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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Mac 2wire And Sbc

what the?? - Sep 11, 2005 - 9:03 pm

I recently purchased a new G5 iMac and a G4 iBook. I am an SBC customer and I also got a new 4 port homeportal modem. The set up for the G5 was easy and I am happily surfing the internet. The problem is the iBook. I can see my home network/modem, but I cannot automatically connect to it. My laptop can see my neighbor's network and I can get on the internet through him, but that is not cool. I want to get to my modem and use the laptop properly. What should I do? How do I configure the laptop's Airport card to see my 2wire modem? how do I configure the modem? What the??

I am running:
2Wire 1701Gateway Modem
DSL SBC Global
iMac G5 2Ghz 512 SDRAM
IBook G4 1.33Ghz 512 SDRAM

Thanks

DAn

Cheryl - Sep 11, 2005 - 10:03 pm

Dan,

At the bottom of the 2Wire are two numbers. One is the serial number and the other (it maybe in brackets) is the WEP key. Write down this number.
Also write down the last three digits of the serial number. This number will be used to identify your 2 Wire connection.

Now open Airport Setup Assistant and follow the prompts.

It should see 2WireXXX - the X's being the last three serial numbers of your modem.

It could be that the wireless connection is disabled. You need to go to the 2Wire user interface to enable it. The user interface is the web site you used to originally set up the 2Wire modem.

http://gateway.2wire.net Or http://172.16.0.1/

When you first set it up, you were asked to create a password. You will need this password to get into the controls and enable the wireless connection.

Click on View Home Network. The page that opens will show you the different connection abilities. Next to Wireless - if it shows Activate, click on that button.
Next to Wireless settings is Edit settings. You can click on that to double check the actual settings.


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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

what the?? - Sep 11, 2005 - 11:34 pm

Hi Cheryl,

First of all, thanks for the reply. I have had a ton of trouble just getting a person to talk to at SBC.

In your reply, you say to open the Airport Setup Assistant and follow the prompts. Do I do this on the G5 (which is connected by a cable to the modem) or the laptop? I do not se the 2WireXXX anywhere in the Assistant. I went to the setup site and wireless is enabled and in the edit I really do not know what to check or change.

I have SSID enabled, wireless security disabled, wireless mode is 802.11b/g. What should I look for?

Thanks again for your help!

Dan

Cheryl - Sep 12, 2005 - 8:17 am

Dan,

I do understand about SBC and their tech support as I have SBC DSL.

The 2Wire modem sounds like it is set correctly.

Did you have Airport scan again to find the 2Wire? Restarting the iBook should help in 'seeing' the 2Wire.

On the iBook, go to Home>Library>Preferences. Trash the com.apple.airport.plist file.
empty the trash.
Now go to System Preferences>Network>Airport. Does it see your 2Wire now?

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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

what the?? - Sep 12, 2005 - 11:28 pm

Hi Cheryl,

Well we are getting closer. I can now get to my network when I run the Network Diagnostics that pops up in Safari. I trashed the files as you suggested but it only automatically connected the first time. I wonder if the channel or strength of my neighbor's connection has anything to do with it.

But I really think it has something to do with the modem setup (even though now it shows that the wireless is enabled and there is a computer connected to it). That plus the fact it sees other networks at work and in the world. Ehat type of encryption, if any should I use?

Thanks again for all of the help!

Dan

Cheryl - Sep 13, 2005 - 7:15 am

Dan,

I am on my way to work right now. I will look further into your problem and give you instructions on how to set up the 2Wire/iBook to get a better connection.
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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

Cheryl - Sep 13, 2005 - 7:12 pm

Dan,

In 2Wire's web page set up, click on the View Home Network, then under the Wireless settings (to the right under the list of interfaces) click on Edit Settings.

You may be asked for the 2Wire setup password.
The first on that page is Network Name.
You can name this whatever you want. The default is 2Wire and the last three digits of the serial number.
The next section is the Wireless Channel. You will notice that each channel has a different speed. If you know the neighbor's channel - change yours to a different one. I suggest you use channel 7. The default is 6.

The third section is Encryption. Enable that by checking the box next to Enable.
Now click on the use default 64 bit Encryption key. This uses the WEP key that is on the bottom of the 2 wire modem.

Last is the SSID Broadcast. You should enable this also. You then will not have to enter the WEP key every time you want to connect.

Now click on the Save button at the bottom of the page.

Now give the iBook a test run. Can you see your 2 Wire? Can you connect?

--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

what the?? - Sep 16, 2005 - 11:56 am

Hi Cheryl,

Been a rough week, sorry about the delayed response.

This still did not work :>(

I can see the network in a Dashboard app that scans for networks. It ssee it and show a good signal, the number (7) and also a little lock (closed network??)

But I stil can not get on even with running the network diagnostics on the iBook.

Any more ideas? Reboot? Reload? Retire?

Thanks

Dan

Cheryl - Sep 17, 2005 - 9:18 am

Dan,

I understand about rough weeks.

What version of Airport do you have installed? What OS X version is running on the iBook?

From the Apple menu, choose System Preferences.
From the View menu, choose Network.
Choose AirPort from the Show pop-up menu.
If AirPort does not appear in the Show menu, choose Network Port Configurations from the Show menu, select AirPort, then choose AirPort from the Show menu. (In Mac OS X versions 10.0 to 10.1.5, choose Active Network Ports from the Show menu.)
Click the TCP/IP tab, and check for this setting:
IP address: "Provided by DHCP server", or "10.0.1.2" or higher

If necessary, make changes.
Click the AppleTalk tab.
Make sure the checkbox for "Make AppleTalk active" is selected.
If you have made any changes since you opened System Preferences, click Apply Now.

After making AppleTalk active, give it a test run. Does it see the modem and connect?

Sometimes reseting the modem works.

Try unplugging the base station, any hubs or routers, and any cable or DSL modems. Shut down connected computers.
Plug in the cable or DSL modem first.
Then start the iMac.
Last, start up the iBook.

Let me know if this works.
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

what the?? - Sep 18, 2005 - 7:59 pm

Hello Cheryl,

Thanks for the reply. Let's start over with all the vitals and see if I am missing anything important.

I have 2 Macs: a G5(OSX 10.4.2 2Ghz 512MB DDR SDRAM) that is connected to the 2wire via ether net cable and the iBook(OSX 10.4.2 1.33Ghz 256MB built in)

There is no issue with the G5 (as far as I can tell), so everything else deals with the iBook

In the Network Prefs there are 5 tabs - here is what they say

AirPort:
AirPort ID: 00:11:24:9b:8d:45
By default, join: Automatic

TCP/IP
Configure IPv4: Using DHCP
IP Address: This varies
Subnet Mask: 255.255.0.0
IPv6 Address: fe80:0000:0000:0000:0211:24ff:fe9b:8d45

PPPoE:
Not used!

AppleTalk:
Is active
Computer Name is the Name of the iBook
Configure: Automatically

Proxies:
Configure Manually
Nothing is checked here except the Use Passive FTP Mode

In Internet Connect:
AirPort Tab:
Power is On
Network: Is the correct Network Name
Signal level is maxed
Base Station ID: This matches exactly the Access Point ID in the 2wire Home Network Summary


802.1X Tab:
Configuration: 802.1X
Network Port: AirPort
User Name: Name of network (should this be this name??)
Password: 10 digit 2wire id from bottom of modem
Wireless Network: Name of network

In the 2wire configure page the wireless network is set up as follows:
Network Name: BurdickNet
Wireless Channel: 7(2,442 MHz)
Enable SSID Broadcast
Wireless Security is enabled
Authentication WEP-Open
Using default encryption key
Wireless Mode 802.11b/g
DTIM Period 1 swc
Max Connection Rate 54Mbps
Power setting 10

I think that this about covers all of the settings that I can find concerning this problem.

Like I said, I can connect to the wireless at work, my neighbor etc, but not at home, so I truly think it is something to do with the way the network is configured, but I could and possibly am wrong about that.

Does this all help??

Thanks again for your help and patience with me

Dan

Cheryl - Sep 18, 2005 - 10:21 pm

Dan,

Turn off AppleTalk.

In the 802.1x tab User name should be the user name that you use to log in to SBC. In my case it is my full email address, which I do believe is the same with you. The modem already has your user name when you set it up the first time, but wireless is a different baby.

Wireless Network: this should be BurdickNet. The same as you have set up in the 2Wire management web page.

Now give it a try.
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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

what the?? - Sep 19, 2005 - 1:25 am

Hi again,

I did as you instructed to no avail!

Two interesting things are happening that I can't figure out.

First, in the 802.1X config, I changed the user to my sbc login and used the sbc password. But when I apply it, it changes back to the 10 digit modem id that I originally thought was the password.

Second, when I do this, it thinks I am connected in the 802 and in the Airport tabs, but when I open Safari there is no connection. I get an IP address from the modem but no connection. It makes no sense to me. They are talking but not 'listening'.

Any more ideas? I am sure that you think I an a total computer idiot or something. Is there a way to delete or uninstall some software on the iBook and reload it that would help?

Thanks again for all of your time. I'll send you a bottle of wine if we get this figured out!

Thanks

Dan

Cheryl - Sep 19, 2005 - 7:24 am

Dan,

The password under Network port: Airport should be the WEP key.

Check the System Preferences>Network on the iBook.
Next to Location - select Automatic
Next to Show - select Network status

Now the window at the bottom will change. It should list all the devices you can connect to the internet with.
Next to Airport there should be a green small round button.

If not, click once on the Airport name, then click on Connect at the bottom of the screen.

Does this help?
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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl