[mycatsnameis]

Just in case anyone was wondering, that 54g SMC router (SMC2804WBR) that Best Buy has been offering such a good deal on over the last couple of weeks ($80 after discounts and rebates) works perfectly with OS X.

I picked it up and have been using it with my iMac (via E-net to one of the 4 ports in the hub) and my Ti book (using a LinkSys 54g PMCIA card). Like other similar products you can configure the network using your browser.

Tried it out yesterday with a Rogers connection (after configuring it at home with no high speed access) and it was basically plug and play.

I'm getting the Sympatico kit later in the week so I'll post back with that experience but I don't anticipate that there will be any problem with PPoE either.

Link to product page.

 

[Chealion]

I've had the same experience with my NetGear 814 v2. Though I haven't tried going wireless with a Mac yet though. (Waiting to get a laptop).

Product Page

Nice to see that many peripherals play nice now a days

 

[Ohenri]

Chealion, I'm so carrying that NetGear flag as well. I have both v1 & 2 of this unit, and have had nothing but success to report. I love em both!

H!

 

[PosterBoy]

When it comes to routers, I prefer D-Link. They are the only brand that I have had zero problems with.

D-Link Mac Compatible Products

That page isn't the necessarily best one to gauge them by, as many of the their other products are perfectly compatible as well.

--PB

 

[Jordan]

I like my Belkin 54g wireless router. Works perfectly with OS X and Safari.

 

[Finch]

I've got a Linksys 54g also works like a charm. Easy to setup and no connectivity problems at all between Mac/PC or b/g adapters.

 

[mycatsnameis]

... but did you guys pay 80 bucks for yours

??

 

[Chealion]

$80? Well no, I paid $50

 

[Jordan]

I paid $94 Can. for my Belkin 54g, I see in the US they're going for up to $199 US.

I edited the price, wasn't the $85 I first posted

[ September 06, 2003, 10:08 AM: Message edited by: Jordan ]

 

[RicktheChemist]

Nice to see that SMC has fixed their bugs with Javascript.. I found the SMc here hard to configure but once I got it running, it was fine.

Cheers,

RtC

 

[mycatsnameis]

RtC I found the browser config worked v. well with IE and not so well with Safari. Not sure why but it's nice to have options (at the moment). I read some of the horror stories with SMC 11b routers in the Apple forums and so I made very sure that Best Buy had a good return policy. Sympatico will be activated on Monday

.

Chelion ... let's compare Apples to Apples here, we're talking 54g routers

.

 

[Chealion]

mcni - then spell my name right!

(its tongue in cheek for your typo). Well, then I guess you got the better deal mcni. Though, for what I want to do (internet mostly) b is all I need.

 

[RicktheChemist]

Sympatico.. I pity you.. if you have problems.. Videotron /Rogers is plug and play.. as compared to PPPoE.

Cheers,

RtC

 

[mycatsnameis]

Oops sorry Chia-lion (what do you have green sprouts for a mane?) ... oh sorry Che_A_lion, yes that makes more sense . Yah I've been amazed by the price of the 11b routers lately (I think that BestBuy had the analogous SMC router for $30 last week) but, based on Neil Yates assessment, I'd definitely have gone the NetGear route (rather than SMC) if they had any price point that was close.

RtC I suppose that I may be headed for a whirlwind tour of the many levels of PPPoE hell (and I have already had first hand eperience with the plug and play nature of Rogers) but I have a line on free Sympatico down the road so that's weighing on my decision. So far so good, I've config'd the modem with Sym's info and have implemented 128 WEP encryption (after a few hiccups where it lost the connection with my 54g card) but I'm basically just waiting for activation.

Another selling feature is the free dial-up service that comes with Sympatico (I'll be able to pass that along to my family).

I'm also in a fairly high penetration area for high speed access so Rogers users might be suffering more here than Sympatico users. I'm going to be comparing notes with a few freinds in teh neighbourhood re: d/l speeds after I get it. I would not have much difficulty ditching Sympatico and going for Rogers if I'm dissatisfied.

 

[Chealion]

mcni - You've stolen Bjornbro's line. I just made the handle, I don't know how its pronouced. But I am not a Chea-pet

Its just the last 5 letters in my name, followed by an ion (positive if you want to know ). At least, I know my name is good for something, people can have fun with it.

And back on topic, as for PPPoE, I know the NetGear routers include a nice easy way to handle this in the setup of the router and include a nice little peice of paper detailing what information you need for nearly every service provider in North America. (Shaw, Bell, Rogers were on the list, I checked.)

 

[Marilee]

I just purchaced a D-Link router yesterday, $49.99 at Staples. I just plugged it in and I was good to go. Works great with Eastlink.

 

[mycatsnameis]

Well fwiw, Sympatico works quite well with that set-up (128 bit WEP encryption, 54g SMC wireless router => iMac over E-net , 54g Linksys PMCIA card => Ti 550 running X.2.6 and Airport 3.1).

I ran a couple of test downloads off Apple.com this morning (iChat AV .dmg) and had speeds reliably in the 180-250 kps range with no decrease over the 54g connection. I'm assuming that there was no limitation on the Apple end (I've gotten d/l's well in excess of 500 when using the network at work).

The SMC browser interface is really quite polished. However, I found there were problems when I used Safari sometimes so I've stuck with IE to tweak the router settings.

Now all I've got to do try to avoid becoming a complete internet junkie (plus play a serious game of "hide the hardware" to keep the kitchen tidy and placate my wife).