[lipgut]

This Christmas I got what I wanted , witch is a Emac OS X version 10.4.11 . I have never owned a mac before , I have always been a PC kinda guy but I thought it was time for a little bit of change . Vista drove me over the edge. So everything is fine and dandy till I try to hook the Ethernet cord into my Emac . It says its not plugged in. So I have came to the conclusion with the help of google/ previous owner that I need to enable the internet it self. I have a little problem , I can't find out how to do this , I have looked for many tutorials and other information but I just can't find out how. I have been told by 4 people to do this , but I don't know how! So if someone could assist me on this matter it would help LOTS. Please someone fix this so my first Mac experience isn't terrible. Thank you for reading!

[64stang06]

Please don't think I'm making you out to be stupid, I'm not.

Do you already have internet access? Are you plugging the ethernet cable in both the broadband modem and the computer? If so, try these steps:

Go to the Apple menu (top left), and click on System Preferences. From there, click on Network. Once that screen loads, what does the status under ethernet say?

[lipgut]

Lol ... I wouldn't think you were making me out to look stupid and yes it hooked into both modem and computer. Yes the cord is not damaged it works fine. It was the old cord I was using for my PC.

It says its not plugged in. and beside it all that mombo jumbo it has a red dot.

[ibook_steve]

If it has a red dot, that means that you're not getting a valid connection and no valid IP address. Or worse: you have a bad ethernet port. Try another cable if you have it.

Do you need to use PPPoE to connect? Is this DSL or cable?

Steve

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally Posted by lipgut 

Lol ... I wouldn't think you were making me out to look stupid and yes it hooked into both modem and computer. Yes the cord is not damaged it works fine. It was the old cord I was using for my PC.

It says its not plugged in. and beside it all that mombo jumbo it has a red dot.

Does it say, VERBATIM, "not plugged in" - i.e. that there is no cable attached? Or does it say "not connected"?

Understand that the mumbo jumbo usually tells you exactly what's going on.

[64stang06]

Try this:

1) Power off the modem
2) Power off the computer
3) Make sure the cables are securely attached to the computer and modem
4) Turn the computer on and wait for it to start
5) Turn the modem on and wait until it's ready
6) Open System Preferences and see what the status is for Ethernet

Sometimes, power cycling the modem and computer helps get a connection.

[Cold Warrior]

If it is a cable broadband modem and you connect directly to your computer (the previous one, but now the eMac), then the problem is MAC address authentication -- which is what I believe 64stang is alluding to.

I'm moving this to Networking also.

[lipgut]

If it has a red dot, that means that you're not getting a valid connection and no valid IP address. Or worse: you have a bad ethernet port. Try another cable if you have it.

Do you need to use PPPoE to connect? Is this DSL or cable?

Steve

Its PPPoE.

Does it say, VERBATIM, "not plugged in" - i.e. that there is no cable attached? Or does it say "not connected"?

Understand that the mumbo jumbo usually tells you exactly what's going on.

It says it not plugged in.

1) Power off the modem
2) Power off the computer
3) Make sure the cables are securely attached to the computer and modem
4) Turn the computer on and wait for it to start
5) Turn the modem on and wait until it's ready
6) Open System Preferences and see what the status is for Ethernet

Sometimes, power cycling the modem and computer helps get a connection.

I will try this and get back to you.

If it is a cable broadband modem and you connect directly to your computer (the previous one, but now the eMac), then the problem is MAC address authentication -- which is what I believe 64stang is alluding to.

I'm moving this to Networking also.

\

I had you till this part
"which is what I believe 64stang is alluding to. "

and thanks for moving it


I will check back tomorow to update you guys on where I'm at.

Thank to you all for the replies!

[Big Mac]

If you're having PPPoE trouble, the easiest thing to do is to buy a router. Routers handle PPPoE much more reliably than computer software clients do.

[ghporter]

The part "64stang is alluding to" is the way cable modems often require being powered off before you connect a new device (computer, router, etc.) to their Ethernet ports. They often refuse to connect to a new device unless you first power them down and THEN connect the new device before powering up the modem again.

Are you 100% sure your Ethernet cable is good? A bad port is far less likely than a bum cable, which can be replaced for a pittance. Do you have another cable you could use? Do you have any other network hardware you could try the cable you're already working with in?