Hi Jungleguy, I'm using BT Broadband right now with the following provisos, the cheapest version (£19.99) I think, doesn't work with Macs, so you have to opt for the £24.99 version, when I ordered it I was told it was unlimited downloads but on the bill it says it's capped at 15Gb per month, when you get the bill along with your normal bill it will include the next three months charges up front, 3 x £24.99, if you elect to pay by direct debit monthly and save a pound per month, you will be expected to pay all outstanding bills beforehand, having said that, they send a modem pack and you just plug it in and install the driver, don't connect the actual modem to the usb until the software tells you to and you'll be away, however, if I had been within range, I'd have got it from Tesco's and as soon as I've served my 12 month contract that's where I'll be going, hope it helps, Gary

Anybody know *why* Broadband basic (cheapest version) doesn't work? Is the modem incompatible, or what?

I'm using this with a PC at the mo, might being using a Mac Mini instead in a few weeks :)

-spr*gger

See my posts in this thread, on page 1 post no. 15 and 19, if you follow the advice there you can use any broadband service from any ISP and your Mac will not have shutdown problems or kernal panics.

Good Luck.

Jim.

Hi again.

I got BT Broadband just before New Year and I've had no problems. You can't install all the bonus software they supply on a Mac, but then we haven't bothered installing it on our PC either.

I bought myself that NETGEAR DG834 I mentioned in an earlier post. I was a bit surprised because it's a lot smaller (and nicer) than the one pictured on Amazon.

Anyway, before I ordered my own router/modem, I rang up BT and asked if it was OK to supply my own as I wanted to hook up 2 computers. They said that was fine with all packages except their (now £17.99?) "basic" package, which is limited to one computer and the modem they supply. I suspect this is where any non-Mac compatibilty problems may arise - although the free Speedtouch modem they sent out DID include OS X drivers.

Unfortunately, they don't appear to include a 14 days to cancel, or similar clause in their 12 month minimum agreement - so you can't try before you buy.

Rob.

Legally thay have to include a 14-day cancellation clause, it's standard with any contract now. They probably just aren't shouting about it so much.

I'm sure someone can help me with the following problem, it is fairly similar to the post topic. I am trying to work out what I need for wireless.

I have:
Airport Extreme equipped Powerbook
BT Broadband account (the more expensive one, £25/month) with USB modem.

As I see it, if I get an ethernet modem and an Airport Express, I will have it set up. I also need to get an original Airport card for my slot-loading iMac though, so I need everything to be cheap as these cards and the adapter they need seem to run to >£100, which seems a rip-off to me but there you go.

My question is, what is the cheapest ethernet ADSL modem for BT Broadband?

The cheapest solution I can see right now is - Airport Extreme £88, NetGear DG834UK £58, plus the Airport card and adapter at least £100, which is £246. It seems a lot of money, is there any shortcut I could take to get it cheaper?

Hi,
It is the cost of the old Airport card that is hiking up the cost, unfortunately these are rare now since Apple no longer supply them,
Could you not have the Modem/Router close enough to the iMac to just ethernet cable it and have your PowerBook wireless? connect the AE to theNetgear and configure it from the iMac, Consider getting the Netgear DG834G (wireless) it is only marginaly more expensive and if you drop the old Airport Card it would still be cheaper than £246. Once the AE is configured you would then be able to move it anywhere to extend the wireless range and also stream iTunes to your HI-Fi.

Jim.

This sounds a FANTASTIC solution, my iMac is right next to where the ethernet modem and airport express will be, so if I can wire it that's ideal.

Let me get this straight - I plug the ethernet modem into the Airport express, and there is a second port on the ethernet modem which allows me to ALSO connect it to the iMac, and the modem just handles the connection all by itself and splits it into these two connections?

Can't thank you enough, this is ideal if I grasp it right. And it wouldn't be required that the iMac is on for the connection to be alive in general would it. It's the bit about 'configuring' it from the iMac that throws me. I thought ethernet modems require no configuration?

why not just get the wireless version of the DG834? that would eliminate the airport (bout £130? for the wireless DG834 so you would save £40). The iMac would then ethernet into port one on the DG834wireless, and the powerbook would be connected wireless.

No. The modem is connected 24/7 or dials up on demand (ie when u access the net), and it would be online even with no computers attached.

All modems will need configuration, even if its just putting your name and password in. The DG834non-wireless that I have only needed my name and password to connect. Of course me being me I then went through all the settings and customised it (sending logs to my email, opening ports in firewall, etc).

Rosb,
your iMac would be connected live 24/7 but you may turn the iMac off if you want to and you may want it so that you are not conected 24/7 so you arange a dummy dialer to connect when needed. The iMac does not need to be on for the network to function, only the router needs to be on for the lan to work. But the Netgear has a hardware Firewall and there are presently and up to now no viruses that affect Mac OS X.

You open a web browser on iMac and type in http//192.168.0,1 and you get your router setup pages.

If you still get the Airport Express, that would have to be configured to be a wireless access point to do as I suggested with it.

Jim.

That's brilliant, thanks for explaining that to me. Looks like the wireless network is very cheap after all. I may just get the Airport Express anyway though, think I would trust Apple's wireless connection more than a generic PC wireless transmittor. Thanks again, this forum's a pretty amazing source of knowledge!

Ross

Your welcome Ross :) , let us know how it goes.

I currently have the set up you are after (wired DG834 with Airport Express) and it works like a dream. I have 2 iMac wired into the router over ethernet and my 12" Powerbook accesses it through the Airport Express.

It's extremely easy to set up, use Apples Airport Base Station Assistant to set Express up, and use the wizard built into the NetGear to set that up.

Only thing I can suggest is to not go with BT ;)

There are plenty of competitive Broadband suppliers out there. plug I'm on Pipex.net. Very reliable and customer service is brilliant. Just my 2p worth :p

Instead of a "dummy dialer", I just created a new Location that has no Network Port Configurations checked under Network panel in System Preferences.

Rob.

bt modem
 

Hi... bloody usb modem...

ive got a g5 running 10.3 and a bt voyager usb adsl modem, and its a load of hassle

ive resorted to unplugging the modem from the computer before i shut it down otherwise it often doesnt shutdown proper-the light is on and i can hear the fab but the screen is black and it doesnt respond-when the modem is out it never does this ???

also occasionally when i plug the modem in when the coputer is on (maybe i shouldnt do this?) the computer instantly does kernal panic and a power sign appears on the screen telling me to hold down the power button to restart

can anyone reccomend any other options for using the bt connection but a different modem?

cheers

Just read through the two pages of this thread, it tells you all you need to know. In a nutshell, dump the toy modem and get a router.

connect to bt broadband using airport
 

Hi

I am trying to connect to BT Broadband using my Airport Extreme. Can anyone tell me if this is possible and if so what do I need to do in Airport Admin Utility etc?

I need a step by step guide and BT just cannot support me or Macs

I can connect to broadband on a wired connection using a Speedtouch modem but get nothing at all via airport

I am using an iMac on OS 10.2.8

Thanks

You may need to connect the AE Base by ethernet to your iMac to set it up and assuming it has an ADSL modem built into it, have the AE base connected to phone point then you will have to have your full username as given by BT and your password. Hopefully these details will be saved and then set up the wireless part and you should be ready to go wireless to your iMac. Not having an AEB that is as much as I can give you, I'm sure someone with an AEB could give more precise instructions.

None of the Apple Base Stations have an ADSL modem built into them, so first of all the ABS won't connect by just plugging it into the telephone line.

I presume by Airport Extreme you actually mean you have an Airport Express. Because of you mentioning the Speedtouch USB modem, I presume you are connecting the modem to the Express's USB port. This will not work. The USB port is to share a printer. Thats it. Nothing else.

What you need to do is to buy an ADSL Modem and plug it via ethernet into the Airport Express. The modem will then connect to the internet for you over the phone line, and the Airport Express will share the internet connection wirelessly for you.

Speedtouch modems are a pile of crap anyway IMHO. ;)

My experiances with BT have been absolutely terrible!

One of my e-mail addresses stopped working. BT insisted that the account did not exist. Then they changed their minds. They then told me I had to bring it up with 'Narrowband Support'. Narrowband support is based in India, so the 'support' you recieve is completely useless.

There are rumours that they are moving their broadband dept. to India aswell. Not something you want to deal with.

I am currently in the middle of a debate with them as to why they have just charged my credit card £128, despite cancelling my subscription over 2 months ago!!!

I am currently with Plus.net. Since going with them, I have had absolutely no problems. I'd seriously recomend them!

B