I have a signal but can not connect to internet.

Question

Ok, I have an Ibook clamshell and an airport Graphite. The Ibook picks up a signal but when I go to Safari or Internet Explorer I get a message saying the server can not be found. Help, please?

Answer 1

In the opening screen of AirPort Admin Utility, check the firmware version of your Graphite base station. It should show up as "Description: Base Station Vx" where x is the firmware version. If it is earlier than 3.84, download updated firmware from this page and install it.
I found the user guide for your modem on Arris's Web site. It prompts me to suggest the following additional things:
1. Although the user guide says to use a cross-over Ethernet cable for connection to a hub or home router (as opposed to the supplied cable, presumably a straight-through Ethernet cable, for direct connection to a computer), I believe that the Graphite acts like a computer in this regard instead of like a router. In other words, the Graphite connects to a modem, hub or router using a straight-through cable, but the Graphite would need a cross-over cable to connect to a computer. Try using a straight-through cable, if you haven't already.
2. Try pushing the Reset button on the back of the modem. Use a pointed, non-metallic object to press the button. I recommend doing this while the Graphite and both computers are powered off, then start up the Graphite first, before the computers.
3. This type of modem evidently does not itself serve as a router. It has connections for two computers (one via USB, one via Ethernet), but your ability to get two Internet connections through it depends on whether your Internet service provider is willing to supply two IP addresses. (If you try resetting the modem with the pc off, as in paragraph 2 above, and the Graphite acquires a working IP address, enabling the iBook to access the Internet, but the pc then can't, that would indicate that you can receive only one connection at a time.) I suspect that this is, in fact, your problem, unless your cable provider has said that you could connect two computers to the Internet with this modem.
It would be possible to share a single Internet connection, if the pc has either wireless or Ethernet capability. If it has wireless, you could simply disconnect the pc's USB connection to the modem and have it join the Graphite's wireless network. If it has Ethernet, you might be able to connect it to the modem's Ethernet port along with the Graphite, using an Ethernet hub, but this is difficult and uncertain, as well as less secure. If the pc can handle Ethernet, you'd be better off getting a newer and better wireless base station that has 2 or more Ethernet ports, or, alternatively, a router to be inserted between the modem and both the pc and the Graphite. In any case, a base station that can use WPA or WPA2 wireless encryption would be a great improvement, as the quite insecure WEP protocol is the best the Graphite can handle.
Message was edited by: Larry R.