Q: Networking a PowerBook 165c
Hello everyone. A friend of mine has an old PowerBook 165c. It is, for the most part, maxed out with 16 MB of RAM, and has the largest-OEM 160 MB SCSI hard drive. It's got Mac OS 7.6.1 installed, which runs pretty good.
I wondered how to get it online. Aside from the obvious dial-up modem, I know I can connect using the Modem or Serial port (Mini DIN-8).
My friend had a RJ-11 to RJ-45 adapter, which was previously used to hook up a printer to a network. I also found a Mini DIN-8 to RJ-11 local-talk adapter. The DIN-8 to RJ-11 Local-talk adapter was connected to the back of PowerBook, and I used an RJ-11 cable to connect this to the RJ-11 to RJ-45 adapter. I know that this setup worked fine to network an Apple II GS.
I opened the AppleTalk control panel, and chose the "Modem" port for AppleTalk. Then I opened the Chooser, and chose "LaserWriter8". When I did, it actually saw all of the network printers on the network. (I tried connecting to one and printing without success, but that's another day.) The point is, it's on the network and seeing printers.
But I don't have TCP-IP connectivity, and can't browse the web. So, I opened the Chooser, chose AppleShare, but saw nothing to connect to.
I opened the the TCP/IP control panel and switched to MacIP, but this didn't work as far as web browsing. I think this only works if AppleShare in Chooser is setup with an AppleTalk server.
I changed TCP/IP control panel to MacIP manual, but this requires manually typing in an IP address. I can't assign a static IP to this machine, as it's on a work network, and probably won't have this allowed with a machine so old. I know I can't just rely on DHCP, since there's no DHCP without any ethernet hardware on the computer.
Anyone have advice on how to get one of these old dogs networking successfully?
I wondered how to get it online. Aside from the obvious dial-up modem, I know I can connect using the Modem or Serial port (Mini DIN-8).
My friend had a RJ-11 to RJ-45 adapter, which was previously used to hook up a printer to a network. I also found a Mini DIN-8 to RJ-11 local-talk adapter. The DIN-8 to RJ-11 Local-talk adapter was connected to the back of PowerBook, and I used an RJ-11 cable to connect this to the RJ-11 to RJ-45 adapter. I know that this setup worked fine to network an Apple II GS.
I opened the AppleTalk control panel, and chose the "Modem" port for AppleTalk. Then I opened the Chooser, and chose "LaserWriter8". When I did, it actually saw all of the network printers on the network. (I tried connecting to one and printing without success, but that's another day.) The point is, it's on the network and seeing printers.
But I don't have TCP-IP connectivity, and can't browse the web. So, I opened the Chooser, chose AppleShare, but saw nothing to connect to.
I opened the the TCP/IP control panel and switched to MacIP, but this didn't work as far as web browsing. I think this only works if AppleShare in Chooser is setup with an AppleTalk server.
I changed TCP/IP control panel to MacIP manual, but this requires manually typing in an IP address. I can't assign a static IP to this machine, as it's on a work network, and probably won't have this allowed with a machine so old. I know I can't just rely on DHCP, since there's no DHCP without any ethernet hardware on the computer.
Anyone have advice on how to get one of these old dogs networking successfully?
PowerBook 165c, Mac OS 8.6 or Earlier
Posted on May 5, 2010 8:00 PM