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jimcpherson · Dec 15, 2003, 02:26 PM

Do wireless routers from Linksys work with Macs? Specifically the Wireless-G Broadband Router. I can't find any documentation on their website for compatibility. I have a Powerbook with built in airport card, but want to use a 802.11g Cardbus adapter from Asante instead. Does anyone know if this will work? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

ghporter · Dec 15, 2003, 02:47 PM

Since the "G" standard has been finalized, all 802.11g devices should work with each other. Linksys has been one of the few brands that I have NOT heard tons of compatibility issues about-Apple's AirPort Extreme Base Station has had lots of problems, even with Macs!

Arkham_c · Dec 15, 2003, 03:05 PM

I'd guess that the "G" models work fine. I have a "B" model and it works great with my iBook.

jimcpherson · Dec 15, 2003, 05:00 PM

thanks kindly.

poisonmonkey · Dec 15, 2003, 05:06 PM

Originally posted by jimcpherson:
Do wireless routers from Linksys work with Macs? Specifically the Wireless-G Broadband Router.

They work fine. I use the WRT54G and I have no compatibility issues. To set it up, plug it in to your DSL/Cable Model and configure using your Internet Browser of choice.

If you use Linksys, I think the default IP to logon into is 168.192.1.1

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Dec 15, 2003, 05:21 PM

I had LOTS of problems with LinkSys routers in the past always crashing every few days plus if they know you have a Mac they will hang up on you if you call tech support.

Try Netgear, much better.

aaanorton · Dec 15, 2003, 07:12 PM

Are you sure you want a g router? What else will be on the network?

[APi]TheMan · Dec 15, 2003, 07:51 PM

Originally posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker:
I had LOTS of problems with LinkSys routers in the past always crashing every few days plus if they know you have a Mac they will hang up on you if you call tech support.

Try Netgear, much better.

Wow. I've been a Linksys guy for a few years now, but I recently questioned my following when my 802.11b (BEFSW11, I believe) began needing a power cycling a few times every day. I went through a few rounds of upgrading and downgrading the firmware, but now I've not had too many problems with it. Our house is a mix of Mac and PC clients and my Airport card is happy as a clam whereas my roommate's USB 802.11b adapter gives him trouble sometimes.

I have realized, however, that I do need to reset the router every other week or so, which isn't too big of a deal. Over all I'd say that Linksys and your Mac should play just fine together.

Landos Mustache · Dec 15, 2003, 08:20 PM

Originally posted by [APi]TheMan:
I have realized, however, that I do need to reset the router every other week or so, which isn't too big of a deal. Over all I'd say that Linksys and your Mac should play just fine together.

What??? That is horrible? You accept that you have to reboot it every WEEK? My netgear and d-links haven't been touched in 4 months. My neighbours d-Link went for a year without ever being reset.

With my linksys the router was in my apartment and when it crashed it killed all the other computers access in the house. Since they don't have access to my apartment they would have to wait for me to come home to reboot it.

With the netgear it has only crashed once in a year.

[APi]TheMan · Dec 16, 2003, 03:00 PM

Originally posted by Landos Mustache:
What??? That is horrible? You accept that you have to reboot it every WEEK? My netgear and d-links haven't been touched in 4 months. My neighbours d-Link went for a year without ever being reset.

With my linksys the router was in my apartment and when it crashed it killed all the other computers access in the house. Since they don't have access to my apartment they would have to wait for me to come home to reboot it.

With the netgear it has only crashed once in a year.

About every other week. But yeah, I'm a pretty easy-going kinda guy, so I don't let stuff like that bug me. I shouldn't have to put up with it, but honestly it only takes a minute or so, and I'm not home much. Next time I will do more research before I purchase a new router. I'm glad that I have a lot less problems with it than my PC roommates that have Linksys wireless PCMCIA cards... talk about lame!

jimcpherson · Dec 18, 2003, 09:47 AM

OK. So now I have my linksys router. How do I make it work? I want my computer (eMac) hooked up via ethernet cable and use my PowerBook with airport card installed to connect wirelessly. There's absolutely no documentation included with the router (or on their website) about configuring Macs.

ghporter · Dec 18, 2003, 05:20 PM

You configure the Mac exctly the same way you'd configure a PC per the instructions-except you have to figure out where in Mac OS to do the settings called for.

The eMac should be simple; the basic default setting for both the Linksys box and your Mac are to use DHCP. Wireless is different...

First you need to go into the Linksys box and change the admin password and SSID (Apple calls that the Network Name), select an appropriate encryption option (most people use shared keys; you need to creat one here in hexadecimal) and select a channel. Write all this stuff down!!!

Now you go into the Admin Utility (or Setup Assistant if you haven't configured your AirPort card yet) and enter this data in the appropriate tabs and fields. It's not complicated, and the latest versions of the Admin Utility make it easier for you to enter hex encryption keys correctly.

Is that enough to get you started, or do you need more step-by-step instructions?

John Strung · Dec 19, 2003, 10:12 AM

You will find everything you need to know here:

http://www.ibookzone.com/linksys.shtml

jimcpherson · Dec 19, 2003, 10:41 AM

This looks great, assuming there's no substantial difference between the OS 9 setup and 10.3. Thanks.

Disgruntled Head of C-3PO · Dec 19, 2003, 04:01 PM

Originally posted by jimcpherson:
OK. So now I have my linksys router. How do I make it work? I want my computer (eMac) hooked up via ethernet cable and use my PowerBook with airport card installed to connect wirelessly. There's absolutely no documentation included with the router (or on their website) about configuring Macs.

Like I told you they have Zero Mac support. ZERO!

John Strung · Dec 19, 2003, 07:00 PM

Originally posted by jimcpherson:
This looks great, assuming there's no substantial difference between the OS 9 setup and 10.3. Thanks.

Much the same. Just make sure that PPPoE is disabled in the PPPoE tab in the Network Prefs panel.

ghporter · Dec 19, 2003, 09:13 PM

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
Like I told you they have Zero Mac support. ZERO!

What little support you might need for a Linksys wireless router you can get from a)Linksys' web site and/or b) right here. Linksys uses a browser interface (like just about everyone else in the industry now EXCEPT APPLE) to configure all of its equipment, so there's no software compatibility issues, and upgrading firmware (if you REALLY NEED to do so) is not a problem either.

Early adopters often get cut on the bleeding edge. Count me as one...

jimcpherson · Dec 26, 2003, 12:07 PM

OK, I'm really lost. I can't get this thing (linksys wireless router) to work. Can anyone walk me through it? I'm using 10.3, Linksys Router, Verizon is my DSL provider. I need to get my eMac online when the Linksys is hooked up to it via ethernet (wired) connection. I need to get my Powerbook with AIrport card installed online wirelessly. I tried following the steps in this article, http://www.ibookzone.com/linksys.shtml, but it hasn't helped. Thanks in advance to anyone whi can clue me in.

car1son · Dec 26, 2003, 04:13 PM

"I'm lost" is a little non-specific. Perhaps if you indicated at what stage in the process things went awry, exactly what you did and what did not respond as desired? Were you at least able to connect a browser to the LinkSys's Admin screen? Is there an error message?

I have a very primitive checklist for connecting a powerbook to the LinkSys BEFW11S4 for the first time. It is nowhere near as descriptive as the link John provided, but the screenshots are OS X 10.2 (Jaguar), if that's a help.

jimcpherson · Dec 26, 2003, 04:50 PM

OK. More specifically, using your LinkSys Setup Guide that you linked to, the first problem I run into is Step 6. I don't have Airport listed as an option, only Ethernet and Modem. The second problem is that my Linksys Setup Screen is different from the one in your sreenshots. When I go to http://192.168.1.1
I don't see options such as WAN Connection Type, etc. I'm using the Linksys Wireless-G broadband router with 4-port switch. I'm doing all of this set-up through my eMac which does not have an Airport Card installed. Am I correct in beliveing that this shoould all be setup through the eMac, and then turn on the PowerBook to see if I can use the wireless connection?

John Strung · Dec 26, 2003, 05:53 PM

If you are using your eMac which does not have an Airport card, you won't get an Airport option. If you are using you Powerbook which does have an Airport card installed and you don't have an Airport option, then something is wrong with the installation on the PB (either hardware or software). Maybe you don't have the Airport card turned on.

Connecting from the eMac, just leave the setting at Connect Using Ethernet and Configure using DHCP. If you can access the LinkSys setup program at http://192.168.1.1, this means that your emac is set up properly (or you would not be able to access the setup program.)

Linksys changes its software from time to time. What do you see when you get to 192.168.1.1?

You are correct to try to set it up through the eMac first.

jimcpherson · Dec 26, 2003, 06:24 PM

Works!! Big ups to John Strung and car1son for helping me through this. Hopefully smooth sailing. Thanks.

Disgruntled Head of C-3PO · Dec 27, 2003, 04:13 PM

Originally posted by GHPorter:
What little support you might need for a Linksys wireless router you can get from a)Linksys' web site and/or b) right here. Linksys uses a browser interface (like just about everyone else in the industry now EXCEPT APPLE) to configure all of its equipment, so there's no software compatibility issues, and upgrading firmware (if you REALLY NEED to do so) is not a problem either.

Wait till you have AppleTalk problems

John Strung · Dec 27, 2003, 05:29 PM

LinkSys wireless routers (and in fact most wireless routers) do not support AppleTalk on the wireless side (except AppleTalk over TCP/IP). For most people this is not a problem as plain old AppleTalk (not over TCP/IP) is very much legacy technology.