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blackberrybunny

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 14, 2014
4
0
Hi,
I am still relatively new to using this $$ iMac I bought. I keep it at Mom's house and only get to use it a short time every month, still learning.

We had a terrible storm--the lightning hit and fried our phone lines. Got those fixed yesterday only to discover that our Windstream DSL modem/router for WiFi was killed also. Bought a Netgear modem/router and cannot set it up!! So I thought, maybe, I've heard, that some ppl use their iPhones as a WiFi hotspot, so why not this big powerful iMac too? Surely it can do that also? We only have Roku's at mom's house, and w/o WiFi, she has NO TV, no iPad, nothing. Nothing but books to read. :-( She's elderly and misses her tv! So I thought, can I use this iMac as a "hotspot?" Well, I read that ONLY if you have a hard wired ethernet connection can you do this. So we are out of luck?

Now I AM picking up our neighbors password free WiFi signal. So I CAN get online on my iMac, but nothing else. iPads and iPods will not pick up the same signal. So I'm out of luck. Can't get the big $$ Netgear modem/router going--no idea why! three calls to windstream, NO LUCK!

SO--- just wondering, WHY would anyone want to use their iMac as a hotspot-- because IF you had a good DSL connection, like we HAD before the storm----it powered up our ipads and ipods and rokus and everything as we were "connected..."--- what IS the benefit then of making your iMac a hotspot then? IF you already have a good strong WiFI connection, why would you make your iMac a hotspot?
I'm clueless and still learning.

And I guess there is NO way to get these Rokus going until I get a new windstream modem/router....

I must say, the $2,200 I paid for the biggest, baddest, most bad-ass iMac Apple makes, was worth EVERY CENT---as I had NO idea it could pick up our neighbor's rinky dinky TP-Link modem (that I helped set up, and SO glad I DID NOT PUT A PASSWORD ON IT!!!!) and they are really FAR away---we live in the country!---SO proud of my kickass iMac for picking up that signal, otherwise, we would be completely w/o ANY internet!!

Thanks for your time, and sorry this was such a newb question! I am still learning how to use this amazing PC I have!! Is there ANY way for me to use it to power up at least Mom's iPad until the new windstream modem comes? I bought one used on ebay--no idea HOW long it will take to get here...... maybe 2 weeks at most.

Thank you!!!!!
Desperate to get elderly widowed mom some Netflix or something on her iPad....before I leave town Friday!
 
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