Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing (good) PPPoE network?
- Joined: Oct 30th, 2008
- Posts: 38
Hi, I don't know much about setting up networks, although I consider myself fairly computer literate. I use a Macbook (running Mac OS X 10.5.8), my girlfriend uses Windows XP SP2 (I believe).
Recently my girlfriend and I moved house, and sorted out a new internet connection from China Unicom. The guy from Unicom came this morning and set up the connection for us. It's a PPPoE connection, and it works fine on my Macbook, I just plugged the ethernet cable in, set up a new PPPoE network, input the username/password, and bam, it worked. I just need to hit the "connect" button in the PPPoE menu item in the top right every time I want to use the internet.
But, with just one ethernet output, we can't both use the internet at the same time. So, we brought a wireless router that we were using in our old place, which was originally set up by a previous owner, to see if we could use it in our new flat. We don't have any installation CD or instructions for the router. It's a D-Link DI-624+A. I tried to reset the router (thought it might kickstart some kind of installation wizard if it were reset to factory settings), but it seems not to have worked. The old network name still comes up supposedly after I reset the router.
So, a couple of questions.
1. I don't know if I'm resetting it right. Do I just stick a paper clip into the reset hole? Do I press it for a while or just for an instant?
2. Would I then need to plug it into my girlfriend's windows machine to reconfigure after resetting? Would that kickstart some windows plug-and-play installer wizard?
3. Am I missing anything really obvious here?
blucat
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
Can you macbook see and connect Ok to the d-link?
Phil
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
Yes, I can connect to the D-Link router. I can tell this because I can see and connect to the network with the name of the network we used to use in our old flat. Unfortunately I still can't use the internet.
MrTang
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
Switch router off. Hold the pin in at the back for at least 30 seconds.
Plug back in, get a lan cable to the router from PC.
Your using the China Unicom Lan network so that cable that comes inside to your flat need to go into one of the 4 lan ports, not the Input port you would normally use for a adsl connection.
Scan with your wireless device to find DLINK , connect.
Then open up browser and type in http://192.168.0.1
Password box will pop up.
type in user name admin
password is left blank, you will need to set this later to stop people getting into your router on the network.
Once you in set the name of what you want to call your network(SSID).
Then set a password on the wep, but best to use WPA2.
AES /PSK
Set DHCP off on router, this is the only way it will work with the China Unicom network. The Router basically is just a by pass its doing the connecting to the network.
Each PC that you connect with as to be connected with the PPOE method, not via the router.
Remember set passwords other wise every one will have free ride on you.
Manual here
Im a f-ing Idiot.
Phil
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
Mr. Tang, let me confirm.
Reset- no problem, just did that.
So, I take a LAN cable from the PC LAN cable slot to the WAN port of the router?
Then I take the LAN cable from the modem output into "port 1" (not WAN, and there is no port labelled "input") on the router?
Otherwise I have no questions, I'll just try it and see. Should I use windows machine instead of mac?
MrTang
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
you got 4 ports on the pack of router plus one slightly different size which is used fro ADSL connection to phone line, just ignore it.
So all connection from PC and the cable coming into your flat go into any of the 4 lan ports.
This is the only way it will work with China Unicom Lan Type internet.
Im a f-ing Idiot.
MrTang
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
You can dump the PC lan cables once you got your wirless up and running but to get going use a lan cable from PC to Router.
Im a f-ing Idiot.
MrTang
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
Baically you will end up with two connection showing on your right lower task bar. One is the connection to the router and the other one will be the PPoE passing through the router to the Unicom lan box out side your apartemnet which is were there lan cable is coming from into your flat.
Im a f-ing Idiot.
gooldenwending
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
I have the same basic setup situation as Phil. I've followed MrTang's advice above I think. My problem is that the wireless connection still doesn't seem to be connecting to the internet. I can join the wireless network with other devices, but there's no internet connection when I try to open a browser.
If I disconnect my PPoE connection with the computer hooked up through the LAN port to my router I can't connect to any websites with that computer, though the wireless connection still exists (so, pretty much the same problem as with other devices).
Any suggestions on where I'm going wrong? (also using Mac OS X...don't have the luxury of a girlfriend with a windows computer)
MrTang
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
No idea with a Mac, i here wireless and PPoE can be a pain in the rear on MACS.
If your on China Unicom new system its lan connection to there routers out side each apaertment block.
First check to see if you can connect with out your router in the system.
Another words get the lan cable that come into you apartemment and stick it staight in to your MAC.
You should get a lan connection icon showing your connected (i assume its a mac so dont know)
Then open up a browser and go to Tools> Internet Options>Connections Click add connection in there, choose the PPoE option, put in the user number in there they give you on the form.
Enter the password you choose when you sigend up with them.
Save.
Fire the browser back up and should work, it will show connecting to internet connection box every time you start your PC up. You can set this to Auto connect.
If all this works ok.
Just drop the lan connection that comes in from out side into the back of one of your router ports.
Set your wireless network up as above.
What do you mean btw with you can connect wirless via other devices? What are these other devices?
Im a f-ing Idiot.
gooldenwending
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
First of all, same set up as Phil, so, as he said, I had already set up a PPoE connection, it works fine without the router. It even works fine with the cable connection through the router as you described (both the cables hooked up through the LAN ports--one to the computer, one that goes out to the cable that comes into the apartment).
I can go to http://192.168.0.1 and set up many of the settings as you described. Everything seems okay, but the wireless is not actually connecting to the internet. I know this because while I can join the wireless network on my iPhone, I can't surf on the internet because it says I'm not connected. Also, if I disconnect the cable from my computer to the router manually, or just disconnect the connection in the OS, while the wireless signal remains and I'm connected to the wireless network, I can't actually use the internet.
MrTang
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
thats a password problem on the wirless setting double check.
try it with out wep wp2a set, turn off password on the wirless and check again
Im a f-ing Idiot.
thenines
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
Have you input the account number/username and password for PPPoE network into the wireless router?
MrTang
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
No you cant put it in the router on this China Unicom Set up.
It has to by pass your local router because the connection goes to a out side router.
China Unicom system not supposes to go through a router but you can make it work by doing above to get your wireless working.
Im a f-ing Idiot.
Phil
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
OK, an update on my situation. After no luck trying MrTang's process with my Macbook, I tried with my girlfriend's Windows PC. Using Windows, I managed to set up the wireless network, and could connect to the PPPoE network wirelessly (that is, I click "connect" on PPPoE icon in Network Connections while connected to our router's home network). Happy days, right?
This got me really excited, and I immediately connected my Macbook to the home network. I connected to the home network (home network's password was effective and worked), but when I clicked to connect to PPPoE, again I had no luck.
It looks like my poor Macbook's not going to be able to connect wirelessly at all. Fortunately, I can run the line from the modem through the router to my Macbook, and simultaneously connect to wireless using my girlfriend's Windows PC, so at least we can both connect to our own network. I'm still looking for a way that we can BOTH use wireless though. Anyone have any other suggestions?
MrTang, thanks for your instructions. They worked for Windows, at least. gooldenwending, I wish you luck with your wireless, but I can't help you any further right now.
I'll keep checking back on this thread, though, so please reply if you have any luck!
Phil
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
P.S. Because we also have a Unicom phone line, we have a modem in our flat instead of just a LAN line that comes into the flat. So our setup is:
Unicom data line>Splitter>Telephone
____________________>Modem____>Router__>Wireless to Windows
_______________________________________>LAN cable to Mac
MrTang
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
ah right might be differnt ball game then, i only got the lan line staight into my router.
Could be IP conflicts going on.
Ive got my IPs fixed. I also changed my Routers Ip to the 10.0.0.1 range as the Unicom router out side is in the 192.168.0* range so to avoid conflicts i changed my router to its own IP range.
Also im only running one PC on wireless, no other PC is connected.
it coud be it will only allow one log in on PPoE, but away of checking that is to disconect the XP machine and just ty the mac on its own.
I have little experince with MAC but what i have had it was a mare setting up the wireless with passwords when PPoE was being used.
Try and fix your IP manually and see what happens.
Im a f-ing Idiot.
MrTang
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
Trying dumping the modem and just using the router then through the single port on back of the router, instead of one of the 4 lan ports.
Im a f-ing Idiot.
MrTang
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
but did you say you can use the MAC ok with a lan cable and the XP machine on wireless?
Im a f-ing Idiot.
Phil
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
Yep, to confirm, we can both connect to the PPPoE network simultaneously. The XP connects via wireless, and Mac via LAN cable from router.
Before I try anything else, I will try taking the cable from the splitter that goes into the modem and plugging it straight into the WAN port (not LAN) of the router.
If that fails, I could try the IP address thing. I've never done anything like changing the IP of the router. Do you have any instructions for how to do that? Do I just log into the router like I did before? Browser to http://192.168.0.1 etc.
MrTang
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
OK listen, if you can connect via the lan cable via the mac and via the wireless on the XP at the same time) its not a ip problem.
I would say its to do with the wireless set up on the mac.
I need to know what encryption method are using on the router.
Usually WEP or WPA2.
Its something to with the way the encryption is set up the MAC by the sound of it, but because I don't know about MAC wireless connection i cant advise you what to mess with.
There should be some options on the MACs wireless to mess with , try some different options. Is there a indicater to show the wireless is connected to the router?
If there is it should also say what method its connected with.
Have a mess around with that.
Leave the IPs for the moment because if it connecting with LAN it must be picking up the correct IPS, unless the IP on the wireless is all ready set to manual in which case this could be the problem.
Set everything auto and reboot everything including the router first.
Im a f-ing Idiot.
MrTang
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
Google Wireless set up on MAC for your type of Wireless card see what it brings up.
Just done a couple for example.
http://www.it.northwestern.edu/oncampus/wireless/wireless-connections/wi...
http://paws.uga.edu/helpdocs/mac2.html
Im a f-ing Idiot.
Phil
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
MrTang, you're being really helpful, I can't thank you enough. Can I ask where you're from?
We have a 10-character password for the router, I think it's WEP rather than WPA2. I'm at work at the moment, but I'm gonna try your suggestions as soon as I get home.
MrTang
Re: Setting up wireless router using Mac OS X with existing ...
UK>South China.
WEP is easier to set up but can be cracked in a few hours, Chinese are now selling USB wireless dongles with software that collects the WEP packets then runs a Korek attack to get the key, so long term look at using WPA2 and setting the router SSID to invisible once you have all ready set the connection up.
Best way really to make sure its not a password error/ setting is to turn the passwords off. Just for testing.
If everything works fine with out WEP running, you know its a setting or key error on the mac.
Im a f-ing Idiot.