wireless cable internet setup help

January 7, 2007 12:47 PM

I have decided to order cable internet and set up a wireless network at home for two G4 Powerbooks. However, I don't have the faintest idea where to start.

I have never had cable or DSL, or set up a wireless network before, so all of these questions are extremely rudimentary. My end requirements are simply to get wireless internet set up for the two powerbooks, and, at some time in the future, connection for a wireless printer.

(1) What kind of hardware do I need and where do I get it from? I assume that I need a cable modem and wireless router. Are these always separate devices or are there combo devices? Do I need anything else? Also, should I order these myself or buy the ones offered by the cable company?

(2) The physical cable itself needs to be moved. Currently, the cable connection in my old house sticks up through the dining room floor, a few inches from the sideboards (where it is a frequent culprit of stubbed toes). This is a total non-starter. I need the cable to be rerouted elsewhere through the house, preferably up to the second floor. I am not averse to doing this myself or having someone else do it, but I am wondering if the cable installation itself will cover this. Or do I need to have this problem resolved before the installation crew shows up?

(3) What other considerations to do I need to take into account? Do I need to setup a firewall? What other things do I need to have crossed off my checklist before the installation crew gets to my house?

posted by alopez to computers & internet (19 comments total)

1) If these are normal G4 Powerbooks, you won't need any hardware for them -- they come with Airport cards. The cable providers may offer a wireless router as part of the deal. If not, you can simply buy one from a local office/electronics store and attach it to the cable modem--setup for this is fairly easy. The laptops will both automagically detect the presence of the wireless network and connect you to it.

2) This is an issue for your cable installer, and has nothing to do with the internet connection. They are just going to attach a dongle of some kind to your existing cable. So, you will have to get them to rewire it for you, which would be a separate operation. I can't imagine they would rewire it for free unless they were charging you for a new cable installation.

3) Firewall should be automatically be set up when they install the cable modem and there will probably be yet another firewall on the wireless router. In any case, OS X already has relatively robust firewall protection.

For other questions, the cable company would be best to ask, as they may have weirdo requirements of their own.
posted by Deathalicious at 12:55 PM on January 7, 2007

Airport
posted by Xurando at 1:46 PM on January 7, 2007

The cable (tv) connection that exists might not affect your internet connection. Or at least it didn't in my case. A technician came out and connected a 2nd coaxial cable to the main line and brought it into the house where I requested. Despite using the same system as cable TV, it has its own coaxial line. If this is the case for you, then the install will likely cover it.

In my setup the modem came with the service, and I added my own wireless router - a cheap Belkin one, not an expensive Airport base station. The startup fee covered the modem and cable install, so it was worth it for me.
posted by O9scar at 1:48 PM on January 7, 2007

1) If these are normal G4 Powerbooks, you won't need any hardware for them -- they come with Airport cards.

Only later G4 PowerBooks had AirPort cards in stock configurations; I had to buy one for my 12" RevB.
posted by docgonzo at 1:57 PM on January 7, 2007

Oh, to check your Powerbook:

Blue Apple Menu > "About this Mac" > "More info..." > "Network" (in left-hand pane) > "AirPort Card" should be listed.
posted by docgonzo at 1:58 PM on January 7, 2007

I'm not worried about the laptops themselves. They are late models with built-in airport and they are used all the time on other wireless networks.

Any recommendations on specific modems and routers?
posted by alopez at 2:00 PM on January 7, 2007

Oh, and if it helps any the provider will be Comcast, in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC. I don't currently have cable so I assume that there is an installation fee. Anyone have any experience, tips for things I should be aware of?
posted by alopez at 2:05 PM on January 7, 2007

Router: If you're interested in plug-and-play simplicity (plus the ports for a printer and an audio out are sweet) then an AirPort Express is great.

If you want to do a lot of tinkering with your network (specifically for online gaming or torrenting) than a D-Link or LinkSys is good.
posted by docgonzo at 2:52 PM on January 7, 2007

If you're totally ignorant, an Airport Express would be an excellent way to start. They don't have that many features, but they work fine, and they'll very nicely share your cable between your two G4s. If you want the least-hassle method, that's a good choice.

If you want a little more advanced setup, a Linksys WRT54GL would be good. It'll be a little harder out of the box, but the range is better and the network forwarding engine is probably a bit better. The GL runs Linux, so it's quite a powerful little box. Don't get the G or the GS, because they run a different, less reliable OS, and aren't very hackable anymore.

If you want to get advanced, you can replace the firmware on the GL with the 'DD-WRT' open firmware. A bunch of Linux guys started with the GL code and went wild. I think the interface is nicer, and it offers a BOATLOAD of features. You won't understand about 95% of them, but they're there if you end up learning you want them. :)

If you just want it to work and don't ever want to fool with it much, do the Airport. If you don't mind investing a little more time up front, a GL with the stock firmware will give you better range and more expansion ability later. If you want to tinker or get into advanced settings (like increasing your antenna power if you need to cover a very large area), the DD-WRT is probably the best choice.

If you do decide to go DD-WRT, drop me a note (email is in my profile) and I'll give you quick instructions on how to get it installed. It's a two-stage process to go from the Linksys default to the full release of the custom firmware.
posted by Malor at 3:16 PM on January 7, 2007

Requirements are pretty modest. Web browsing, fast PDF downloads, and a fast connection to office Linux boxes via ssh are about it. No gaming or torrents.
posted by alopez at 3:28 PM on January 7, 2007

Oh, as far as the actual modem goes... normally, your provider will give you one. That's the box that transforms the DSL or cable signal into an Ethernet signal. I've been using an Ambit cablemodem for years. I think the Motorola Surfboards are also good. I tried to press my cable provider for an opinion on which was better, but they wouldn't make any recommendations.

Normally, the cablemodem will only talk to one device. That can be a computer, or you can plug in a router/AP to let you have multiple computers instead. (and give you a firewall, always a good idea.) That's where you'd put the Airport Express, or whatever you choose.

The TV cable goes into the cablemodem, which will also need a power plug. Then you plug an Ethernet cable from the cablemodem to the 'external' port on your wireless access point. That will need a power plug too. You can then connect desktops via Ethernet cable, and laptops via the wireless. The AP takes care of sharing the network for you, so you can just web browse and work normally from any of your machines.

IMPORTANT NOTE: use WPA2 encryption. DO NOT USE WEP ENCRYPTION. It has been cracked and is useless; a savvy attacker can get into your network in under five minutes if it's 'protected' with WEP. And there are dictionary attacks starting against WPA, so choose a very long password with weird characters in it. 30+ characters is a very good idea. You'll only have to type it a few times ever, so make sure it's long and complex.
posted by Malor at 3:29 PM on January 7, 2007

For that kind of use... Airport Express is just fine.
posted by Malor at 3:29 PM on January 7, 2007

Comcast will provide you the modem at s small rental fee. If you're new to it all, don't sweat this part.

Then almost *any* wireless G router will work.

The apple router (Airport or airport express) will be costly, but extremely easy (and fairly flexible.)

It supports several different forms of encryption as well (as it should.) You'll set everything up, then it'll be available under your airport option on your menubar.

Advanced ideas would included turning on some wireless encryption. The airport and your mac both have firewires - it's not something you have to really 'deal with'.

The only thing that can trip you up at all is that Comcast's modems sometimes care about your MAC address - it's not your mac, but rather a unique number related to your Network card (technically, you have a MAC address for your ethernet port and a separate one for your airport card.)

With the airport, it handles this on it's own (but you may have to play a game where you initially have to turn on the modem, wait, turn on the airport, and then everything is fine.)

When you have a different router than the airport, there'll be a feature called "MAC Cloning" that will do this for you in the router (they all have them.)

I use a Belkin router at home, a linksys at work and a netgear at my brothers - really they all work just fine.
posted by filmgeek at 5:52 PM on January 7, 2007

You might want to call the cable company and find out if the Comcast cable installers are restricted in terms of physical installation - when my parents got AT&T Broadband cable about 5 years ago, the installers weren't able to go into attics and had to reschedule until another contractor could come in and do the work.
posted by concrete at 7:54 PM on January 7, 2007

Turning on encryption is not a an 'advanced idea', it is an absolute necessity. Use WPA2 with a long password, as per above.

Running without encryption, or with WEP, is profoundly stupid.
posted by Malor at 8:34 PM on January 7, 2007

Oh, and if it helps any the provider will be Comcast, in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC.

Comcast! A friend of mine just had a bit of trouble with them, actually. They took over a local provider and they were pointing to the wrong modem or something similarly bizarre. No matter where you tried to go, the DNS pointed you to their software installation page. If you get an honest to goodness technician through your door, don't let him/her leave until you have *thoroughly* tested both powerbooks to make sure you're getting a connection from the modem. Once that installation person is gone, good luck getting someone who knows what they're doing on the phone or getting someone there in person to fix your connection. It's lucky for my friend that she lived literally down the road from the cable company -- after calling and waiting for a repairperson twice she marched up there and basically demanded that someone fix her modem.

Also, in my friend's case, they really did just attach a dongle to the existing cable so you may not be lucky and get another installation like 09scar did. This will probably be extra.
posted by Deathalicious at 12:55 AM on January 8, 2007

I'm on Comcast. When I had my first install, I asked the tech to give me enough coax to go around the room. I think I got charged for it, maybe $15?

Anyway, for your purposes, I think an Airport Express would be perfect. You mentioned wanting to share a printer, and that should be able to do it just fine.

I personally would prefer to use MAC Address filtering, but if you plan on having other people over with their laptops, WPA2 is a good one to go with.

And yes, before Comcast technician leaves, make sure it works. Also, don't let them install the Comcast disc, it's pointless and just crap. If they insists, have them do it on their own machine. I usually just get the information to register it over the Internet.
posted by jasmeet at 3:57 AM on January 8, 2007

If you're totally ignorant, an Airport Express would be an excellent way to start.

Ha! Had to laugh since I *just* finished upgrading my wireless network this weekend. I had been using a "non-traditional" router (it was a DSL modem that was hooked up via ethernet to my wired DSL modem --I was using just the router part of the modem). It worked fine but the coverage was not enough for me and I couldn't open a port to network my TiVo.

Sooo, long story short, I decided to go the easy, but more expensive way: I bought two Apple Expresses (one for the router and one for the bridge to extend my network). Works well AND setup was easy. And it took me two minutes to connect my TiVo to my network!

I went the pricer route (Apple Express) since setting up a network can drive you nuts. I decided to pay the premium for ease of setup. And it was worth it.

Your ISP and your router company will say they are only be responsible for their own product. Yet, the user has to look at the project in its whole --the modem and the router have to talk with each other. If there's a problem, problem-solving is our responsibility.

I'd second getting an Express.

Good luck with Comcast. But, then again Verizon isn't any better.
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 9:44 AM on January 8, 2007

Also, don't let them install the Comcast disc, it's pointless and just crap.

It's worse than worthless. It uses some kind of weird IE-only (yes, you heard that right, Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 on a Mac) plugin. So basically the disc is nothing more than an install of IE plus a really badly made browser-based installation program that doesn't, in fact, work.

When all you really need to do to configure your Mac is to go to your Internet settings and choose "DHCP". But instead of a simple PDF with instructions, you get a bizarro installation of IE.
posted by Deathalicious at 9:33 AM on January 10, 2007