chris ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote on 7/17/04 10:02 PM -> >Verizon's web site clearly says they >support the Mac. The trick is, they don't offer a PPPoE client for the >Mac, so they tell you that you need OS X so you can use the built in >PPPoE client.
Actually, I have an install CD from a couple years ago for Verizon's DSL service, which supports MacOS (prior to OS X). There is a PPPoE client included in the installation, which was all I needed - they had converted me from fixed IP address to PPPoE. >I'm not sure if they are issuing a modem with a built in router, or if >they are issuing a router in addition to the modem. I thought it was the >latter. Although the end result is the same (just fewer devices if its a >combined unit). I'm fairly certain that it's a 4-port standalone wireless router. And it's *much* better to have a router than use the software PPPoE clients, even if you only have one computer. The only reason I used the PPPoE client at all is that the software router (IPNetRouter) I had running on a 68040 Mac didn't have a PPPoE solution. I quickly got a dedicated hardware router. >Like I said, talk to a better rep. Verizon supports the Mac, and they say >so on their web, and in the install kit that comes with the DSL modem. >Obviously the rep you spoke to is the one that didn't support the Mac >(years ago, when Verizon first came out with their DSL, they did not >support the Mac. This was due to the PPPoE issue, and they hadn't come to >an agreement with a vendor to supply such a client for the Mac... that >never changed, but OS X came along with built in PPPoE support, so >Verizon started officially supporting the Mac. But as long as you have >something to handle the PPPoE issues, be it a 3rd party client for OS 8 >or 9, or a router with PPPoE support... you can use non OS X macs just >fine.) I've had Verizon DSL (actually, it was still Bell Atlantic then) since early 1999. They supported the Mac, although a little earlier they had claimed they couldn't for ridiculous NIC-compatibility pseudo-reasons, which they soon dropped. They eventually converted from fixed IP addresses to PPPoE, and sent out a letter and 'upgrade' CD to all the fixed-IP customers. What I did was copy the very few essential files in the installation (those required for PPPoE to work) onto my main computer, after doing the install on a test machine, since the installer dropped a lot of other unwanted junk on the target machine. I think that the few files actually required for Mac PPPoE support fit on a floppy disk :-) Perhaps the lack of Mac support Chris mentions above is from a time early in the conversion to PPPoE, but I don't recall a time after I was a customer when they didn't support the Mac. A friend with an OS 8/9 Mac got an install CD a few months ago that supported OS X and didn't work right on her machine, so I was able to lend her my older install CD. Since she was a new customer, the electronic registration for new customers that is part of the installation was required, so I couldn't just copy the few files required onto her Mac. Unless you want the hassle of finding folks in Verizon Online's tech-support *and* customer-service departments who can set up a new customer without the automated registration, it's best to install on at least one computer, get your service working, and then switch to your router. ====================================================================== Power Macintosh 8500 w/ 500 MHz G3, 352 MB RAM Power Macintosh 7200 Power Macintosh 7100 w/ 80 MHz 601, 72 MB RAM Quadra 800 w/ 33 MHz 68040, 40 MB RAM Performa 600 w/ Daystar Turbo '040, 24 MB RAM Macintosh IIci w/ 25 MHz 68030, 8 MB RAM PowerBook 165 w/ 33 MHz 68030, 8 MB RAM ====================================================================== ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe send a mail message with a SUBJECT line of "unsubscribe" to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
