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Chimpmaster · Mar 17, 2003, 05:14 AM

Hi all,

I currently run my adsl connection through my original (around 3 years old) airport base station, to my 2 clients, my ibook and fp imac, both with airport cards.

Looks like I am moving to an area where I cant get adsl, but I can get isdn (64kb/128kb dual channel).

From all reports its a decent service, with excellent latency (sub 50ms to local servers), and reasonably priced.

How can I deliver isdn via airport in my new network?

The isdn device has a usb interface (and complete with drivers suitable for OSX).

1) Can I use a usb ---> ethernet converter? Do they exist? Ive seen ethernet ----> usb converters but not the other way round. If i was to do this it would directly connect to the airport base station. I doubt this method would work though.

2) If not, can I share the connection by directly connecting the usb isdn interface to my imac, and then connecting a network cable directly from my imacs ethernet port to my airport base station? My airport base station is the original type which means it doesnt have a wan port like the newer ones. It does have a standard ethernet port for input, but can I utilise this port to share the connection directly from my imac to the aiport device?

3) Otherwise can I share my isdn connection from the imac to the ibook remotely by using the imac as a software base station (utilising the ability to directly connect from imac to ibook as each machine has an airport card), and also share the connection to my xbox via a cross over cable directly from the imac.

Getting complicated; sorry guys. Can anyone offer me advice or do I have to be a pioneer here

Camelot · Mar 17, 2003, 09:12 AM

By far your simplest solution would be to throw away the USB ISDN adapter and get an ethernet-equipped one.

Then you connect your ethernet port of your base station to the ethernet port on the ISDN adapter and you're all set.

Using the USB adapter is not going to work for you. You could connect it to one Mac, and use Internet Connection Sharing on that Mac to act as a bridge to the other computer, but the Mac doing the sharing would have to be on all the time, and you wouldn't be able to use your AirPort Base Station.

Typically, the base stations also have better signal strength (read: distance/coverage area) than Macs acting as base stations, so that might also be a factor.

You might be able to get away with sharing the Mac's ethernet link (as opposed to the AirPort link), and use the base station in bridging mode. This would enable you to connect the XBox, too (via a hub or switch), but still requires the Mac to be on all the time. A crossover cable to connect the XBox will not work since connection sharing cannot share across two links at the same time (i.e. it can share the ISDN line with the ethernet OR the AirPort link, but not both).

Again, a ethernet-equipped ISDN TA would make life much simpler.

aaanorton · Mar 17, 2003, 10:07 AM

What about cable internet? Is that available?

Chimpmaster · Mar 17, 2003, 07:09 PM

Originally posted by aaanorton:
What about cable internet? Is that available?

No unfortunately not. A lot of homes in australia are too far away from the telephone exchange to receive dsl (i think greater than 4 kms is the rule here) and non urban areas in australia arent cabled.

Satellite and isdn are the only broadband options for a lot of people here.

If you think about it logically, australia is about as big as the usa geographically, but with only around 1/10 the population (kind of like canada).

Dsl is freely available here, but there are issues with pair gain being used by telecos to extend the distance of houses to an exchange at the expense of dsl.

AS for the isdn solution, why cant i just hook up my ethernet hub to the ethernet port on my imac, and then share the connection to the xbox and the airport device via the hub?

The only other option i can think of (not ideal) is that i use the isdn connection via usb to my imac. Share the connection to my xbox with a cross over cable, and connect the ibook via airport using a voice rather than a data call as required (the isdn connection is essential 2x 64kb voice/data lines).

This would mean that when the ibook is not in use i get the full 128kb connection to the imac and/or xbox, and when it is in use or if someone is on the phone, a line is available for voice or the ibook (and no call connection cost due to the digital isdn line), and a single 64kb digital line is available to the imac and xbox.

This should work, assuming i can share my connection directly to the xbox from the imac via a cross over cable.

Thoughts?

Camelot · Mar 18, 2003, 04:46 PM

Originally posted by Chimpmaster:
AS for the isdn solution, why cant i just hook up my ethernet hub to the ethernet port on my imac, and then share the connection to the xbox and the airport device via the hub?

You can't do that because the Base Station doesn't 'talk' ISDN. It has a regular V.90 modem in it. While you can connect it to your phone jack, it will only use a regular analog connection and you won't get the benefit of the dual ISDN channels

The only other option I can think of (not ideal) is that i use the isdn connection via usb to my imac. Share the connection to my xbox with a cross over cable, and connect the ibook via airport using a voice rather than a data call as required (the isdn connection is essential 2x 64kb voice/data lines).

This would mean that when the ibook is not in use i get the full 128kb connection to the imac and/or xbox, and when it is in use or if someone is on the phone, a line is available for voice or the ibook (and no call connection cost due to the digital isdn line), and a single 64kb digital line is available to the imac and xbox.

This should work, assuming i can share my connection directly to the xbox from the imac via a cross over cable.

Thoughts?

This plan would work as stands, although is a little cumbersome. I still think an ethernet-based ISDN router would be your best bet. You can have my old one if you want to pay the shipping. I'm pretty sure it still works.

chabig · Mar 18, 2003, 08:54 PM

AS for the isdn solution, why cant i just hook up my ethernet hub to the ethernet port on my imac, and then share the connection to the xbox and the airport device via the hub?

You can absolutely do this and it will probably be your second best solution right behind throwing away the ISDN adapter and replacing it with a combo ISDN terminal adapter/ethernet router.

Make sure you set up the base station to NOT distribute IP addresses. That way the iMac will be responsible for assigning all of the address on your network.

Chris

P.S. For Camelot...I think you misunderstood his plan. He want to connect the ISDN terminal adapter to his iMac via its USB port. Then use the iMac to share the connection with the rest of his ethernet network, both wired and wireless.

Camelot · Mar 18, 2003, 11:24 PM

Originally posted by chabig:

P.S. For Camelot...I think you misunderstood his plan. He want to connect the ISDN terminal adapter to his iMac via its USB port. Then use the iMac to share the connection with the rest of his ethernet network, both wired and wireless.

No, Chabig, I didn't miss this point.

As I stated in my earlier post, the built in Internet Connection Sharing will only support ONE interface.

If your USB modem is used for your uplink to the net, you can share that with wired computers, OR wireless ones, but not both at the same time.

That's not to say it can't be done, but it's a huge PITA, and way more than clicking the checkbox in network prefs.

Chimpmaster · Mar 19, 2003, 12:14 AM

hopefully anyway.

I checked out the hardware and it IS an isdn modem/router.

Well, it is a usb isdn modem with 2 ethernet ports as well, so i figure it should work quote well for what i am wanting to do.

Well, hopefully. Time will tell...

chabig · Mar 19, 2003, 12:51 AM

No, Chabig, I didn't miss this point.

As I stated in my earlier post, the built in Internet Connection Sharing will only support ONE interface.

You are right. But his plan was to just share with one wired interface--out his ethernet port to a hub. The Airport Base Station is connected to the hub, as is his wired Xbox. He would not, then, use the airport capability of the iMac.

Chris

Chimpmaster · Mar 19, 2003, 04:47 PM

So do we agree that solution would work?

isdn modem/router--->usb interface--->imac

imac--->ethernet interface--->hub--->xbox & airport

OR

isdn modem/router--->usb interface--->imac

&

isdn modem/router--->ethernet interface on modem/router--->airport device

Now thinking about the above 2 solutions, the former might work, but the latter wouldnt because the isdn modem/router wouldnt be supported by the airport device, right?

So are we in agreement that the first solution will work?

chabig · Mar 19, 2003, 05:14 PM

Yes. I think your first solution will work.

Chris

Chimpmaster · Mar 19, 2003, 07:32 PM

Well, I did up a diagram in omnigraffle of the proposed solution. You can check it out here .

When I get around to implementing it, Ill post here to let you guys know if I was successful.

Id appreciate any feedback on the diagram too.

chabig · Mar 19, 2003, 07:39 PM

Nice diagram. Very impressive.

Chris