[fletch521]

My local phone company (Ameritech) is now offering DSL in my area. After I talked with them I was told that to use a Mac, (iMac 333MHz) I would need a $450.00 router? And also the monthly service would cost $30.00 a month more than their normal service.

I was under the impression that DSL connected via the Ethernet port and that a Mac didn't need anything more. The person on the phone didn't know much about Mac's

Can anyone help fill in where the phonecompany came up short?

Fletch

[yoyo52]

Hey, you're getting the royal runaround. A DSL line carries a signal that's as available to a Mac as to a PC. All you need is a DSL modem--which certainly does not cost $400! And, of course, you need to be close enough to the phone company's switching station so that the DSL will work. Once the DSL line is in, connect it to the DSL modem with an ethernet cable, and connect the modem to your ethernet port. Set TCP/IP to connect via ethernet and to use a DHCP server, and you ought to be in business. On the other hand, I'd be VERY leery of a company that gives you the information you reported. Why not find another company that services your area? The actual DSL line is run to your place of residence by the local phone company, so there are lots of companies that act as ISPs and contract the phone company to run the DSL line. I guess my last thought is SHOP AROUND!

[l008com]

Cable is also a good alternatvie. The only thing you have to kepe in mind (with both Calbe and DSL) is that macs have problems with DHCP servers due to loose DHCP standards. You have to 'play' with it alot to get it to work.

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I see dead people.