Mac mini (AirPort question).

[NLAlston]

Hello.

I now have in my possession my first Mac computer - the Mac Mini. Yesterday, I made a number of unsuccessful attempts at getting it into wireless operation with our cable broadband service (Adelphia/Time Warner). I was told that this Mini Mac has an "Airport" wireless device built-in, and that it would be all that's needed to connect with my Linksys wireless-G router. However, I have not been able to do so. I called Adelphia, and they advised me to contact Linksys. A call to Linksys only resulted in an advisory to contact tech support at Apple. It seems a classic case of everyone trying to 'pass the buck', and I am reasonably sure that I would be routed somewhere (again).

I have no documentation on this Mini Mac because it had been purchased for an in-law as a gift. But he is nowhere being computer literate, and thought it best to give it back to me. All that he couldn't seem to locate was the manual, and the disk that came with it.

If anyone could help me out with this Airport Connection Matter, I would be most grateful.

 

[WildCowboy]

Can you elaborate further on what happens when you try to connect? Can you see your network? What happens when you try to connect to it? If you open System Preferences and go to the Network pane, what is your Network Status page showing you?

 

[swiftaw]

So I am guessing that your setup is:

Cable Modem--->Linksys Router------------------->Mac Mini (via wifi)

Are you sure that your router is configured correctly with your modem, that can you connect to the internet from other machines?

If that is set, and assuming that you have turned on the wifi in your router settings, then on the Mac, open up System Preferences, go to Network, double click on Airport and see what it says. It should automatically connect to your wireless network if it is present.

 

[Swarmlord]

So I am guessing that your setup is:

Cable Modem--->Linksys Router------------------->Mac Mini (via wifi)

Are you sure that your router is configured correctly with your modem, that can you connect to the internet from other machines?

If that is set, and assuming that you have turned on the wifi in your router settings, then on the Mac, open up System Preferences, go to Network, double click on Airport and see what it says. It should automatically connect to your wireless network if it is present.

That's the setup that I have with Cox and it works flawlessly.

 

[NLAlston]

Thanks for responding.

Yes...I have proper internet service on two other (Windows-based) computers with this Linksys Wireless Router, but in a 'wired' configuration (ethernet). I could not locate the documentation for my router, and just downloaded the user's guide for it. I will get to perusing it just as soon as I finish this reply.

I can see a reference to 'Linksys', within the 'Airport Setup Configuration' window - on the Mac Mini, but will always receive the message that it cannot connect - when I try to activate by marrying the two. So...we'll see.

But thanks, again, for trying to come to my aid.

PS: If I still encounter problems with this matter, after reading through the user guide, I will chart what messages/indications I am getting, and will share them with you.

 

[Teh Don Ditty]

in your web browser on you PCs go to 192.168.1.1, password is admin (no user name) Make sure that wireless is enabled. Also broadcast your SSID (turn off after mini recognizes) and password protect your wireless. The mini should recognize the network and ask for password to connect (save the password so you don't have to type it in everytime). After that you should be good to go. Don't forget to disable SSID!!! Hope that helps.

EDIT: Added Pictures (attachments)

 

[NLAlston]

Hello there, Don ~

And a big thanks to you, too. As it turned out, there were some matters which needed attending to, and the same which prevented me from having a workout with my little Mac Mini's Airport thingy. I did, however, try what you suggested - but could not even get past first base. Each of the numerous times that I tried, I kept getting the following message:

http://att.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66540&stc=1&d=1169276246
Timed out.jpg

I have to go out of town, later today, and won't get a chance to get back to it until (maybe) Sunday evening. But I appreciate your efforts.

 

[iW00t]

in your web browser on you PCs go to 192.168.1.1, password is admin (no user name) Make sure that wireless is enabled. Also broadcast your SSID (turn off after mini recognizes) and password protect your wireless. The mini should recognize the network and ask for password to connect (save the password so you don't have to type it in everytime). After that you should be good to go. Don't forget to disable SSID!!! Hope that helps.

EDIT: Added Pictures (attachments)

Why disable SSID broadcast?

Contrary I'd recommend he enables it. Macs can't seem to connect to routers with SSID disabled. It is a lousy security measure anyway since wardrivers who can crack your WEP keys in like seconds are obviously going to use a sniffer that can detect your wireless network, SSID broadcast or otherwise.

 

[Teh Don Ditty]

iWoot - I told him to enable in order for the mini to recognize it. Once it is recognized you can disable SSID (for security purposes, and so nobody desides to use your internet access ) (And you're right about the lack of security by it, by eh I keep it off anyway) I got 3 macs running wireless with the SSID disabled and I never have a problem connected. The router on the other hand is a different story....

NLAlston - what version is the Linksys router? Also, are you doing this from your WIRED PC?

 

[NLAlston]

NLAlston - what version is the Linksys router? Also, are you doing this from your WIRED PC?

Thanks for asking. My Linksys router is the WRT54G model, and it is version 6. Yes...I am doing this from my wired PC, and I was wondering if (maybe) proper performance might be realized with the router functioning in either the wired, or wireless mode, and not within the efforts of trying to have it handle both modes simultaneously.

Again, your help is immensely appreciated.

 

[NLAlston]

OK...here's what's happening now: everytime that I type in my router's address (192.168.1.1) I get a "Bad Request" message.

 

[Teh Don Ditty]

NLAlston, check your PMs

 

[NLAlston]

late last night I happened across a site where someone posted a very similar concern. One of the responders advised that party to make sure that the router's address wasn't being used as his computer's ID (or something to that effect).

Now, when I was given that 192.168.1.1 address (here, at this forum) I wondered why that number looked somewhat familiar. Then it came to me. A little while back I had been experiencing a host of problems with our Adelphia (now Time Warner) broadband cable service, and a technician (via telephone) walked me through some settings to correct that one particular problem. The above numerical address was what he had asked me to input.

So, do you think that this might be the meat of my problems?

 

[SkyBell]

This is basically a universial IP address. It's used in trouble shooting alot.

I dont think it is causieng your problem

 

[NLAlston]

This is basically a universial IP address. It's used in trouble shooting alot.

I dont think it is causieng your problem

Thanks Cassie. In a way, I wish that it had been the causative factor - because now I am back to square one with this mess .

 

[NLAlston]

Hello All.

I just wanted to update my situation. I am now pretty much squared away with the problem which was brought to your attention. Last night, I was on the phone (three different occasions) with the Linksys Tech Dept., and I couldn't even begin to describe what we had to travel through to make things right, here. Much time was spent on both computers, here, and not being able to readily understand the 'second-language' instructions, from either of the three techs, just made communicative matters all the more difficult. But they (all three of them) did the very best they could to help me, and it did eventually pan out.

Now, there is just one more issue facing me - which will I will be addressing in another post, right after finishing this. And,again - thanks to everyone, here, who tried to come to my aid.