Mac Mini recognizes my Internet connection but will not go on line! Help.

I have an older Mac Mini. Just picked it up for my 88 year old mother Grace.

I've reloaded it and all seemed fine. It's very fast for 1.2 G Ram and a single 1.5 intel.

But, although it seems my wireless and says it's connected, FireFox nor Safari will connect to the internet.

Please help.

Mom needs her computer.

Thanks,
Bob

It might help someone better help you if you list the OSX version also. So this is a first Generation Mini 1.5Ghz Core Solo? Those usually did not come with Airport cards from the factory.

Are you connecting to your WiFi Router? Do you have encryption like WEP, WPA, WPA2 on and if so which one? Did you enter the key correctly?

Lets start here and after you tell us more, we will see what we can do to help you.

dtravis7 said:

It might help someone better help you if you list the OSX version also. So this is a first Generation Mini 1.5Ghz Core Solo? Those usually did not come with Airport cards from the factory.

Are you connecting to your WiFi Router? Do you have encryption like WEP, WPA, WPA2 on and if so which one? Did you enter the key correctly?

Lets start here and after you tell us more, we will see what we can do to help you.

Click to expand...

The Mac Mini is running 10.4.11
Its a 1.5 Ghz intel Core Solo
Connecting to a Wifi and I think it's WEP encrypted. The key or guest password was entered correctly.

One thing that might be helpful is that this unit came from a company. Maybe settings put in place by them limited access?

I highly appreciate any direction you can give me.

It's been said that Macs have issues using WEP. For me I can always get WEP to work but do not use it due to the ease of it being hacked. WEP is very old and very insecure. You would be way better off changing your Router to at least WPA or WPA2 and then give it a try.

What router are you using? I should have asked in my first post.

Probably the mac has kept its old IP address.

You need to go into the network control panel and wipe the old ip[ address for wifi networks. The mac should be able to get a proper network ip address by asking the router for one

Mactracker has it listed with a b/g wireless card but like most Mac's it probably will like WPA /WPA2 for encryption and you might have to look in your settings as the wireless may be turned off or not even setup as most business prefer ethernet connections on their desktops only.

A lot depends on the router he is using also, but WEP is to be avoided today. VERY easy to hack. Seen it done in 5 minutes!!

Using Cisco Router

I'm using the Cisco 4000. Wireless router.

That's about all I know.

Let me know how I can re-set or otherwise make this better. I'm open to learning anything and everything possible.

IT has alluded me.

Thanks,
Bob

Go to System Preferences > Network > View Status > It should show a green dot next to airport. If the dot is yellow or red, something is wrong. Click "Configure" then click the TC/IP tab. Make sure you are using DHCP and the IP address, subnet mask, and router have a number next to them.

Is that the RVS consumer or commercial T1 Cisco 4000 ?

Go to System Preferences > Network > View Status > It should show a green dot next to airport. If the dot is yellow or red, something is wrong. Click "Configure" then click the TC/IP tab. Make sure you are using DHCP and the IP address, subnet mask, and router have a number next to them.
There is no "View Status" but next to "Show Airport status in menu bar" there is a purple Question mark.
Regarding TCP/IP I'm using DHCP with manual address and I have an IP address, Subnet mask: and Router address.
There is nothing in the "DNS" Servers box.
And there is an option at the bottom of the box to Configure IPv6. ??????
I'm fairly sure my Router is the consumer type. Purchased at Sam's.
Bob

Is that the RVS consumer or commercial T1 Cisco 4000 ?

Doubled Checked and my router is NOT a Cisco 4000 it is a Cisco E 3000. With Security type: WPA2/WPA Mixed Mode
Hope this helps.
Bob

Try using configure with just DHCP which should give you a DNS if not try Google's
8.8.8.8

Cajun Bob said:

Go to System Preferences > Network > View Status > It should show a green dot next to airport. If the dot is yellow or red, something is wrong. Click "Configure" then click the TC/IP tab. Make sure you are using DHCP and the IP address, subnet mask, and router have a number next to them.
There is no "View Status" but next to "Show Airport status in menu bar" there is a purple Question mark.
Regarding TCP/IP I'm using DHCP with manual address and I have an IP address, Subnet mask: and Router address.
There is nothing in the "DNS" Servers box.
And there is an option at the bottom of the box to Configure IPv6. ??????
I'm fairly sure my Router is the consumer type. Purchased at Sam's.
Bob

Is that the RVS consumer or commercial T1 Cisco 4000 ?

Click to expand...

I had an internet issue with a G3 iMac a while back that had a problem similar to yours, it was connected properly but I could not browse the web. As it turns out my Operating System was too old for the router to work with, 10.4 Tiger is a very old operating system, and your Cisco router may be too new to work. You might be better off buying 10.6 Snow Leopard from the apple online store for $29 and upgrading the entire OS itself.

osxx,

Sorry, don't understand what you mean by Try Google's 8.8.8.8 ??

Please explain.
Thanks,
Bob

Mac Dude,

Appreciate the advice, but this, my good ole MacBook pro, with 10.5 works well and I've had older systems on.

Just thought I'd mention this.
Bob

Cajun Bob said:

osxx,

Sorry, don't understand what you mean by Try Google's 8.8.8.8 ??

Please explain.
Thanks,
Bob

Click to expand...

I thought you said there was nothing in your DNS box most have the ability
to edit add or remove so trying to get you up and running type in Googles
DNS which is 8.8.8.8 Google Public DNS

Google's DNS Added.
Hit Apply now.
Nothing happens.
There is no IPv6 Address: There is a Configure IPv6 button. Next?
Thanks
Bob

osxx

Just noticed that my Subnet mask number and router number have gone away. They're blank.
Next?
Bob

I'll follow up tomorrow morning.
Going down.
Thanks, for the guidance.
I hope to continue in the morning.
Bob

OK forget about IPv6 just set it on auto currently the switchover requires that the sites still use IPv4 with that said start over config IPv4 using DHCP this will give you
an IP address and a DNS from for modem. For right now you want it to broadcast your SSID ( name of your router) set encryption to WPA2 and manually select a channel 6 if you have no neighbors close by. This is a dual radio router so make sure
both 2.4 ghz and 5 GHz have a name. Reboot both the modem and router .
Make sure your mothers Mini is trying to lock on the 2.4 ghz network as there is no card in hers for the 5GHz radio. Hit the icon for wireless in the menu bar and open
preferences make sure encryption is set also to WPA2 along with connect using DHCP
hit renew lease.

MacDude121 said:

I had an internet issue with a G3 iMac a while back that had a problem similar to yours, it was connected properly but I could not browse the web. As it turns out my Operating System was too old for the router to work with, 10.4 Tiger is a very old operating system, and your Cisco router may be too new to work. You might be better off buying 10.6 Snow Leopard from the apple online store for $29 and upgrading the entire OS itself.

Click to expand...

I have two iBook G4's here right now with Tiger 10.4.11 and Panther 10.3.9 and both connect to every router in the house and work great. Tiger should not be an issue. My G4 mini had Tiger up till recently and connected with Dlink Dir-655, Linksys WRT54GL, G, DDWRT, Dlink 524, Apple old Airport Extreme base station, 3 Netgears, and a strange Linksys I got at a thrift store. All connect and work on the net with my systems with 10.4.11.

I was thinking it was WEP as the OP first said WEP, but he is using WPA so that is not the issue.

What WiFi card did you say was being used with the Mini? The one from Apple? It should work.