>OS 8.6 / G3 266 >dialup connection > >I'm forced to consider ADSL from my internet provider. >and the local phone company. > >They're saying something about a different modem? >(Telling me it would be ohhh so easy if I had a PC) > >what do I need to know/ask? > >Appreciate any patience with my little old 8.6 OS (which is still new to >me!)
They should provide an ADSL modem with the service (they may charge you for said modem, but they give you no real choice except to get the one they provide, despite the fact that they turn around and sell it to you). The modem should connect to the ADSL line (which will likely be the same as your telephone line once they activate service on it, ADSL runs on top of regular telephone service). The modem should connect to your Mac via Ethernet. If they only offer a USB based modem, tell them No Thanks, you need an Ethernet based modem or you will find another provider. My guess is, they will have an ethernet one from the start (the normal telco ones are either ethernet only, or ethernet/USB... not too many are using USB only). The tricky part is the next step. Depending on the modem model, it may not have a PPPoE client built in. That means you need one for Mac OS 8.6... and no good ones really exist for that. But, in the long run, you are better off connecting the modem to a firewall/nat router anyway. Better security. These days you don't want your computer connected directly to the internet, you want to be passing thru some kind of a firewall or nat router, even a basic one. You can get one of these cheap at your local computer or office supply store. Netgear, DLink, Linksys, Belkin and others are available cheap. Also, check and see, many Telcos and ISPs are now providing a DSL modem with built in firewall/nat router. They know so many people are going to put one in anyway, it just became easier to provide an all in one unit and lower the support issues and angry customer calls. If they provide such, then you don't have to worry about buying your own or about the PPPoE client (any Cable/DSL router you buy or any provided by the Telco/ISP will have a PPPoE client built in). As far as this being easier on a PC... sure, IF you are running one of their supported versions of Windows, and running all supported hardware, and haven't done anything odd or extra to your computer and can simply insert the CD that comes with the DSL modem and let the software run and setup the computer for you... but if you aren't exactly what the software is expecting (which it is REALLY easy to not be), then it actually can be 10 times HARDER to setup a PC... still probably easier from the ISP's view point only because they have tech scripts for 90% of the errors that they can read over the phone to get you running... whereas on the Mac, since people don't have problems with them, they probably only employ one Mac tech (or one PC tech that thinks he knows Mac) and have no tech support scropts for Macs at all. But rest assured, getting ADSL working on the Mac, running OS 8.6 is quite possible and really isn't overly difficult. -chris <http://www.mythtech.net> ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe send a mail message with a SUBJECT line of "unsubscribe" to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
