Internet Connection Arris DG1660 and Macbook OSX 10.5.8

If your MacBook running OS X 10.5.8 is the oldest item you have on that network,

could be the newest version of new internet modem uses a different protocol or

security setting. If the newest is not supported in the software, by changing setting

to something else, you may have to upgrade the OS X to Snow Leopard 10.6.8.

The retail DVD installer for Snow Leopard costs about $20. & is shipped from Apple.

The online store should have a listing for it. A retail location or an AASP (independent

authorized service provider) may have a few on hand for sale. This would then let you

upgrade to 10.6; then you'd use Software Update in the Mac to get the update 10.6.8.

Check your settings in Networks and in AirPort to see what they are. Since all of my

hardware and most system software is of an older version than recent, all of mine

just work. There is no reason at the moment to change anything, sadly there will be

a time when these things that 'just work' will have run their course... New isn't better.

So perhaps if not the settings, a newer OS X version may be required. How was the

AirPort set up? Had you been able to visit the AirPort via the setup utility to see how

it may work with the older MacBook vs the newer other hardware? Sometimes, the

newer settings in newer devices can give you a clue on what the old one lacks.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

There could be a difference in frequency the other products support, if not the security

protocol (WEP, WPA, WPA2, etc) and the 802.11a-c/g/n etc can affect connectivity...

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard

Here's a link to the Apple Store's retail Snow Leopard 10.6.3 DVD, if you are not in US,

you can change the store/country page or just change the URL by removing US & put

your standard abbreviation of country in the URL, instead of US; say NZ for Kiwiland, etc.

The update to the installed DVD 10.6.3 from the DVD, is this download to 10.6.8:

•Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1 File Size: 1.09 GB

Not sure why your MacBook is not able to connect by wi-fi, if all that changed was the

main ISP's internet modem. Is that cable, ADSL, or some bridge wi-fi unit?

In any event...

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

Since each machine will retain an identity online, the exact numbers may not work

across more than one; however the Automatic IPv6 should set itself, if connecting.

The numbers should populate that field from the IP side, usually.

So, I don't know what to say. I've written paragraphs and then deleted them.

I have no way of knowing if your newest ISP hardware will work with the old

MacBook wireless protocol. But you have the hardware right there. What does

it tell you, in regard to 802.11 wi-fi connectivity, and what security do you use?

If you cannot change those factors to match the older hardware without comp-

romising the newer products online, then you'd need to bridge the difference &

find a way to use an Apple AirPort base station, or change settings on one

if you have it, to be able to use your older gear.

Does your ISP's wireless router provide the only online wi-fi point you have? Is

there any Apple hardware for wi-fi such as an AirPort Express or AirPort Extreme?

These would be easier to configure from the computer, but in so doing, may make

those products who have no issue now, to balk. If you could even set the base unit

at all from whatever the companies product supplies as a wi-fi protocol.

If you had an Apple AirPort base station, you can configure it most directly. These

usually attach to the ISP's device by Ethernet cable. So if you have no access to

change those settings to see if you can adapt the older MacBook to whatever they

are providing (channel number, security setting, or information from their hardware)

then you may need to see if the internet company can help discover if you even

can use the MacBook.

I do not see a problem with the images you posted; but would not need to go that

far into the Network panel once the wi-fi is set to be first place in the running order.

That would be in the panel before the one you posted an image of. You should be

able to set the first panel in Network, with AirPort in the top, on Automatic; then

just use the password and your local wireless router info to connect.

Some older systems (OS X) may have an issue with longer passwords or different

newer security protocols; those would be set or changed in the router or ISP box

and or in the wireless AirPort Base Station. Not in the computer's settings.

If you had an old AirPort Express (perhaps even the first model would do OK) then

it would be connected by Ethernet via cable to a similar port on the ISP box, and

that would be your portal to use an older version OS X and more lax security mode.

What security is set in your network? How did you set up your other gear? What is

different about the older MacBook? I tend to think the ISP's new box has different

protocol for security; + perhaps version of 802.11 may be too new for MacBook.

This alone would be a reason for the system to not access the internet, yet see it.

Anyway, I need to get offline. Today has been another lost cause; spent it helping

people offline and am in a poor state due to the extra effort expended w/o results.

Your ISP should be able to provide the specs on the gear they upgraded you to.

This should tell you what is not and what is supported. The details in protocol

include the security levels their product supports, the ability to change them in

their unit, (and to what range of support) what range of channels you may choose

and how to change them; the password you use and how to change it in their gear.

And so on.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

With a dual-band wifi access point, that may also add additional issue when using a mix of older

and newer devices to connect to the internet. WEP/WPA/WPA2 security setting, frequencies of

the 802.11(a,b,c,g,n) wi-fi, plus if the computer has chosen (or not) to use a default non-working

169.xxx or other address for wireless, that is self-assigned, these may be a probable cause.

There are a few articles about connecting, setup, troubleshooting small networks including wi-fi:

•Using network locations in OS X v10.5 or earlier - Apple Support

•Creating a small Ethernet network - Apple Support - older, basic info

•Solutions for connecting to the Internet, setting up a small network, and troubleshooting - Apple Support

Perhaps you could add an older base station just for gear using a different sub-frequency or security level:

•Wi-Fi base stations: Extending the range of your wireless network by adding additional Wi-Fi base stations - Apple Support

•How to Extend a new AirPort (base station) with older AirPort Extreme -

or add older spec system to newer wi-fi network; to re-purpose gear:

http://mclarenblog.com/?p=2591

There is a way to share the wireless connection from one computer so another may access the network.

Apple - Support - Search -- a results link: "share wi-fi between computers"

This effort may vary, depending on the limitations of older hardware &/or older system software. In the

system preference panel, to enable this (don't remember the specific panel name/s, this may affect the

security on the host computer if you need to change that, so as to enable the co-user of that Macs wi-fi.

Also, if you share one computer's wi-fi with another, the host cannot be allowed to sleep or wi-fi is lost.

A fairly comprehensive (based on Apple hardware, software, with general info) site:

•AirPort + Wi-fi + General Wi-Fi - Apple Support:

https://ssl.apple.com/support/airport/wifi/

Within your running computer, you can find the settings allocated your built-in wi-fi setup configuration and

then see (by trial & error, or by sleuthing databases) if any changes to the settings, or change in hardware,

or perhaps upgrade to newer more supported OS X, could allow it to be adapted for use with a newer wi-fi

network. The AirPort Utility allows you to access a base station, perhaps limited benefit w/ 3rd party wi-fi.

If you do not have a guide to ARRIS DG1660 for general purposes, look into references here:

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=Arris+DG1660+manual

Hopefully some of this may help, if not now at a later time. The links above are currently active.

You should be able to make a computer work at your residence, or in a mobile situation, by

setting up Locations for those places with free access points, etc; and a Location for your own

work or business. Then, you'd not be using the Automatic location, when elsewhere. Or, you

can use one computer to see about sharing the internet wi-fi with another; or use Ethernet

and set up a small Ethernet network for the older computer as a workaround at home, etc.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂