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Mac computers won't connect to my wifi

Loiseau
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Loiseau Newbie

Loiseau

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I should have asked this question before being descended on last week by a whole family anxious to connect their Macs and eventually monopolising my own PC...  [:@]

I have had no problem with my PC laptop and the wifi connection.  But when I brought my iMac over a few months back, I found that it would not pick up the wireless signal in my French house (Livebox in same room as computer;  I am with Orange). 
I had to connect it with the ethernet cable, and that was fine.

These above-mentioned guests also had Macs, and they could not connect either.  Their computer could see my setup, but in spite of trying everything we could find as passwords, they just would not connect.  Again, it was OK via the ethernet cable - but the whole point of my having wifi is so that friends would be able to use the connection with their own computers.

Has anyone had this problem - and solved it?

Angela

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pachapapa Newbie

pachapapa

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No my mac visitors just use the same SSID and WEP as I do; I dont bother with MAC identity, forgive the pun, as I live in a small hamlet.

The modem-router has DHCP enabled and the assignment of an IP 192:168:etc etc is automatic.

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Loiseau Newbie

Loiseau

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Annoyingly, I did not think to pose this question while my guests were still in residence.  So now they have left, taking their Macs with them.

Yes, my wifi is switched on; that is what my laptop PC is using.

But I didn't think to check about their air-ports being on or off.  They could "see" my connection as being the local one, though we never succeeded in connecting.  I guess that  still could have meant the airport was disabled. 
However, the time when I came with my iMac, I am sure its airport would have been on, as I use it wifi at home; came to France and it wouldn't connect except via ethernet cable;  went back home and it worked fine on wifi again.  All without tweaking anything.

Maybe I have been putting in the wrong thing as a password on all these occasions.

The list contains:

1. No. client internet
2. Identifiant de connexton
3. Mot de passe de connexion
4. Identifiant de messagerie
5. Mot de passe de messagerie
6. Nom Livebox
7. Cle securite

We tried Nos 2 & 3.
We didn't bother with 4 and 5, as I presume they are just for my email.
7 is what I think of as the WEP number.  We tried that.

Angela

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Clair Newbie

Clair

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[quote user="Loiseau"]

I should have asked this question before being descended on last week by a whole family anxious to connect their Macs and eventually monopolising my own PC...  [:@]

I have had no problem with my PC laptop and the wifi connection.  But when I brought my iMac over a few months back, I found that it would not pick up the wireless signal in my French house (Livebox in same room as computer;  I am with Orange). 

I had to connect it with the ethernet cable, and that was fine.

These above-mentioned guests also had Macs, and they could not connect either.  Their computer could see my setup, but in spite of trying everything we could find as passwords, they just would not connect.  Again, it was OK via the ethernet cable - but the whole point of my having wifi is so that friends would be able to use the connection with their own computers.

Has anyone had this problem - and solved it?

Angela

[/quote]

Jane & Danny posted a procedure on this thread.

In the absence of any other suggestion, it might be worth a look...

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Loiseau Newbie

Loiseau

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Thanks Clair.
I did read that thread yesterday before posting, but have just gone through it again.

I don't know how to get into the workings of my Livebox (I originally paid an "Orange" person to come and set it up).  However, I have just tried Control Panel-Network&Sharing Center, and can see a list under "Sharing and Discovery". 
Looking at "Password protected sharing" (which is "on" at present):  
"When password protection is On, only people who have a user account and password on this computer can access shared files, printers attached to this computer, and the Public folder.  To give other people access you must turn off password protection.
x Turn On password protected sharing
x Turn Off password protected sharing."

But I don't think that can be it, as I don't want them sharing my files etc; only connecting their own computers direct to the internet.  [8-)]

Angela

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Danny Newbie

Danny

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Angela,

The 'password protected sharing' settings on your PC (Windows Vista or 7, I presume) have nothing to do with the ability to connect to the internet via the livebox.

These settings are only relevant to setting up a local network - via your livebox or not - which you don't want to do. Managing networks so that your PC and any other computer can network together or not depends on the settings on each computer.

To connect to the Internet, the only thing you need to enter is the 'Clé de securité' which is found on the Livebox label.

It sounds to me like there is a setting in the livebox which is preventing wifi connection.

It would be helpful if you could say which model livebox you have.

http://assistance.orange.fr/livebox-tous-les-modeles-524.php

Let us know when you do have a Mac to connect and we can try to sort it for you.

Danny

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Loiseau Newbie

Loiseau

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Hi Danny,

Thanks so much for the reply. 
Looking at the page you referred me to, it's the "Livebox Sagem" model that I have. 

I shall have to ask any future guests - even if they're just popping in for a cup of tea - to bring their laptops, in the hope of finding one with a Mac. 
(I am just trying to think why I am so sure that PCs are ok with my wifi.  Oh yes, I brought another PC with me from London once, and got it working fine over here.)

Funnily enough, in London when my guests tried to connect to my wifi there, the WEP key (= cle de securite I imagine) that I provided did not get them linked in; it was my password that eventually did it. 
Weird.

Angela

 

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Loiseau Newbie

Loiseau

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Wow, Clair, those look useful!  Many thanks.  I have found the appropriate button underneath the Livebox, so will just wait for someone to come along with a Mac and try it out! (I hope it won't b*gg*r up my own connection though.)

Angela

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Jonzjob Newbie

Jonzjob

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A Mac should connect in exactly the same way as a Mocrosaft PC. As far as the Livebox is concerned it is just another computer. When I take my MacBook to a friends all I have to do to get onto their Livebox is to enter the WEP key on my Mac, press the connecting button on the Livebox and within a few seconds I am on line.

The only difference between the Mac and Microsoft is that the Mac is more secure on line. Also, in my opinion, a much better machine.

Duck or grouse John!

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Loiseau Newbie

Loiseau

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I know it *should* have connected, John. But it wouldn't.
Pressing a connecting button on the Livebox, as you say, is probably the answer; advice given also on the link Clair gave me in an earlier post.  As I did not have to do that with either of the PCs I have used here, I did not know about the existence of such a button.

Angela

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