Broadband connection in the UK

Posted by: nodrog on 14 October 2006

Computer literate fellows ahoy!

Probably a dumb question, but better out than in, I say. Here goes:

I have lived in Japan for quite a while now and when I go back to the UK I naturally visit friends, catch up etc. Last Christmas I went to my friend's home in affluent Wimbledon and desired to connect myself to the internet via his internet cable with my Mac Powerbook. He said certainly, go ahead and handed me a USB cable. I was completely flummoxed as here the only connection I've seen, apart from wireless, is via a LAN cable. I duly plugged the USB cable in and precisely nothing happened. After pointlessly fiddling about with the network settings for a while I gave up.

So, a couple of questions:

Is it normal in the UK to connect to your provider with a USB cable?

And (as I might try again this year and it's been bugging me since then) how can I configure my Mac to do so?

Thanks,

Peter
Posted on: 14 October 2006 by northpole
Peter

I have an old powerbook g4 titanium (on its last legs). My broadband is through bt which enters the property via the phone line and connects through a wireless netgear router / modem to my computer via apple's airport card.

As a back up, there is a usb cable connector.

I'm rubbish with computers but if memory serves, my p'book had to be configured to log on to the netgear modem, otherwise like you say, no internet. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but I think that may be where your problem lay.

I'm interested in the answer as BT are currently pushing a new home hub service which will ultimately enable a cable tv service - to change will mean using their box of tricks.

Peter
Posted on: 14 October 2006 by garyi
nodrog.

You will find in the uk as around the world there are amnogst other things 2 kinds of ADSL Modem Routers.

There are the shit ones. These connect via USB. They are shit because you have to install a software driver for them to work. These drivers are typically flaky for macs and in my opinion not worth bothering with.

The second kind connect via ethernet, much simplier because all you do is plug it into the mac and everything is done for you.

Better still is an ADSL modem/router which is wireless enabled, if your powerbook is all that should happen is a question asking if you want to join the network.

Sadly your friend has the worse kind. You could try informing him that there is no need to use this type of modem and that it is shit. You could argue that with a USB modem you have to still 'dial in' where as an ethernet one which only costs 30 quid here is always connected.
Posted on: 14 October 2006 by SteveGa
quote:
Originally posted by northpole:
Peter

I'm interested in the answer as BT are currently pushing a new home hub service which will ultimately enable a cable tv service - to change will mean using their box of tricks.

Peter


I've just done an install with one of these for a friend. It is essentially as garyi in his succinct post above describes an ASDL modem/router. If memory serves me right it has 4 ethernet connections and is, of course, wireless. Dead easy to set up - and no software install needed.
Steve
Posted on: 14 October 2006 by BigH47
quote:
I've just done an install with one of these for a friend. It is essentially as garyi in his succinct post above describes an ASDL modem/router. If memory serves me right it has 4 ethernet connections and is, of course, wireless. Dead easy to set up - and no software install needed


BT home Hub 2 x USB 2 X Ethernet(100Mbps) and wireless connections, also an internet phone connection with it's own number (0560xxxxxx). Possibility for video phone (extra) and TV on demand system to follow.
We have the main PC via ethernet, the wifes Laptop via USB and sons Laptop via wireless.
Seems to vary it's connection speed (unlike our "old" dialup ISDN modem). It needed a few days to settle down and has been fine for a month or so but this week the hub needs resetting every morning (new hub on its way).

Howard
Posted on: 14 October 2006 by SteveGa
quote:
Originally posted by BigH47:
BT home Hub 2 x USB 2 X Ethernet(100Mbps)
Howard


Thanks Howard, I remembered four "holes" on the back of it, but did not use any of them.
Steve
Posted on: 15 October 2006 by nodrog
Now I understand abt the USB. Sounds like a crap idea to me. Ethernet is obviously the better option.

I'll find some other way of staying connected back in blighty over the festive season.

Cheers,
Peter
Posted on: 15 October 2006 by Guido Fawkes
quote:
Originally posted by nodrog:
Now I understand abt the USB. Sounds like a crap idea to me. Ethernet is obviously the better option.

I'll find some other way of staying connected back in blighty over the festive season.

Cheers,
Peter


I'm using a Speedtouch USB modem right now - you need special drivers for OS X Tiger from the Speedtouch website, it is awkward to configure - you need to configure it as dial-up with a phantom phone number and it quite often drops the connection. There are no drivers for Intel Macs. All in all a pretty dreadful piece of kit.

I normally use a Cisco SoHo router, but it died the other day; it is not a great piece of kit in any case and expects you to be a Cisco IOS guru to get it working - the web interface on it workws with IE for Windoxe and doesn't generate a working configuration.

I should be getting an ADSL Nation Ethernet modem in the next few days which I intend to connect to an HP switch. I'll let you know how I get on.
Posted on: 17 October 2006 by Guido Fawkes
ADSL Nation Ethernet modem is wonderful. Just plug it in, type your broadband account and password in to a simple web form and click save. You're.

To make the switch work, go to advanced modem settings, set it to gateway and it hides your home network and gives each port on the switch an IP address.

Set up time 2-3 minutes including getting it out of the box.

No IOS gurus required.