Wanted: Mac and Telstra modem guru

[Tonyj]

Don't wish to dwell too long on this and waste space, but can anyone provide some basic help. Please.

This machine is a newish Apple MacBook, connected to a Telstra Bigpond 7.2 Home Network Gateway modem, linked via ethernet cable. It works. Don't wish to fiddle with this.

The other laptop, an Apple iBook G4, is in perfect working order, but does not have the grunt nor inclination to handle lots of bulk raw images. Hence the laptop update. The other laptop, the Dell, is a disgrace to itself and should not be seen in public. A solidly built, attractive package that promises all, but delivers zilch. Farther more, it has proved impossible to obtain replacement valves.

What I want to do is fire up the older Apple laptop for my wife - wirelessly - without changing settings on the main unit. Is this possible?

Kindly treat me as a computer illiterate. Ta. Thanks in advance.

[ricktas]

Does the modem have wireless capabilities and does the Apple have wireless networking built in? If so, it is as easy searching for wireless networks on the Apple, when found, enter the password and connect. If the modem is wireless but the Apple isn't, get a wireless dongle for the Apple.

If neither are wireless, you will need an ethernet cable to link Apple to modem.

[Tonyj]

Erm. I think the modem has wireless capabilities. Both Apple laptops have Bluetooth.

[ricktas]

Erm. I think the modem has wireless capabilities. Both Apple laptops have Bluetooth.

Bluetooth is different to wireless networking.

[nisstrust]

I think the ibook G4 does have wireless built-in best to ask a mac specific forum for config advice, or contact Telstra support.

[Tonyj]

nisstrust: Yep, the iBook does have wireless built in, but will it speak to the Telstra modem? Or vice versa? Which settings do I change? But thanks for your response to my questions. Cheers.

[ricktas]

You should not need to change any settings, just do a network search and it should find your modem and then give you a choice to link to it.

[MarkW]

How difficult it is to connect will depend a lot on what OS your using. Hopefully its leopard.

[Tonyj]

Yep. Mark. Leopard. The question is :Does this Telstra modem emit a signal that can be picked up by the other Mac laptop? And how does one configure the other laptop to perform this task?

[DAdeGroot]

If the Telstra modem is relatively recent, it should have a sticker on the back with the wireless network name and the password to join it.

On the iBook, Click on the wireless icon on the menu bar, select the network with the same name as on the sticker, enter the password when prompted - voila! You're on :)

This assumes several things such as the iBook having it's wireless adapter enabled, the Telstra gateway having it's wireless enabled (by the way, if the modem doesn't have an antenna hanging off it, it's not wireless).

There is another way - you can on the new MacBook, share your internet connection over the built in wireless, then join that network with the iBook.

[ricktas]

(by the way, if the modem doesn't have an antenna hanging off it, it's not wireless).


Not necessarily. My mum's new Telstra wireless modem/router, doesnt have an antenna sticking out of it, it is internal

[Tonyj]

Gentlemen. Thank you.

[MarkW]

Tony
Do you still need help??

At the top of the screen you'll find an inverted paramid with a rounded top.

Click on this - this is called airport and is the control for your wifi

Make sure its turned on then open network preferences

Select airport then click create network in the drop box

Make sure the modem is turned on so that when wifi board searches for a connection it will find one

Press connect to join that network and all should be good.

If it doesnt connect and asks for a password you may need to set the modem up first, preferably with a high encription password

[Tonyj]

MarkW.

Yes! Still require help. Thanks for your response.

Have I got this right? I can use Airport to link the old Mac laptop to the Telstra modem, without changing settings on the main unit? Does this modem throw out a signal that can be picked up by the old Mac? (Sorry. This is really basic stuff, but we lack five-year-olds around here.)

[MarkW]

The easiest way to see in the modem is wifi is-

One has it got a small aerial - if not then you might get lucky and it has an internal so:-

Look at airport and see if there is a network appearing in the window.

[MarkW]

Also look up the modem at the manufacturers website and see if it is fitted with wifi.

[Tonyj]

Thanks Mark. Have been cooking stuff on new barbecue, works a treat. Will execute your suggestions tomorrow. Ok if I get back to you, if problems present?

[mcdesign]

You have to have a wireless modem to link up through Bluetooth or Airport, you can't do it through Gateway, same as you can't use that Telstra modem for VOIP. I tried to do this some time ago, I did get onto the Internet through Airport but through my neighbours wireless connection!

[Raven]

Did you buy and applecare plan with your macbook or is it less than 90 days old? Make sure you utilise the phone support and ring them to get help with connecting it to the wireless modem but first I think the best thing for you to do is to ring bigpond and check if the modem is a wifi one before you frustrate the heck out of yourself trying to make your macbook connect to it! You'd only have to quote the serial number and they could tell you easy enough.

If it's not then you can get an airport express to plug into the modem and that will connect with your macbook. Not sure about the older mac but phone support may be able to tell you. They are really only supposed to help with the product the care plan is connected to though.