Apple iMac & Broadband: help & advice needed!

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Apple iMac & Broadband: help & advice needed!

Post by JSB »

If anyone here has a Broadband internet connection on an Apple computer, please read the following to see if you might be able to help me out:

I've just bought an "older-style" Apple iMac computer off eBay. It's a G3 500mHz "Power PC" with 128MB RAM, 20GB Hard Drive, 2 USB ports, operating system MAC OS 10.2.1 etc etc, & looks like this:

Image

Now, my problem. I ordered "unlimited" 1 Meg Broadband from Tiscali, & the modem, installation software & what-not arrived a few days ago. I plugged the two free microfilters in, one in my bedroom where the iMac is, & one downstairs where I have another telephone. All the relevant cables have gone in their correct ports, & the software seemed to install OK without any hassle. But the modem itself is still flashing a green light on the left (the ADSL light), which means I obviously can't connect to the internet because it can't sustain a connection.

I telephoned Tiscali, & the first thing the guy said was that their modem software is really only for Windows & isn't really supported by Apple or the Mac OS system. However, he managed to find some instructions for installing & connecting to Tiscali Broadband internet & he guided me through a few things to try (changing network settings, re-installing software etc) but none made a difference. He ended the call by saying that Tiscali will get BT to check my phone line, but as he & his colleagues are unfamiliar with Apple & Mac OS, he couldn't definitely say whether it was a fault with my line, a fault with my computer or a fault with the modem installation.

Now here's where I'm keeping my fingers crossed someone here might be able to help. Personally, I don't think there's a fault with the line, as Tiscali only send out the modem etc when they've confirmed that you're Broadband Ready. I think it might either be some incorrect settings on my iMac, or not enough microfilters set up in my home.

This being my first Apple computer, I am totally unfamiliar with the MAC OS & wouldn't have the first clue how to get the exact right settings so that Broadband will start working. If anyone here could give me a list of things & settings to check on my computer, or point me in the right direction of somewhere that can provide such info (I've tried Apples website but no joy), I would be EXTREMELY grateful.

Now, if my settings are, or turn out to be, totally correct, I have a feeling that my lack of connection may be due to me only using 2 microfilters. I have four BT telephone socketsin my home altogether , one in my bedroom, one at the front of my living room (where a phone & a Sky Digital modem lead are plugged into a microfilter), but also one also in my living room & one in the kitchen. Now, the last two don't have telephones plugged into them, but rather ringtone amplifiers (as a deaf old lady lived here before me & my family did). I figured that as they are classed as actual sockets, they need to have filters in `em even though they have amplifiers plugged in & not any telephone/PC/modem leads.

So I've purchased two additional microfilters & should receive them this week, but if I plug them in & still no joy with the Broadband connection, I am wondering what I should try next. I have a feeling that, if after all this I get no joy, I might have to downgrade to Dial-Up, which I am fine with, but my Broadband package includes free evening & weekend phone calls & I'm worried that by downgrading it makes my phone calls deal null & void & Tiscali, as my new phone call provider aswell as internet supplier, will try & charge me for stuff that, if Broadband was working, I wouldn't normally be paying for.

Sorry that this post has droned on & on somewhat, but I figured I ought to go into as much detail as possible so that there's a better chance of one of you good people being able to advise me on what might possibly be wrong. Thanks in advance, guys, peace. :wink:
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Post by Valo »

I HATE spam!!!
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Post by JSB »

So do I, Valo, esp. when I think someone's left a message helping me out & it turns out to be a load of bollocks! :evil:
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Post by JSB »

Still now joy after fitting two extra microfilters, think I'm gonna have to contact Tiscali & downgrade to dial-up... :(

Wish bloody Tiscali answered their phones on a Saturday morning. Also wish they had more British peeps manning their phones (that's not a racist comment by the way, but being slightly hard-of-hearing & also having a long-standing phobia of talking on the telephone, it's very difficult for me to understand what some of the Asian operators are saying to me, & I end up hanging up feeling I've achieved nothing in trying to sort out my dilemma)
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Post by space doubt »

have you tried posting your problem on a tech based forum? you're much more likely to get a solution than on a forum of stoners!!!

I've always thought only one microfilter is needed and that gets plugged in your main phone socket and all that does is act as a splitter so you can have your phone and computer plugged in?

http://www.webuser.co.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php

try registering there and seeing if you can get help.
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Post by JSB »

Thanks, my friend, I'll give that a try. :)
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Post by claudandus »

and? can you now use your mac properly with broadband?
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Post by JSB »

claudandus wrote:and? can you now use your mac properly with broadband?
Hi Claud,

Still having problems. There's nothing wrong with the Mac, I'm 99% certain. What happens is: I can only connect to the internet when my cordless phone is in use, & in the bedroom (where my computer is). I've been e-mailing Tiscali a ton of times & they keep fobbing me off, saying that I have to phone their broadband tech line (which I did straight off at the beginning) so that they can do "line tests" (which they did at the very start, & turned out to be fine). I've asked them to downgrade me to dial-up but they're reluctant, & their tech line is bloody rubbish.

I've tried unplugging my cordless, unplugging the telephone cable for my Sky digibox, nothing seems to make a difference except for it works fine (for a short period, anyway) when the cordless is in use. A friend of mine who's a bit of a whizz with broadband/wireless etc promised he'd come over to my home next chance he gets to take a look at it all, but if he can't figure out what's wrong, I'm just gonna cancel my Tiscali internet & phone deals via my bank & if Tiscali get the arse on cos of that I'll be past caring.
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Post by claudandus »

oh my goddess that pretty freaking weird :x
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