.

I really do not know whether it's PPoE or not. I know what that means just not whether this broadband I'm getting will use it.

I just did some research on the modem they supply, it a D-Link ADSL Modem 302G. It claims to have both USB and ethernet and that I can use both i.e. USb on the G3 and ethernet on the iBook to have both on the net at once. Does that sound right? I've read on this forum that USB is not a good way to go when it comes to broadband.

If I did use this setup, it wouldn't work for networking would it?
 
Depending on how fast your DSL connection is USB shouldn't matter, I think USB 1 is at like 4Mb/s the fastest DSL i have seen on the market is 3MB/s. If your DSL isn't PPPoE you could still share the internet connection by using the USB to connect to the internet and then route it through to the ethernet connection.
 
If the modem they supply has and ethernet port, you can get yourself a cable/dsl router. What you do is connect the WAN/Internet port on the router to the DSL modem and you plug the Macs into the routers other ports.

USB network connects are dumb. They work, but it's silly. Most ISPs do this for simplicity for the end user and also because unless the end user is resourceful, it ties the Internet connection to a specific computer and they'll offer to sell you multiple connections. :rolleyes:

Once everything is hooked up it then depends on your ISP setup. If they use PPPoE (which requires a login/password everytime you want to use your "always on" broadband connection :rolleyes: ) then in the router setup you can enter that information and tell it to keep you always connected.

If your ISP gives you a static IP address, then there is a bit more setup on the router to do, nothing hard, but if this is not the case then everything should work "automatically" by using DHCP (which auto-assigns each computer the info it needs to get on the internet).

Btw, I use a Linksys router, but other may like others better.
 
I forgot to mention that your ISP may also tie your DSL connection to a specific MAC address (a hardware ID number associated with your computer's network card) to prevent you from using it with multiple computers. Most routers I know of can do "MAC address cloning" to copy the address of your computer and allow you to bypass the restriction. I've only dealt with one cable provider around here that does that though.
 
Thanks for that guys. I now have another question.

Because this broadband will be "always online" I'll need a Firewall right?
Now does OS X's built in firewall offer sufficient protection?
And what am I best to get for my G3 with OS 8.6? Norton Firewall?
 
Hey peeps. Thanks for all your help.

I have the modem and my account has been activated. The problem is my ISP said they don't know how to set it up for a mac, and that I would have to get a technician to help me out. I think that is BS and that they should pay for atechnician, seeing that they are the ones who don't know what they are doing.

Anyways, before I sit on the phone for an hour and a half talking to them I thought I'd ask you guys.

My DSL modem holds my username and pw. The setup book said to set my net settings to obtain an IP address automatically. So I've set it to DHCP. This worked to get into my modem settings, so I feel it is the right one.

I setup my password and such on the modem and then the setup book said I would be connected to the net. That was wrong. All I get is this DSLAM thing tryig to connect. And coz that never actually connects my Internet connection cannot connect.

Does anyone have any idea, first of all of what I'm talking about, and second, how I can fix it?

All comments welcomed. Thanks.

Mat
 
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