airport and internet connection

This is probly an elementary question but since I don't know much about Mac systems I have to ask

I just got my new imac last night(!!) and have been working my way around a new OS.

I currently have a PC with a high-speed internet connection. The internet connection on the PC is wired, and I haven't set up any networks or wireless things or anything. I opened the imac box, plugged it in, clicked on safari and it just connected.

Is the imac just automatically connecting to my wired roadrunner connection, or how is that working? I was amazed that I didn't have to do anything.

oh yeah, and is there a way to tell where the signal/connection is coming from?

Thanks!

Do you have a cable modem with a wireless card on the back? Are you even connecting to YOUR network, not someone else's? Macs search for available wireless networks when you turn on Airport.

It is a cable modem, but I don't know if it's wireless. It's whatever time warner cable installed when they put in the digital cable, phone, and internet.

and that's what I wanted to make sure-that I wasn't connected to someone else's network. How far out will airport look for a connection?

I think the range is around 100 yds (don't quote me on that) but check Airport to see where it's connected. It'll have the name of the router (Linksys, Netgear, etc) under Network name. TWC gave us a cable modem with a wireless card by Netgear and it synced up automatically with the comps that have wireless cards. Most likely getting some all inclusive package got you that instead of a plain cable modem.

deus_ex_machina said:

I think the range is around 100 yds (don't quote me on that) but check Airport to see where it's connected. It'll have the name of the router (Linksys, Netgear, etc) under Network name. TWC gave us a cable modem with a wireless card by Netgear and it synced up automatically with the comps that have wireless cards. Most likely getting some all inclusive package got you that instead of a plain cable modem.

Click to expand...

to check where your wireless is coming from, click on the radar symbol next to the speaker symbol. This will say the name like the quote above said

When it first started it wanted to know what network to use and I didn't know so I choose linksys b/c that was the first one listed. I didn't think I would get a connection so I wasn't worried about it. I will have to check the modem and see if I can find anything.

watchmanseven said:

When it first started it wanted to know what network to use and I didn't know so I choose linksys b/c that was the first one listed. I didn't think I would get a connection so I wasn't worried about it. I will have to check the modem and see if I can find anything.

Click to expand...

TWC deals with Netgear - you're on someone's Linksys wireless router. It never asked for a password? That's not good for them. Check your cable modem to see if it has a card. If not, you can upgrade to one with a card installed. If you do, access your router through Safari (typing 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1, not sure which for Linksys or Netgear) in the address bar and configure your router. Activate encryption unlike your neighbors

Nope it didn't ask for a password.

I'll do that thanks!

K, so I was checking out my TWC cable modem and found that only one of two ethernet connections are being used.

Could I use the open ethernet to connect an airport extreme to and send that to my mac? Or would that do something and mess up the wired computer?

watchmanseven said:

K, so I was checking out my TWC cable modem and found that only one of two ethernet connections are being used.

Could I use the open ethernet to connect an airport extreme to and send that to my mac? Or would that do something and mess up the wired computer?

Click to expand...

The open ethernet port is definitely open - It won't mess with any wireless connection. For a while myself I was hardwired to the TWC modem and the rest of my roommates were wireless. Worked flawlessly - although one roommate had an old Belkin USB adapter that required us to drop our encryption to use it. It was really old.

I have the same "good fortune" ?......

I bought an iMac in jan. and chose 'default' when setting up internet connection because i didn't have any internet service at the time. I was immediately able to get online. I guess my 802.11 card is picking up someone else's network, but there's no one else in my apartment building with an unnamed wireless network because i can see all the others.

Another thing is, I'm sure it is probably not legal, but hey, it's not hurting anyone else that I'm aware of.