[ice_snuff]

im thinking of getting a new mac and i need to know if aol is compatible with macs or if not any other broad band companies who are compatible with macs

[osxisfun]

actually, the mac is most compatible with DSL etc. I've found in all my days that hooking up broadband to a mac "just works".

I have used verizon and earthlink.

I am not sure if some dsl companies still do this but stay away from ppoe? if you can. A while ago ppoe was a type of dsl that would "knock you off" after a period of inactivity.

you then had to press a "connect" button to "get the dsl connected" again...

[ice_snuff]

well at the moment im using bt broad band on a pc
i went on the website to see if it was compatible with macs so i was just wondering which provider works with mac

aol has the best packages but i dont know if it compatible with mac so i dont know which broadband to choose

help please...

[JonoG4]

AOL is a joke... afaik, they don't even supply broadband internet. You use your own ISP and then you can use their super dooper AOL software. Just pick a good ISP in your area and avoid AOL. Check www.dslreports.com for ISP reviews.

BTW, you won't find an ISP that doesn't' work on the Mac, it's all standard internet protocols.

[Grrr]

Originally posted by ice_snuff:
im thinking of getting a new mac and i need to know if aol is compatible with macs or if not any other broad band companies who are compatible with macs

Yes, you can use AOL with Macs, although my personal experience of AOL on Macs was pretty crap. I'd steer clear and choose another ISP.
You don't say where you are, but any broadband connection will work on a mac. However, some ISP's claim they don't support Macs, even though it will work, the difference being that they have no set up instructions or tech support for mac users. But fortunately such ISP's are in the minority and set up on a Mac is incredibly easy to figure out yourself anyway. in fact in most cases, it's automatic, as the OS does the hard graft for you.

PS, i'd also avoid USB modems which some ISP dish out as part of the package.

[TETENAL]

The Mac can auto-connect on demand, so you never really notice when you are being "knocked off". PPPoE works just fine.

Every internet provider is compatible with Mac. If the provider offers additional "special software" like AOL does, this software might suck on Mac or not be available at all. Usually nobody wants to use this stuff anyway.

Edit:
Grr's advice is important. Avoid USB-modem at all costs. Choose the Ethernet-modem.

[Chuckit]

To my knowledge, AOL for Broadband works with the Mac, though I don't think they have the same AOL for Broadband software that they have on the PC. At any rate, I wouldn't recommend AOL for any platform. It's just not a very good ISP overall. I use Earthlink broadband and get more than I did with AOL. Unless you use AOL-specific features (like...uh...pretty much just its message boards these days), you'll generally find a better deal elsewhere. AOL's customer service, by all accounts, is atrocious too.

Yeah, that kind of turned into an anti-AOL rant. But I think it answered your question, anyway.

[ice_snuff]

im in the uk and im not sure if the broadband i use works withs macs because on the website it says
"Our BT Broadband Basic package is not Mac compatible."
i guess it doesnt work . what isp's would you guys reccomend

[bbales]

We have SBC and while the Mac support is iffy, all works well. For the kids, I even fork over an extra $15 a month, with the "bring your own access" plan. AOL works fine.

Not sure you really need it, though. I mch prefer SBC as a provider.

[analogika]

Originally posted by ice_snuff:
im in the uk and im not sure if the broadband i use works withs macs because on the website it says
"Our BT Broadband Basic package is not Mac compatible."
i guess it doesnt work . what isp's would you guys reccomend

That's because the ****ing morons supply you with a USB DSL modem WHICH DOESN'T WORK.

It works fine with Windows, but USB IS NOT A NETWORKING PROTOCOL.

There, I'll say it again: USB IS NOT A NETWORKING PROTOCOL.

Basically, before you sign up for broadband, just ask if they will send you an Ethernet-connected modem/router.
If they won't, tell them to go **** themselves.

I've also seen providers (notably T-DSL here in Germany) that will supply you with a wireless router that cannot be configured by any browser available for OS 9, nor with Internet Exploder or Safari under OS X. You need Netscape/Mozilla 7.1 or Firefox, but then it works just fine.

-s*

[PurpleGiant]

Originally posted by ice_snuff:
"Our BT Broadband Basic package is not Mac compatible."

Some companies say this just because they don't 'support' Macs (due to not wanting to train support staff on Mac and Windows). It's pretty damn hard to have a broadband service that *isn't* compatible with Macs.

[Grrr]

Originally posted by ice_snuff:
im in the uk and im not sure if the broadband i use works withs macs because on the website it says
"Our BT Broadband Basic package is not Mac compatible."
i guess it doesnt work . what isp's would you guys reccomend

Im in the UK also, and using Pipex for my ISP. Works well enough I find, very reliable, although there are cheaper deals around now. But not so much better that its worth me changing. Plus i have no download limits, which you'll find many of the cheaper ISP's have.

www.pipex.net
Also check www.adslguide.org.uk/ tons of good brit based ISP advice on there (ADSL as well as cable)
If you need to buy a modem (ethernet/wireless of course, not USB) try www.dslsource.co.uk Even has a mac section. Although most broadband/networking hardware is cross platform anyway.

Assuming you mean you are with BT internet now? Then I can assure you it will work, its just that perhaps the basic package includes a USB modem? Which probably isnt supported on Macs. Just buy an ethernet one for �50, problem solved. Just don't expect any Mac related tech support from BT. But I don't think you would need it.

[RonnieoftheRose]

Originally posted by analogika:
That's because the ****ing morons supply you with a USB DSL modem WHICH DOESN'T WORK.

Correct. If you're going broadband ignore USB broadband modems. Only get modems that connect to the ethernet port.

[Millennium]

Originally posted by ice_snuff:
im thinking of getting a new mac and i need to know if aol is compatible with macs or if not any other broad band companies who are compatible with macs

AOL is compatible with Macs. In fact, the very earliest versions of AOL as we know it today were Mac-only, and up until AOL 3.0 releases came out on the Mac first. Then things started going downhill.

The AOL Client for OSX is somewhat behind the times nowadays; it's roughly equivalent to AOL 8.0 on the PC (though not as bloated). It'll get the job done, though I recommend using something else for Web browsing. AOL for OSX uses Gecko for its Web browser -the same engine that powers Firefox- but it's a much older version of Gecko that isn't as good. That said, the client is fine for everything else.

AOL Communicator also exists for the Mac. Its feature set is somewhat limited -it only supports Mail, IM, and Address Book- but if this is all you need then it works great. I actually recommend this over the AOL Client, if you can do it.

There's a beta of something called the "AOL Service Assistant" which doesn't actually use the AOL Client at all. It sets you up to use Mail.app for your e-mail, iChat for your Instant Messaging, AddressBook.app for your address book, and Safari as your Web browser. This shows a lot of promise, but it does have one drawback: you need to connect with AOL for Mac OS X at least once first, because it imports all of your settings from there.

Finally, if you use dial-up, the AirPort Base Station can actually connect directly to AOL, with no need for a client at all. However, it doesn't sound as though you're using dial-up.

Anyway, as for broadband, almost all broadband providers work with the Mac nowadays. The only real thing to watch out for is that you need to use Ethernet, not USB, to hook into their network. Ethernet is a better technology anyway, and most cable, DSL, and satellite modems are able to use both of them. AOL works with broadband on the Mac, so there are no problems there either.

[philm]

Hi, I have set up the following people with Macs and UK broadband companies:

Me on NTL
My boss on BT
My mate on Virgin
My Dad on Tiscali

I have a ethernet set-top box with NTL. The others were with USB modems. Although the USB modems work OK, it doesn't feel quite right, so you should try and get an ethernet modem although this might not be easy. If I were doing someone else now, a Mac support e-mail list which I am on (and whose views I respect) recommends Plus Net.

[SMacTech]

My friend uses AOL for OS X on 10.3.8 and has continual problems with it locking up. Only AOL locks up, not the OS. A force quit and reboot fixes the problem for a while.

PPoE should not be a problem, for as many times I have installed it for several ISPs, it always worked. This was even when they claimed they didn't support Macs.

[moodymonster]

I would second (or third) looking at http://www.adslguide.org.uk/ you can compare ISPs there.

I'm with http://www.ndo.com/
I went with them 'cause at the time I knew nothing about ADSL and they seemed to have glowing reports and offered mac support. I've never used their support They were ahead of schedule moving my line over when I started and the reliability and speed is very good - I can't remember the last time they were down.

I haven't heard the greatest things about BT, also something to do with the system used NDO are popular with gamers (low pings or something - not really my area).

I got my own stuff to connect up (modem and router) from: http://www.adslnation.com/

Obviously I would like to pay less - I have unlimited 512K @ �19 per month - although this is after 12 months and I called them up to ask them to lower the price, it was �24. Depending on the package you get with them, they pay the BT connection charge for you, or not, and can also supply gear (I'd suggest getting your own though).

broadband is good - especially if you can get a wireless router and have an iBook/powerbook - we've got 4 macs (2 wireless/2 wired) running off the same router).

hope that's of some use to ya

PS as said previously: avoid USB, go ethernet

[ice_snuff]

why wats so bad about usb?
does anyone know if bt does ethernet?

thanks for all the replys so far

[Millennium]

Originally posted by ice_snuff:
why wats so bad about usb?

Nothing's bad about USB, as long as you use it for what it was designed for: low-bandwidth input devices like mice and keyboards. However, when you try using it for higher-bandwidth applications such as networking, it starts to show problems. For one thing, it was designed in such a way that it uses more system resources than any comparable technology; this is not much of a problem with low-bandwidth applications, but when you start to do things like networking it becomes a real problem.

This is compounded by the fact that most USB networking devices use USB1 rather than USB2. Ethernet is much faster than USB1, and the type of Ethernet which comes with most new Macs nowadays is even faster than USB2.

does anyone know if bt does ethernet?

ISPs don't do "Ethernet", per se. The devices you use to hook into them do. Almost all DSL and cable modems nowadays can do both. If you have a broadband provider now, you might want to check and see if yours does. The Ethernet port has a large square-ish jack, as opposed to the small rectangular jacks used by USB.

[ice_snuff]

ok so is usb just slower when used with macs?

[Link]

Originally posted by ice_snuff:
ok so is usb just slower when used with macs?

Hardly, but there ARE many faster options to consider..

Most notably ethernet.. First off, AOL DSL is nonstandard by far.. it's being provided to you by another ISP though -- I suggest checking with your phone company..

This will usually get you a MUCH BETTER deal on your internet service -- plus they'll send you out an ethernet modem.. kill 2 birds with 1 stone ya know?

[Grrr]

Originally posted by ice_snuff:
why wats so bad about usb?
does anyone know if bt does ethernet?

thanks for all the replys so far

As Millennium said.. USB is truly awful for modems on Macs. And not really so hot on PC's either. It just isn't a networking protocol. I have actually used them before, so I speak from experience. The drivers were hardly even good enough to be called alpha. Plus its not an 'always on' connection with USB. As if that wasnt enough, as USB modems use drivers and whatnot, they also have CPU overheads, which relatively speaking, Ethernet does not, as all its drivers are built into the OS. Thats why you dont really have to configure the Mac with ethernet. But the ethernet modem will want a couple of ISP/user account details entered for it to work, but this is easy enough, as you access that through a web browser interface.
Im guessing you are on BT adsl, so just ditch the USB modem they probably dished out, in favour of an inexpensive ethernet one. Thats all you need to do.

[TETENAL]

Originally posted by ice_snuff:
ok so is usb just slower when used with macs?

No, a USB-modem needs special drivers that are either not available for Mac or when available usually of inferior quality.

Ethernet-DSL-modems don't require a driver because Ethernet is a networking port. It just works. Just get an Ethernet-DSL-modem and you can use any ISP with Mac. When you order new you usually have a choice of hardware that your ISP will provide you with. If you already have DSL and you own a USB-modem you can purchase an Ethernet-DSL-modem for about �50.

[homgran]

Originally posted by philm:
If I were doing someone else now, a Mac support e-mail list which I am on (and whose views I respect) recommends Plus Net.

I'm with PlusNet, and their service is fantastic. They have a terrific usenet feed (both text and binary groups - the binaries were recently pruned to improve retention, but if there's a group you want then all you have to do is send an Email and they'll re-include it), first-class customer service and they are extremely reliable. I can only recall four minor (as in it took no more than a couple of hours for normal service to resume) problems with their/BT's network in my three years with them, and I'm quite a heavy user.

One feature of their website that I find particularly cool is the Bandwidth Utilisation page, which shows two graphs indicating how much traffic has passed through their network in the last week.

Apparently PlusNet spend very little money on advertising, and instead rely on word-of-mouth. It seems to be working, given that the PlusNet board on ADSLguide (an excellent site, as recommended in another post) is the busiest broadband-related message board on the entire site.

Regarding ethernet vs. USB for connecting to the internet, I strongly advise you to go along with what everyone else has said and treat yourself to an ethernet router - after all, ethernet was specifically designed for high-speed networking. My router's been on 24/7 for years, and you honestly wouldn't even know it was there. On the other hand, I have a Windows-using friend who's been having a terrible time with his USB modem, with frequent drop-outs which sometimes lead to a system-wide freeze.

I really wish ISPs would stop trying to force inferior products on their potential customers. Such "offers" would turn me away rather than lure me in.


-Matt

[futurehead]

I'm on PIPEX in the U.K. and am very happy. As someone said, they are not the cheapest, but their service is reliable, has no download limits, and their personalised on-line tech help is excellent. I recently upgraded my godawful usb modem for a wireless router. There is no comparison. Spend the extra on a router and you will be set up and happy in minutes.

Rich

[frankiec]

Originally posted by ice_snuff:
im thinking of getting a new mac and i need to know if aol is compatible with macs or if not any other broad band companies who are compatible with macs

Sometimes I wonder if you people think if the table your Mac sits on is "compatible" or if the air surrounding your Mac is "compatible" or if the electrical outlet your Mac plugs into is "compatible."

[frankiec]

Originally posted by SMacTech:
My friend uses AOL for OS X on 10.3.8 and has continual problems with it locking up. Only AOL locks up, not the OS. A force quit and reboot fixes the problem for a while.

PPoE should not be a problem, for as many times I have installed it for several ISPs, it always worked. This was even when they claimed they didn't support Macs.

Why anyone would use AOL is beyond me.

Usually when they claim they don't support Macs it's because they're support staff is too unintelligent to answer any support calls to tell them to "reboot your computer and don't call back." It's not like they're using some new type of PC-only TCP/IP. Not yet anyways, Microsoft still doesn't control everything.

[newcomer]

Sorry to resurrect a dormant thread - seemed the most sensible place to pose the question:

My folks (who have a G4 800Mhz iMac - OS 10.2.8) are about to sign up for a broadband package with "Madasafish" who claim to support Macs and bundle the BT Voyager 205 with their broadband deals.

This modem has one USB socket and another for Ethernet. Presumably, if they only intended the modem for use with one computer, by connecting to the Ethernet port, they would avoid all the kernel panic nastiness associated with the USB connection?

If the 205 works well for them I might consider getting one myself. I'm with Demon, who gave me a Speedtouch USB modem. This modem sometimes causes kernel panics on my iBook and quite often I have difficulty connecting, getting a "Selected Communication device does not exist" message.

All very frustrating. So would you go with the Voyager 205, using the Ethernet port, or would you recommend a different Ethernet modem?

[CharlesS]

Yes, if it has an Ethernet port, it will work with your Mac. Some modems also include a USB port on the same device - I have no idea why. Are there really computers out there that have USB ports and not Ethernet ports?! But anyway, it's actually a blessing in disguise, because a lot of the time you get a free USB cable included in the package which you can then use to connect whatever other USB equipment you may have. Those USB cables usually cost about 8 or 9 bucks, so hey, what a deal, right?

[JKT]

Not in this case - the USB cable is not the standard USB connector at the end that plugs into the Voyager modem... the reason they add it is so that you can have two machines attached to the one modem (though lord knows why it isn't just a second ethernet port).

If it were me, I would get myself a decent Linksys or Netgear router (maybe wireless if I could afford it) rather than the Voyager. That way you can have e.g. 4 ethernet ports, a hardware firewall, etc.

[analogika]

Remember that there are still Windows PCs out there that didn't ship with an Ethernet port.

Just because it's been standard on Macs for over ten years doesn't mean there aren't underprivileged people out there who might still find a USB-connected modem useful. (For some reason, some ISP's Windows software assumes that you'll want to use USB even if you have Ethernet built-in)

[RevEvs]

Hey, I'm in the UK and use PIPEX.

You can use any provider you want though in theory. Simply buy a adsl router (one available for about £25 at ebuyer.co.uk) and use that to connect, then put a ethernet cable between that and the mac. voila!

[viruscool]

Ok, if your from the UK, you really have to watch out for some hidden T&C that some ISP's have, first up are Pipex, they give you an unlimited service, but they use traffic shaping. This means you get p*ss poor speeds when downloading, the same can be said for PlusNet. I'm using Freedom 2 Surf at the moment, they used to be the best ISP around until Pipex took over and started their traffic shaping.
At the moment a lot of UK ISP's are starting to put restrictions on their service, whether it's adding a bandwidth cap to a previously uncapped service, or using traffic shaping, you really need to watch out and investigate. I'm in the middle of migrating from Freedom 2 Surf as I've had enough of Pipex's traffic shaping tactics, I'm jumping over to IDNet 1MB with a 30GB cap for £19 is a really good offer for the UK.

[romeosc]

I use Earthlink cable broadband (they use Time Warner RoadRunner here).

If I am on road (as I am for months at a time) I get 20 hours of free dial-up as well as having my network at home still up. Great to use Skype for calling wife when hotels have broadband!

Earthlink gives you 8 mailboxes, but I have a ton of Gmail accounts too!

[ghporter]

This traffic shaping stuff will happen until the infrasturcture capacity exceeds demand. More and more people are signing up for broadband all the time, but it takes time (and LOTS of money) to expand the infrastructure to provide tons of bandwidth to tons of people. That means that, to keep everyone at a minimum level of capacity they have to limit everyone's speeds.

Does it suck for the user? Yes. But it would suck more if somebody were able to start a 20gazillion megabyte file downloading and thus keep you from checking your email. Traffic shaping makes everyone's "pipe" the same width, so even though it's not fun, it is fair.

[jbleisure]

I personally wouldn't use BT for Broadband as they don't offer the best options for usage. I use http://www.plus.net/
And find them to be very good. Knowledgeable and helpful phone support (based in the UK) and a variety of packages, good speeds and no nonsense.

[goofticket]

Im using McLeodUSA for DSL and getting 1.1MB up and 1.3MB down.
Ran test on several broadband test websites and all were within 1KB of each other.
Hooked up the modem and Tiger just asked for ID and password, in Network Pref Panel under TCP/IP and DHCP and was online in seconds.
I also share it with my G3 via a hub, and the OS9 only needed the ID and passwrd too.
I am happy with McLeod's service and more so with price. they have a promo going for $19.99 per month for one full year, if you have their phone serice which is cheaper than SBC.