In This Chapter
I'll be honest — the Internet is a terribly complex monster of a network. If you tried to fathom all the data that's exchanged on the Internet and everything that takes place when you check your e-mail for Aunty Joan's fruitcake recipe, your brain would probably melt like a chocolate bar in the Sahara Desert. A shoebox full of arcane things is tucked under the Internet: communications protocols, routing addresses, packets, servers, and other hoo-hah that are beyond the grasp of just about everyone on the planet.
Luckily for regular folks like you and me, Mac OS X Snow Leopard closes the trapdoor on all these details, keeping them hidden (as they should be). You don't have to worry about them, and the obscure information that you need to establish an Internet connection is kept to a minimum. In fact, the happiest computer owners I've met think that the Internet is a little blinking light on their DSL or cable modem: If the light blinks in the proper manner, all is well. (I don't argue with them.)
In this chapter, I provide help and advice to those who are searching for an on-ramp to the Information Superhighway — and I lead you through the procedure of adding an Internet connection under Mac OS X. (In other words, you'll get your light blinking properly.)
Tip
If you entered your Internet configuration information while you were in the Setup Assistant during the installation of Mac OS X, you can skip this chapter! The information contained herein is only for those who add or change their Internet connectivity after installing Mac OS X.
Before you can connect to the Internet, you must sign up for Internet access. If you already have an ISP (acronym-speak for an Internet service provider) or your company provides Internet access, smile quietly to yourself and skip to the next section. Otherwise, hang around while I discuss what to look for in an ISP and how to locate one in your local area.
If you're unfamiliar with the term, an ISP is simply the company you contract with so that you can connect to the Internet. You may be contracting with a cable company, such as Comcast, Bright House, or Mediacom, or you may be using a service such as AOL, Juno, or Earthlink. All these are ISPs.
ISPs are as thick as Louisiana mosquitoes these days, and often they're judged solely by the amount that they charge for basic access. Cost definitely is a factor, but it's not the only thing that should determine your choice in a service provider. Consider these guidelines when choosing or switching ISPs:
Local calling rates: If you live in a rural area and you're using a dial-up modem, check to make sure that all prospective ISPs offer local calling rates. Believe me, no matter how much fun and how useful the Internet is, it's not worth hours of long-distance charges. (Oh, and don't forget to make sure that your ISP has local access numbers in the cities that you visit regularly.) Since the current MacBook line doesn't include an internal analog modem, you can always add an external USB modem for dial-up Internet access and faxing.
Broadband service: Virtually all ISPs now offer digital subscriber line (DSL) or cable modem access. Collectively, these connections are called broadband because they offer the fastest method of transferring information to and from the Internet. If you have a home business, a large family, or students — or you telecommute to your office — using broadband can make your life much simpler.
Quality technical support: A 24-hour/7-day telephone support line is a godsend for the Internet novice — don't settle for voice support during business hours. Forget e-mail-based support, too; your e-mail application will be dead and gone if your Internet connection gives you problems. (Sound of your palm whacking your forehead.)
Static IP addresses: A static IP address — the unique number that identifies your computer on the Internet — allows you to set up a professional Web server or File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server. Most ISPs charge an additional amount for a static IP address, so it's not really a good idea for a typical Mac owner at home. Suffice it to say, however, that a business or commercial organization running a Web server or FTP server will benefit from a static IP address.
E-mail accounts: Investigate how many individual accounts you receive with various ISPs. Also, find out whether you can maintain them yourself through a Web site. If so, that's a good sign. Additionally, if the prospective ISP provides a Web site where you can read and send e-mail messages, you can stay on top of your e-mail even while you're on the road or vacationing halfway across the globe.
Web space: If you want your ISP to host your Web site, this is a no-brainer: The more space you get, the better. A minimum of 1GB is acceptable, but most ISPs provide 3GB or more these days. Also, beware of ISPs that charge you for your Web site if it receives a large amount of traffic: It can be expensive to host a popular Web site if you join one of these ISPs.
Domain name service: Finally, the better class of ISP also offers a domain name service, which allows you to register something like
yournamehere.com. For the most professional appearance, you can usually pay a yearly fee, and the ISP takes care of all the details in setting up your own.comor.orgdomain name.
Locating an ISP is easy in the modern, Internet-savvy world. In the order that you should try them, here are the tricks that I recommend for finding your local ISPs:
Check with your cable or telephone companies. If you're already subscribing to cable service in your area, you're likely to be a candidate for cable Internet access. Also, many local phone companies offer DSL access, but that access area is often limited to certain locations. Call the customer service numbers for these companies and check out what they offer — and don't forget that a broadband cable or DSL connection is always more expensive than an old-fashioned, dial-up connection. ("Maude, did you see the Internet bill this month?")
Get recommendations from friends and neighbors. Folks love to give free advice. Ask them how much they're paying, how reliable the connection has been, and how well they rate the ISP's technical support.
Check your phone directory. Check the phone book for Internet service.
Investigate ISP Web sites. If you have Internet access at work, a friend's house, or your local public library, you can surf to The List (
www.thelist.com), where you can search for ISPs within your area code and location.
Consider the types of connections that are available under Snow Leopard to link your MacBook to an ISP (see the previous section for more about ISPs). You can choose from four pathways to digital freedom:
A dial-up connection: Old-fashioned, yes. Slow as an arthritic burro, indeed. However, an analog (or telephone modem) connection is still a very viable method for reaching the Internet for most computer owners. It's the cheapest method available, and all you need for this type of connection is a standard telephone jack and a modem. Apple used to include a modem with every computer, but no longer ...these days, you'll have to buy an external USB modem to make the dial-up connection. (Apple makes one, or any Mac OS X–compatible USB modem will work fine.)
A broadband connection: Be it through DSL (which uses a typical telephone line) or cable (which uses your cable TV wiring), broadband Internet access is many times faster than a dial-up connection. Plus, both these technologies are always on, meaning that your computer is automatically connected to the Internet when you turn it on and that connection stays active. With DSL or cable, no squeaky whine accompanies your modem while it makes a connection each time you want to check your movie listings Web site. Both DSL and cable require a special piece of hardware (commonly called a modem, but it really isn't); this box is usually thrown in as part of your ISP charge. (Note that many cellular providers offer cellular modems for Internet connectivity. Some of these modems use a USB port whereas others use the ExpressCard slot on a MacBook Pro.) DSL or cable broadband connections usually require a professional installation, too.
A satellite connection: If you're really out there — miles and miles away from any cable or DSL phone service — you can still get high-speed Internet access. The price for a satellite connection is usually much steeper than a standard DSL or cable connection, but it's available anywhere you can plant your antenna dish with a clear view of the sky. Plus, a satellite connection is actually faster than other types of broadband access. Older satellite technologies actually required you to also use a dial-up connection — and the antenna could only receive, not send — but most ISPs that can handle satellite connections now offer satellite systems that both send and receive through the dish.
A network connection: The last type of connection concerns those Macs that are part of a local area network (LAN) either at the office or in your home. If your MacBook is connected to a LAN that already has Internet access, you don't need an ISP at all, and no other hardware is required: Simply contact your network administrator, buy that important person a steak dinner, and ask to be connected to the Internet. On the other hand, if your network currently has no Internet access, you're back to Square One: You'll need one of the previous three types of connections.
Okay, so you sign up for Internet access, and your ISP sends you a sheet of paper covered with indecipherable stuff that looks like Egyptian hieroglyphics. Don't worry; those are the settings that you need to connect to your ISP. After you get them in Mac OS X, you should be surfing the Web like an old pro.
Tip
Before you jump into this configuration, make sure that you've configured the Internet settings within System Preferences, as I discuss in Book III, Chapter 3. That way, you'll already have entered your default e-mail and Web settings. You'll also need to be logged in using an Administrator account.
Follow these steps to set up your Internet connection if you're using your MacBook's external USB modem:
Click the System Preferences icon in the Dock and choose Network.
Select External modem from the list at the left side of the pane.
Enter the settings for the type of connection that your ISP provides:
If your ISP tells you to use PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol): Click the Configure IPv4 pop-up menu and choose Using PPP. If your ISP provided you with DNS Server or Search Domain addresses, type them now in the corresponding boxes.
If you're using AOL: Click the Configure IPv4 pop-up menu and choose AOL Dialup. If AOL provided you with DNS Server or Search Domain addresses, click in the corresponding box and type them now.
If you're using a manual connection: Click the Configure IPv4 pop-up menu and choose Manually. Then click in the IP Address, DNS Servers, and Search Domains fields and enter the respective settings provided by your ISP.
If you need to enter PPP settings, click the Advanced button.
In their respective fields, enter the account name, password, telephone number, and (optionally) the service provider name and an alternative telephone number provided by your ISP.
Tip
I always like Mac OS X to connect automatically when I'm using a modem. I hate excess mouse movements, which usually lead to a bad case of Rodent Elbow. To automate your dial-up connection (allowing Snow Leopard to call your ISP whenever your system needs the Internet), click the Connect Automatically When Needed check box to enable it.
Press
Follow these steps to set up your Internet connection if you're using a network, cable modem, or DSL connection:
Click the System Preferences icon in the Dock and choose Network.
Select Ethernet from the list on the left of the pane to display the settings that you see in Figure 1-1.
Enter the settings for the type of connection that your ISP provides:
If your ISP tells you to use Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP): Choose Using DHCP from the Configure IPv4 pop-up menu, and your ISP can automatically set up virtually all the TCP/IP settings for you! (No wonder DHCP is so popular these days.)
If you won't be using DHCP: Choose Manually from the Configure IPv4 pop-up menu. Then enter the settings provided by your ISP in the IP Address, Subnet Mask, Router, and DNS Servers fields.
If your ISP uses PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet), click the Configure IPv4 pop-up menu and choose Create PPPoE Service.
Type an identifying name for the PPPoE service.
Click Done.
Enter the password for your PPPoE connection.
Press
Tip
Snow Leopard can get down-and-dirty in the configuration trenches as well! To launch an assistant to help with the configuration process, click the Assist Me button and then click Assistant on the Assistant's welcome screen.