 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
Mac Forum / General / Networking / May 2008Can I run DSL on this "broken" Mac Pismo?
Recently my 8-year old Pismo finally broke, its dial up modem refuses to work. Everything else is okay on it however. I am very reluctant to junk the old Mac. Fixing/replacing its old modem may not be feasible, or so I am told by several tech' support people. (the old "Spring" modem that Mac model uses may no longer be available as a spare part) My DSL questions ************ 1) Is the Macs internal dial-up modem needed for DSL? 2) Can I use ANY of my six Macs with DSL, or is DSL geared for only one specific Mac? 3) I live in a very rural location, 40 miles from the nearest city; does DSL speed suffer in rural locations? With dialup, I am used to very slow download speeds. It takes 6 minutes for me to download a one GB file. What is the worst-case speed increase I can expect with DSL. Anyone care to guess. Mark- > My DSL questions > ************ > > 1) Is the Macs internal dial-up modem needed for DSL? no > 2) Can I use ANY of my six Macs with DSL, or is DSL > geared for only one specific Mac? Yes > 3) I live in a very rural location, 40 miles from the > nearest city; does DSL speed suffer in rural locations? Call or go to ATT web page to see if you have coverage > ) Is the Macs internal dial-up modem needed for DSL? No; the DSL modem connects to the Mac via ethernet, either directly or through a router. > 2) Can I use ANY of my six Macs with DSL, or is DSL > geared for only one specific Mac? You can use any of them, or all of them with a router. > 3) I live in a very rural location, 40 miles from the > nearest city; does DSL speed suffer in rural locations? You need to be within a specified distance of cable from the switch. I forget what that distance is.  SignatureSupport the troops: Bring them home ASAP. > You need to be within a specified distance of cable from the switch. I > forget what that distance is. No, actually, and technically, you need to be within a specific distance, from the DSlam, and not nessesarily the Telco Switch. In cities the DSlam is colocated with the Switch in your Telco Exchange Office, but typically in rural situations the DSlam is located out in the local neighborhoods Wiring Hub, and the DSL Data is stripped off the Telco Copper Pair at the DSlam, and sent to the ISP's Area Router via T1, T3, or Fiber Carrier Service, and the Telco side is Mutiplexed on a different T1, T3, or Fiber Carrier Service connection back to the Telco Exchange Office where the Switch is located. DSL Service was designed as a Last Mile Connection using the Installed Copper Pair wiring already in place, and the DSlam is where it leaves the Copper and goes into the IP Network, as opposed to the Telco Network. SignatureBruce in alaska add <path> after <fast> to reply > Recently my 8-year old Pismo finally broke, its dial up modem > refuses to work. Everything else is okay on it however. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Fixing/replacing its old modem may not be feasible, or so I am > told by several tech' support people. Apparently, none of these tech support people are capable of doing a Google search for "pismo modem", or, perhaps, they think a cost of $4.99 for the part is prohibitively expensive. http://stores.channeladvisor.com/BetaMacs/Items/15514094 > (the old "Spring" modem that Mac model uses may no longer > be available as a spare part) It most certainly _is_ available. > My DSL questions > ************ > > 1) Is the Macs internal dial-up modem needed for DSL? No, DSL is used via an ethernet port or wireless connection. > 2) Can I use ANY of my six Macs with DSL, or is DSL > geared for only one specific Mac? With a router, as many as you'd like. Without a router, one computer directly connected via ethernet. > 3) I live in a very rural location, 40 miles from the > nearest city; does DSL speed suffer in rural locations? The further you are from the phone company's nearest switching station, the slower your connection. > With dialup, I am used to very slow download speeds. > It takes 6 minutes for me to download a one GB file. > > What is the worst-case speed increase I can expect with DSL. > > Anyone care to guess. Absolute worst case? It doesn't work for you at all. The phone company can tell you what speeds they offer at which price points, but the further you are from the closest switching station the slower your connection, getting down to the point at which it simply won't work, but if you're in such a location odds are they won't offer you the service at all. Signature<http://designsbymike.net/shop/mac.cgi> Mac and geek T-shirts & gifts <http://designsbymike.net/election.shtml> Election 2008 goods. <http://designsbymike.net/shop/prius.cgi> Prius shirts/bumper stickers <http://designsbymike.net/shop/greet.cgi> Holiday cards with attitude > but if you're in such a location odds are they won't offer you the > service at all. Not necessarily so. When my friend ordered telephone service for her new house, they sold her DSL. When she couldn't get it to work, she asked me to help. When I couldn't get it to work, I called Qwest's tech support. Bottom line is that they didn't offer DSL at all in her subdivision. In the meantime, it had been two months since her phone service had been activated, and they had been charging her for DSL service all along. Then we had to go through more bureaucracy to get a refund on those charges as well as on the initial charge for setting up DSL in the first place. SignatureSupport the troops: Bring them home ASAP. > > but if you're in such a location odds are they won't offer you the > > service at all. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Bottom line is that they didn't offer DSL at all in her subdivision. Here, with BellSouth (now AT&T, of course), I don't know what the situation is with someone getting phone service at the location in the first place, but if you already have service and want to add DSL, they look up your phone number and let you know whether DSL is currently available there and, if so, at which speeds. Signature<http://designsbymike.net/shop/mac.cgi> Mac and geek T-shirts & gifts <http://designsbymike.net/election.shtml> Election 2008 goods. <http://designsbymike.net/shop/prius.cgi> Prius shirts/bumper stickers <http://designsbymike.net/shop/greet.cgi> Holiday cards with attitude > > Bottom line is that they didn't offer DSL at all in her > > subdivision. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > they look up your phone number and let you know whether DSL is > currently available there and, if so, at which speeds. Same thing here. They started building this subdivision in 1999, with the first home being occupied in 2000; the last house was finished in early 2003. We still don't have DSL available, though. SignatureSupport the troops: Bring them home ASAP. > In the meantime, it had been two months since her phone service had been > activated, and they had been charging her for DSL service all along. > Then we had to go through more bureaucracy to get a refund on those > charges as well as on the initial charge for setting up DSL in the first > place. Wow! The story the rural phone company gave me was that if my DSL would not work, or be too slow, that they would allow me a 30 day trial period to cancel, with only a $25 charge. Hmm, reality might prove otherwise. Mark- > > 1) Is the Macs internal dial-up modem needed for DSL? > > No, DSL is used via an ethernet port or wireless connection. Or, in some cases, a USB connection (but I'd avoid that, personally, if possible). SignaturePlease send all responses to the relevant news group. E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my very hungry SPAM filter. I do not read posts from Google Groups. Use a real news reader if you want me to see your posts. JR > > Fixing/replacing its old modem may not be feasible, or so I am > > told by several tech' support people. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > It most certainly _is_ available. Yow! - just checked the website you supplied, that modem looks like a snap in model. Changed my mind, it would be downright criminal for me to pay someone else to install something that simple, will do it myself. Thanks again. Mark- > (the old "Spring" modem that Mac model uses may no longer > be available as a spare part) That's what eBay is for. Get a parts machine if you can't find the specific part(s) you need. SignatureNever insult a dude with only half a pair of dueling pistols. - voodoorootbeer on TMBO > Recently my 8-year old Pismo finally broke, its dial up modem > refuses to work. Everything else is okay on it however. [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > > Mark- The DSL distance is approx 18,000 telephone wire feet from the DSL facilities. If DSL is not an option, then maybe get an original graphite airport base station, which has a built-in modem. Then let the graphite airport base station provide your internet connection. Bob Harris > If DSL is not an option, then maybe get an original graphite airport > base station, which has a built-in modem. Then let the graphite > airport base station provide your internet connection. Or an Apple USB modem. SignatureSupport the troops: Bring them home ASAP. > Or an Apple USB modem. If the Pismo is running OS X 10.4.3 or later, and installing Tiger on a Pismo requires using XPostFacto or some other hack. Signature<http://designsbymike.net/shop/mac.cgi> Mac and geek T-shirts & gifts <http://designsbymike.net/election.shtml> Election 2008 goods. <http://designsbymike.net/shop/prius.cgi> Prius shirts/bumper stickers <http://designsbymike.net/shop/greet.cgi> Holiday cards with attitude > > Fixing/replacing its old modem may not be feasible, or so I am > > told by several tech' support people. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > It most certainly _is_ available. Great! - based on your post, I contacted a different "certified Apple repair" establishment. They indeed said it was possible to install a "Spring" modem. Cost to me would be roughly $96 plus the 150 mile round trip to their store in Chico, a "state university town" in northern CA. Well worth it to me, as I have a lot of emotional attachment to that old Mac Pismo. Running OS 10.4.8 on the Pismo, too lazy to bother to try to install anything more recent. Most all of my other Macs use OS 10.5.2 except this old "Lombard" which uses OS10.2.8 Would install the Pismo modem myself, however right now am very busy trying to beat some sense into the medical community here in N. California and southern Oregon. Long story. Hospital administrators can't fathom all the damage and financial loses they are incurring by hiring outside transcription services, as opposed to using Macs with "Dragon". Guess that is why they are administrators, instead of sensible people.<g> Nowadays, lots of the medical transcription services are based in India, which makes for all sorts of problems for long turnaround times for MRI scan paper reports, sometimes as long as a day, while some crictical patient is waiting for a paperwork jam to clear up. Makes for more medical mistakes also, because the physician can't reliably "sync" the paper reports with his own recollection of the patients condition, if too much time passes. You would not believe how many medical mistakes are made, because they are usually covered up. Mark- Salut Mike n article <1ih33u4.xnh4rf166xpd9N%mikePOST@TOGROUPmacconsult.com>, > If the Pismo is running OS X 10.4.3 or later, and installing Tiger on a > Pismo requires using XPostFacto or some other hack. pardon? In my opinion the Pismo has everything required for a straight installation of MacOS X 10.4.x, like G3 and FireWire... Cheers Andreas SignatureMacAndreas Rutishauser, <http://www.MacAndreas.ch> EDV-Dienstleistungen, Hard- und Software, Internet und Netzwerk Beratung, Unterstuetzung und Schulung <mailto:andreas@MacAndreas.ch>, Fon: 044 / 721 36 47 > > If the Pismo is running OS X 10.4.3 or later, and installing Tiger on a > > Pismo requires using XPostFacto or some other hack. > > pardon? In my opinion the Pismo has everything required for a straight > installation of MacOS X 10.4.x, like G3 and FireWire... http://lowendmac.com/pb2/pismo-powerbook-g3-2000.html Signature<http://designsbymike.net/shop/mac.cgi> Mac and geek T-shirts & gifts <http://designsbymike.net/election.shtml> Election 2008 goods. <http://designsbymike.net/shop/prius.cgi> Prius shirts/bumper stickers <http://designsbymike.net/shop/greet.cgi> Holiday cards with attitude > > > If the Pismo is running OS X 10.4.3 or later, and installing Tiger on a > > > Pismo requires using XPostFacto or some other hack. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > http://lowendmac.com/pb2/pismo-powerbook-g3-2000.html looked at that, did not see any mention, that Tiger is not supported as a straight install. <http://www.apple-history.com/?page=gallery&model=pg3sfirewire&performa=o ff&sort=date&order=ASC> SignatureMacAndreas Rutishauser, <http://www.MacAndreas.ch> EDV-Dienstleistungen, Hard- und Software, Internet und Netzwerk Beratung, Unterstuetzung und Schulung <mailto:andreas@MacAndreas.ch>, Fon: 044 / 721 36 47 > > > > If the Pismo is running OS X 10.4.3 or later, and installing Tiger on a > > > > Pismo requires using XPostFacto or some other hack. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > looked at that, did not see any mention, that Tiger is not supported as > a straight install. It says: "requires System 9.0 or later; Mac OS 9.2.2 and OS X 10.3.9 recommended, 10.4.x can generally be installed using XpostFacto 4." It may well be incorrect, but that's the source I was citing. Signature<http://designsbymike.net/shop/mac.cgi> Mac and geek T-shirts & gifts <http://designsbymike.net/election.shtml> Election 2008 goods. <http://designsbymike.net/shop/prius.cgi> Prius shirts/bumper stickers <http://designsbymike.net/shop/greet.cgi> Holiday cards with attitude > http://lowendmac.com/pb2/pismo-powerbook-g3-2000.html That is a great website for thousands of Pismo and Lombard owners who want to keep their old G3 Powerbooks running. Would like to post my own Pismo tricks there. My Pismo trick would be how to push the Power button on the Pismo, and on most other Macs, from thousands of miles away. Works like a charm; a user can "remotely" hold down their Mac Power button for any predetermined times, like 4 seconds, and/or one second, all depending on which numbers they press on an ordinary touch-tone telephone connection. (AFTER they dial their house phone number) Comes in handy at times, particularly on battery powered Macs, when you have no other option than to "physically press" the Macs power button. Back to your recommended website ************************ One of the many branching websites was this one, with detailed instructions and photos for installing many parts, including my dead modem: <http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac/PowerBook-G3-Pismo/6/> The same type modem in this old "Lombard" is exhibiting the same symptoms now, namely a buzzing noise that occurs a few days prior to the modem failing altogether. That is really weird, two old Mac Powerbook modems failing within days of each other, after more than 8 years of service. Mark- > > What is the worst-case speed increase I can expect with DSL. > > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > The DSL distance is approx 18,000 telephone wire feet from > the DSL facilities. I am roughly 1,500 feet from their nearest switch panel, which probably has the DSL stuff. Rural phone company tells me they have no "port" available for my area, that they will order some hardware to remedy that. They say the hardware could take as long as two months to order and install. Mark- > > > What is the worst-case speed increase I can expect with DSL. > > > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Mark- If your Rural phone company will give you DSL, and the cost is acceptable, it sure beats a dial up modem. Then sick an inexpensive Cable/DSL Router on the phone company provided DSL Modem, and you can service all the computers at that location giving them all broadband access to the internet, and the Cable/DSL Router acting as a hardware firewall for inbound unsolicited traffic. Bob Harris Verizon DSL User since '03 > ...and the Cable/DSL Router acting as a hardware firewall > for inbound unsolicited traffic. Have a hunch I will really need that protection too, because I run Vista on a Boot Camp created partition with the NTFS. (32 bit file system) Windows crackers would love to get hold of a person's medical history, great blackmail potential. Mark- > > ...and the Cable/DSL Router acting as a hardware firewall > > for inbound unsolicited traffic. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Windows crackers would love to get hold of a person's > medical history, great blackmail potential. Oh, Mark... And you were doing SO well on this thread. SignatureWoodworking links and more at http://www.woodenwabbits.com > I am very reluctant to junk the old Mac. Thanks to all who responded to this thread, I get to keep my old loyal Pismo. Whee! This NG is great for getting the straight poop about stuff. Thanks again, everyone. Mark- |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.