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#1 2003-01-20 6:47 am
- TwistedJuno
- Member
- From: Gilmer, Texas, USA
- Registered: 2001-10-27
- Posts: 65
Getting DSL and need help
I am getting DSL and I have a Powermac G4 1GHz dp and a Desktop G3 233 Both Running OS X.2 and I need to know a few things. 1) Does the modem come with more than one cat-5 connection on the back or will i have to network my mac to the other. and is so can I go buy any type of PCI network card to go in my G4 or will I have to get a mac card. 2) If I hook up a pc to the network< God forbid... Can i still use my G4 as teh main server, Will the PC beable to get a intrnet connection from mine? I think This is all I need to know for now, I am calling to order it today so the sooner the replys the better and Thanks ahead of time for all of the folks that can help. oh "One more thing" <hehe This is the speed and Price of the DSL. Is this good, I am afrade its my only option but i would still like to know if i am paying normal prices 384K download and 256K upload--$69.95 per month. Modem-$214.33 one-time charge. It can be paid out at $16.50 per month.
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#2 2003-01-20 7:10 am
- skymt0
- Member
- From: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
- Registered: 2002-10-23
- Posts: 1195
Re: Getting DSL and need help
1) Does the modem come with more than one cat-5 connection on the back or will i have to network my mac to the other. I don't know about your modem, but mine came with only one connection. and is so can I go buy any type of PCI network card to go in my G4 or will I have to get a mac card. You have to buy a Mac card. I think some people have hacked in PC cards, but it was hard. 2) If I hook up a pc to the network< God forbid... Can i still use my G4 as teh main server, Will the PC beable to get a intrnet connection from mine? If you have the big Jag (10.2) you should be able to, Jag is famous for network compatability. oh "One more thing" <hehe This is the speed and Price of the DSL. Is this good, I am afrade its my only option but i would still like to know if i am paying normal prices 384K download and 256K upload--$69.95 per month. Modem-$214.33 one-time charge. It can be paid out at $16.50 per month. Ouch. Where do you live? Here in Virginia, USA we get Verizon DSL for 49.95, with 712/dl and 128/ul. You might be paying more for double the upload, but I download more than I download.
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#3 2003-01-20 7:11 am
- ctopfel
- Member

- From: Land of Cheese
- Registered: 2002-04-19
- Posts: 399
Re: Getting DSL and need help
Hello TwistedJuno
I will tell you how i installed my DSL (here it's ADSL)
my Hardware:
Powermac G3 Beige (as yours)
IBM PII 350mhz with linux (of course :-)
there is a dhcp server installed on my adsl router so that you can setup any computer (Mac/Windows/Linux) just to DHCP in System Preferences (or "obtain IP Address automatically" in Windows or Network interface Setup -> set to DHCP in Linux).
As soon as you have configured your DSL Router with your Provider settings (configuration is very simple via web-Interface) your computers will have acces to the internet and obtain all information they need from the DSL Router.
it might be that your DSL Router has only one RJ-45 Port. In this case, you can buy a Switch/HUB (Switch is better). then you can connect the router via an RJ-45 Cable Ethernet Cable to the switch (if you connect it to the uplink port on the switch use a crossover cable, if you connect it to a normal port on the switch use a standard RJ-45 Cable. then connect all your computers via standart RJ-45 cables to the switch.... et voila, all of your computers will be able to connect to the internet without one of them being necessary to be permanently on.
i have a Zyxel Prestige 650ME ADSL Router and a switch from the cheap PC-Store
If you also intend to buy a powerbook with Airport you can also buy the Zyxel Prestige 650HW with internal support for Wireless lan.
ok i hope this helped!
ctopfel
"One Chillion Dollars" - "Sir, that's not a number" - "Oh in that case, 50 million dollars"
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#4 2003-01-20 8:03 am
- registered_user
- bulletproof
- From: padding: zero-pixels;
- Registered: 2000-12-19
- Posts: 16026
- Website
Re: Getting DSL and need help
That price is a little high, IMO, but if it's all that's available where you are, that's why.
Otherwise, go with ctopfel said. Buy a router, and you're golden. You can get a DLink 614 (4 ports, and wireless) for around $70-80 at Best Buy of all places. It will accommodate your Macs, PC and a 'book. It's not the fastest in the networking world, but it's faster than a braodband connection. And it's inexpensive.
You can save some money if skip the wireless option, or you can get 100BaseT speeds for a little more money.
Your G4 and your G3 both ought to have built-in Ethernet, so no worries about getting a Network card. (just look on the back for the port, I'm sure it's there.)
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#5 2003-01-20 8:44 am
- pottymouth
- Uncreative
- Moderator

- From: JP, MA
- Registered: 2002-02-06
- Posts: 17411
- Website
Re: Getting DSL and need help
Definately go with a broadband router to share the connection. I really link Linksys and really hate SMC.
Cable $39/month: 3000K/800K
(Actual speeds too. No B.S.)
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#6 2003-01-20 9:28 am
- TwistedJuno
- Member
- From: Gilmer, Texas, USA
- Registered: 2001-10-27
- Posts: 65
Re: Getting DSL and need help
Ok I have a Hub but no switch I cant afford it right now but will my hub work with out adding another card to my computer?
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#7 2003-01-20 11:55 am
- ctopfel
- Member

- From: Land of Cheese
- Registered: 2002-04-19
- Posts: 399
Re: Getting DSL and need help
for you the only difference between a hub and a switch is that the hub will brake your network speed down. let me explain. A Hub works on OSI-Layer one, this means that the network traffic is only forwarded. If you have a switch, the switch only forwards the packets to the Network card that has the specific MAC-Address (it works on OSI-Layer two). this is only theory, and not important for you. but what will concern you is:
Your G4 will only be able to use 10 Mbits per second, although it would be able to use 100 or 1000 (i'm not sure). this is because the cards adapt to the "weakest part in the chain", and this is your PowerMac G3 which has only a 10 Mbit ethernet card built-in.
A switch would notice that there are some 100 Mbit and some 10 Mbit ethernet cards connected and would allow those with 100 Mbit to use 100 Mbit when connecting to each other.
but to you nothing of this is important because you only use it for internet and internet isn't nearly as fast as 10 Mbit, so your Hub will do
ctopfel
"One Chillion Dollars" - "Sir, that's not a number" - "Oh in that case, 50 million dollars"
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#8 2003-01-20 3:15 pm
- Say_What
- Member
- From: Castaic,CA,USA
- Registered: 2000-07-12
- Posts: 520
Re: Getting DSL and need help
Hub = Every device shares the same wire and each has to wait until they sense no network traffic before they send.
Switch = virtual link between point (MAC) #A and point #B. Point #C and D can communicate at full speed while A&B are talking because they've been removed from the circuit.
Router = Map path's on the same and between different networks based on their settings. They also can route traffic from one source/network (WAN) to multiple destinations/internal network IP's.
Another way to look at it.
Hubs put all the nuts and bolt's in one bucket.
Switches put nuts in one-bucket bolts in another.
Routers match the appropriate nut with appropriate bolt.
A quick search on www.salescircular.com reveals that in my area MicroCenter has a DSL Router/Switch (10/100) for $19.99. After getting reamed by your DSL provider you may want to save a buck or too. Please don't take offense to this, if that was all I could get in my area, I would get reamed as well.
AT&T roadrunner cable gets me 1600+/500+ kbps for 49.95 a month. 
What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?
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#9 2003-01-20 6:37 pm
- AMD
- Member
- Registered: 2002-12-12
- Posts: 1958
Re: Getting DSL and need help
I just set up a guy with a G4 and 2 PC's (BTW if you ever want to make a quick $50 without compromising your values, offer to set up home networks)
I fond a Gigafast 4 Port Router at PC Club for $35, the same one I bought 6 months ago for almost $50.. but I digress, it literally took 5 minutes to get all 3 computers sharing the DSL connection. 10 min after that all computers were seeing eachother and ready to share.
I've also used Linksys & Belkin routers and they're all easy to set up & maintain.
dslreports.com has some good 'how to's"
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#10 2003-01-23 10:53 am
- TwistedJuno
- Member
- From: Gilmer, Texas, USA
- Registered: 2001-10-27
- Posts: 65
Re: Getting DSL and need help
I GOT IT, ITS GREAT NO MORE DIALUP FOR ME EVER
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#11 2003-01-23 11:13 am
- Say_What
- Member
- From: Castaic,CA,USA
- Registered: 2000-07-12
- Posts: 520
Re: Getting DSL and need help
Ya, once you go Broadband there is no going back.
Congratulations! 
What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?
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#12 2003-01-23 11:56 am
- skymt0
- Member
- From: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
- Registered: 2002-10-23
- Posts: 1195
Re: Getting DSL and need help
Cable $39/month: 3000K/800K
![]()
(Actual speeds too. No B.S.)
Alright. What ISP is that. I want it! Waah!

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