Thanks, everyone, for your input on this. It helps me immensely. Yes, I can see that I do have the hardware built in (and it is turned on...), so I think that we can move forward on this, and will have a decent idea as to how to make it work. As usual, the SciArt list comes to the rescue...
And Britt, to clarify: my description of the Verizon gizmo is that's it's a modem, not a router. It plugs into a USB port, and get the signal that comes from its own dedicated line (that's a telephone number, and as such works like cell phones do). If we get the MiFi HotSpot, it will replace this little verizon gizmo.
Again, thanks......consie
On 5/4/11 12:12 PM, Britt Griswold wrote:
No extra hardware needed. I think any Mac as recent as 3 years old will have the wiFi hardware built in. Just set up your password protected wireless router, turn on the Apple WiFi in the system preference and it should find the router. Then just select the router from the WiFi icon at the top right of the menu bar of your screen, enter the password and it will be set up.
Of course there can always be issue with specific hardware and wireless protocols, but if anything has a chance of working on the first go with no specific knowledge, it will be your WiFi Mac.
Your description of your Verizon wireless router sounds odd, so I could be all wet with the above advice. I have a verizon supplied wireless router and a 3 year old macBook with OS 10.5.8. The wireless connction is not a problem at all, USB ports play no part in the connection. I can not imaging a MacBook Pro not being able to do this out of the box with no extra hardware needed. Is your WiFi turned on in the Mac preferences?
Britt
On 5/4/11 11:54 AM, Consie Powell wrote:
Dumb question time:
Can someone tell me whether, in order to tap into a wireless
modem/router system (MiFi HotSpot, to be specific) with my MacBook Pro,
do I need to have another little Apple gizmo or some such piece of
equipment, in order to make the wireless technology on this computer
work? My MacBook Pro is just over 3 years old and has OSX 10.5.8 on it.
Up until now I have had no need for any kind of wireless with it; hence
the cluelessness. But we are presently looking to upgrade our internet
connection capabilities, and if this HotSpot thing will work, we can get
that, and then both my husband and I can hook up to internet at the same
time. Presently we have been using a Verizon wireless modem (that has a
dedicated data line of its own) that plugs into a USB port (and that
means only one of us can use it at a time). We have to use some sort of
this kind of wireless system, because we are offgrid and do not have any
cables or other grid-tied lines of any sort coming in.
I'm thinking that there is some supplemental something I'm supposed to
have in order to make this work, but searching the internet is not
helping me know this. I think this is a piece of knowledge that is so
elementary that the computer companies presume everyone already knows
it. So, any input you guys have will be appreciated.
Thanks.....Consie
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Consie Powell
www.consiepowell.comwww.science-art.com
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