Setting up Apple Macintosh OS X Airport to use Wireless Router (WEP option)

Setting up Apple Macintosh Airport to use ADSL Wireless Router (WEP option)

Macintosh Airport is compatible with the Wireless ADSL routers supplied by Swift Internet. Below is a guide on how to join the router network.

Before beginning this FAQ, please ensure you have the paperwork that came with the wireless ADSL router - you will need the SSID and the network WEP password

To enable the Macintosh Airport to join a WEP Network:

1. Go to System preferences (bottom of the screen)
2. Select Network
3. Select Airport from the devices available - if need be, turn it on.
4. Set to Automatic network Selection (See note 1)
5. Disable option to Allow the Macintosh create Networks,
6. Switch on the option to "Display the Airport icon in the menu bar"
7. Apply Now

You can leave the Network screen open as you will be returning to it.

In top right corner select the Airport icon  (little radio icon picture) - a drop down menu will appear.

The Network SSID of the router should be available - select it - (consult your ADSL paperwork for your SSID name, if more than one SSID appears - note 2).

You now have the Network password to enter - select the the WEP 40 / 128-bit hex option - NOT the default WEP password option - and type in the 26 digit password supplied by Swift.

Add the password to your keychain, if you wish the system to remember the password (see note 3).

Select OK - the Airport should now join the Wireless Network

If you left the Network page open, now return to it. Otherwise:

1. Go to System preferences
2. Select Network - ensure the Airport device is still selected
3. Select TCP/IP

The TCP/IP details should be set to use DHCP - if not, set them to do so. (See note 4)

Also, add the following addresses to the DNS field

• 195.74.102.146
• 195.74.102.147

Then click Apply Now - the router should now give you the network address, subnet and gateway, allowing the Macintosh to browse out onto the internet.

Testing

When you have completed the configuration, open the web browser.Enter the router IP address of your router:

http://router IP address

• NAT and DHCP configurations will typically use 192.168.0.1

You should be able to see the logon panel for the router. If so the network connection has been successfully made. The router should be able to connect to the internet straight away.

Notes:

Note 1: Setting the Network selection to Automatic allows the Macintosh to search for suitable networks. If need be, you can change this Manual and specify the SSID in the box specified. Laptop users who use Wireless in more than one location should use Automatic to allow their machine to "roam".

Note 2: More than one Network in the Airport Network chooser means that you have someone else running wireless nearby. For security, the router is configured with a 128bit WEP encryption key to prevent unauthorised access to your data.

Note 3: Use of "keychains" is convenient for "roaming" laptop users who do not want to have to keep typing in the WEP encryption key whenever they join a network - however, the keychain option is a recent addition to Mac OS X and not all version have this facility.

Note 4: Unless you machine has a specific function on the network requiring a fixed address, the use of DHCP is advised.