Using an ethernet ADSL modem from OS 9.1

PPPoE and PPPoA are nasty, icky things foisted upon you by your ISP. It is not for your benefit, it lets them over-configure their users and have less Central equipment.

What is much more pleasant is having an "always-on" connection. That has been the promise of DSL and Broadband in general before ISPs decided not to give you that.

Since you are stuck with PPPoE or PPPoA, it would be nice if you didn't have to type that ID and password every time you started your computer. So you get some software to remember those things for you and enter it whenever it is needed, and not bother you with it. On your Mac OS X G4 Mac, that software is currently the PPPoE pane of Network Control Panel System Preferences.

But on your OS 9 G3 Mac, there is no PPPoE Control Panel. You can spend US$65 and buy MacPoet to do the PPPoE login for you, but you already have a Router/Modem -- that is perfectly capable of doing the login automatically.

If you can't get the Router/Modem configuration to work quickly and easily, and can't find a manual online, call your ISP and ask them to walk you through it. You have a Computer (your G3) that can't do PPPoE, and their box CAN. So get them to help you set it up.

When the Router/Modem can do the PPoE part, your G4 will not have to, and you can turn off PPPoE at the G4. You will not lose the ability to get on the Internet -- you are just pushing the dirty work of PPPoE UserID and password up the line into the Router/Modem.

Hi, susan -

I found some links for manuals and User Guides at this Thomson website page

That link may not work well - it may be a timed search result.

The links on that page for downloading are -
• Manual (ST510-530 Reference Guide), 7.5MB - http://www.thomsontelecompartner.com/getfilefromthomson.php?id=3311
• User Guide, 1.6MB - http://www.thomsontelecompartner.com/getfilefromthomson.php?id=2564
• Installation and Setup Guide, 1.0MB - http://www.thomsontelecompartner.com/getfilefromthomson.php?id=2556

You can only communicate with devices that are on your Subnet. This is controlled by the Subnet Mask. The Subnet Mask has a 1-bit for addresses that should be considered to be on the same Subnet. 255 is an octet of eight 1-bits.

Normally, to communicate with a device at 10.0.0.138, your IP address would have to start with 10.0.0.zzz with a subnet Mask of 255.255.255.0 -- You can set these Manually for this exercise. Use an address different from the router's IP address, but nearby it in the same range, such as two more or one less.

Susan,

I tried typing in the default address for the modem/router http://10.0.0.138/ and Safari said that it couldn't connect to the server; then I put in the router address shown by the TCP/IP pane and it said it couldn't connect because the server had stopped responding. I don't know if that tells you anything?

That's strange, you should be able to access the router if you can successfully connect to the net with it. I suggest to hire an Apple store technician and let him configure the router. Make sure he is proficient with networking. He will do that in less than an hour. Look over his shoulder and let him explain. As a result you will be able to connect with old and new Macs and even Wind machines all at the same time ( and without entering any user information when using DSL).

Hans

Message was edited by: Hans777

Susan,

Unfortunately I am in a tiny mountain village hundreds of kilometers from the nearest Mac user let alone technician...

Now I can understand your situation better. There is a risk that you loose your internet connection for a while if you try to configure the router. In your place I would it play it safe and get a new router/DSL-adapter combo. A Netgear RP614 will cost about 33 EUR. You can then configure it using your G3 computer, having the Thompson/G4 as a fallback. After you get a stable connection with the G3 you can then also connect your G4 to the router and do away with the Thompson.

Hans

One of the manuals someone provided a link for lists a "Wizard CD" and claims it runs on Windows and Mac OS X. Did you get a CD with that Router? Using that CD would cut the likelihood of mistakes way down, and make it worth taking the risk to re-configure.

I think it is worth a try. It seems like a very low risk approach. Don provided this link which describes the CD procedure:

• Installation and Setup Guide, 1.0MB - http://www.thomsontelecompartner.com/getfilefromthomson.php?id=2556

Susan,
like Grant said, using the installation disk or even the web based configuration (192.168.1.254) you should have no trouble to configure the Speedtouch correctly. The PPPoE is selected within the router when configuring.

It looks as if that would allow me to re-install the modem on my G4 (would it then be plug-and-play for the G3?

Yes, it will. I see that the router has only one ethernet socket. That means you will have to switch the cable to the machines or get an ethernet hub or switch for permanent connection of both machines.

Hans