plugging in to someone else's router not working...

Hi

From what you're describing they don't actually have a router. They simply have the standard Virgin DSL Cable Modem with the single ethernet outlet at the rear. When the person at someone else's house first configured this a setup assistant would have 'locked/keyed/mapped' the cable modem to the MAC (this actually means Media Access Control rather than what you think it might mean) address of their computer.

You should be able to disconnect the power from the cable modem. Wait 5 minutes, re-connect the power and then connect your MacBook using the ethernet cable. You should be able to get online thereafter. Of course when you leave you'll have to do the same thing for the someone else.

There's no need to configure a PPoE Account or anything else. Virgin know who the customer is as the someone else allowed them into his/her house in the first place. There is no further setup required other than to activate the modem and the associated account which they already know.

Ultimately the 'best' approach for the future is to suggest to someone else to purchase a DSL Cable Modem Router. Maplins do one for around £40. It's the SiteCom one, it has 4 ethernet ports, a decent Firewall/Filter and is N-Rated (150Mbps) Wireless as well. 40 quid well spent mate.

Tony

siderealxxx wrote:
I can unlug their computer and plug my Macbook in, and I assumed I would just be able to launch Safari and go but it's not working.

If that really is a "router", you should be able to do this: Open the Network panel of System Preferences. Unlock it if needed. To avoid disturbing any other settings, pull down the "Location" list and select "Edit Locations". Click the "plus" sign to create a new location, type a name for that location, then click "Done". If you see an "Ethernet" item in the list on the left, if it's not at the top of the list, pull down the gear icon next to the "minus" sign, select "Set Service Order", drag the Ethernet item to the top of the list (or drag the other items below "Ethernet" if that's easier), then click "OK". Now click "Apply". If the button next to "Ethernet" turns green, then you're done.

If there is no "Ethernet" item in the list, click the "plus" sign at the bottom of the list, set "Interface" to "Ethernet", click "Create", then click "Apply". If necessary reorder the items as above to put "Ethernet" at the top of the list.

siderealxxx wrote:
I think you're both right that this is a modem not a router... (tbh I don't know the difference!).

A modem translates from the analog signal that comes into the house to the digital signal that computer needs. A router manages a local network by (among other possible things) sharing the IP address provided by an ISP and translating between LAN IP addresses and WAN addresses. Some routers include modem functionality.

What is the brand and model number of that device?

Can you learn how the other computer's Internet connection is configured? If so, your computer should be configured in the same way.

is the other computer a linux, mac, or windows computer?

Hi

+"The model of the unit is a non-branded NTLworld (now Virgin Media) box that came with the service"+

This would either be one of the original silver-coloured Diamond Cable cable modems (IIRC a Pace/Grundig chipset?) or one of the smaller NTL branded dark blue coloured cable modems (IIRC ambit255 chipset). NTL initially used these for new customers and to replace a lot of the earlier modems (that by that time were failing) when they took over. To begin with NTL did not supply the second phase of cable modems with a Router. Later on new customers were supplied with an additional NetGear DG614 a/b/g DSL Modem Router. Now that Virgin have taken it over new basic service customers get a Cisco 2100 Cable Modem and a D-Link DIR-61S N-Rated (150mbs) Wireless DSL Router.

Those original cable modems required a power down of roughly 5 minutes so as the cached MAC (or ethernet ID) Address of the connected computer (Mac or PC) would be flushed. This was supposed to be some kind of 'security feature. I was told this by a friend who used to work for Diamond Cable and NTL.

HTH?

Tony

siderealxxx wrote:
The other computer is a PC and doesn't have another ethernet port for sharing so I don't know how to replicate the settings.

What I tried to suggest is that you look at the configuration information on that machine, disconnect it, connect your Mac, then try to apply the same settings to it. I can't help you with investigating network settings on a Windows system.

From a manual I found for your modem

http://gdl.megared.net.mx/soporte/60194E.cm.userguide.pdf

it appears to be a standard cable modem. That suggests that you should configure your Mac to connect using Ethernet and DHCP. DHCP should be the normal configuration for a Mac's Ethernet port.

Two things to note:
- The manual mentions a "ENET LED" on the modem. If you connect your Mac and don't see that, then there's a problem with the physical connection,
- As Antonio Rocco mentions, it's common with modems to have to be reset in order to connect to a "new" device. The manual doesn't mention the term "reset", so it's likely that all it needs is to be left disconnected for a few minutes. In the worst case the ISP will have recorded the MAC address of that PC and will have to reset things at their office.

the windows computer will need to be connected to the modem for these troubleshooting steps.

on the windows computer:

1. hold the 'windows' key on the keyboard and press the 'r' key. this should bring up the run dialog box

2. type 'cmd' into the run dialog box (where it says 'open') and press 'enter' or click 'ok'. this should have opened the command prompt

3. now in the command prompt type:
ipconfig /all

this will give you a list of the details of the network adapters, like the ip address, mac address, default gateway and domain name servers

the one you need should look something like 'ethernet adapter local area connection'

alternatively, if static network connection settings have been specified you can:

1. click on start, then click control panel

2. in the top-right, make sure the view is set to small or large icons (not the category view)

3. select 'network and sharing center'

4. on this page there is a section titled 'view your active networks' which should display the connection between the pc and the modem

5. in this section, click on the network connection listed to the right of 'connections:'

6. select 'properties' at the bottom of this network connection status dialog box

7. a new properties box appears with the subheading 'this connection uses the following items'. scroll down this list until you find the heading internet protocol version 4 (tcp/ipv4) and double-click on it or highlight it and select properties below

8. note whether the ip address and dns address are obtained automatically, or whether a static address has been specified. if the address has been statically set then you should write these numbers down also

i think you should be able to enter these network adapter configuration settings into the network preferences on your mac by selecting the correct adapter in network preferences and selecting 'advanced'

if copying the settings from the windows pc to the mac doesnt work then it may be something to do with the modem