Section 28. Dial Up to the Internet with a Modem (PPP)

1.

Select the Internal Modem Configuration

On the Network Preferences pane of the System Preferences application, double-click the Internal Modem option in the configuration list on the Network Status page, or select Internal Modem from the Show drop-down list. The setup panels for the internal modem configuration appear. Because this is the first time you've set up the modem, the fields in the first PPP tab are blank.

2.

Enter a Service Provider Name

In the Service Provider field, type the name of your ISP (for example, EarthLink ). This name is simply an identifier so that you can tell which dial-up configuration you're using when you connect.

28. Dial Up to the Internet with a Modem (PPP)

3.

Enter Your Account Name and Password

Type in your account name, which is part of the information that came with your dial-up account from your Internet service provider (for example, johndoe ), and the password for your account. As you type the password, each letter is hidden for security.

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Your account password is always saved with your dial-up configuration and is automatically passed to the ISP when your modem dials up. If you enable the Save Password check box, and there are multiple users set up on your Mac, all the users will be able to dial up using this modem configuration without having to type in your password. If you deselect the Save Password check box, each user must have her own dial-up account and configure it in her own login sessions.

4.

Enter the Dial-up Phone Number(s)

Your ISP should have given you an access phone number, and possibly an alternate number as well. Enter these numbers in the appropriate fields. If the modem attempts to dial and finds that the primary number is busy, it will automatically attempt the alternate number.

5.

Enter TCP/IP Information

Click the TCP/IP tab. Most modern ISPs don't require you to enter any TCP/IP information manually; however, if your ISP gave you such information to enter, such as an IP Address or Domain Name Service (DNS) Servers , select Manually from the Configure IPv4 drop-down menu and enter that information in the appropriate fields.

6.

Set Dial-up Options

Return to the PPP tab and click the PPP Options button. A sheet appears that contains many options you can enable, disable, or tweak according to your needs. For instance, you can select the Connect automatically when needed check box to set up your PPP configuration so that you don't ever have to manually connect to the Internet; if any application has to access the Internet, Mac OS X will automatically dial your modem for you. You can also set various options for whether and when Mac OS X should automatically disconnect the modem when it's not being used.

Click the Modem tab to configure a few extra connection options. You can set up Mac OS X to pop up a notification if you get an incoming phone call while you're connected to the Internet, or to show the modem status in the menu bar. If you choose this latter option, the Modem Status System Menu will appear in the right half of the system's global menu bar (at the top of the screen) and give you the ability to connect the modem with a single click, select between multiple modem configurations (if you have them), or open the Internet Connect application, which lets you manage your modem configurations, dial the modem, and monitor your connection.

7.

Dial the Modem

From the PPP tab, click the Dial Now button to launch the Internet Connect application; select your Configuration from the drop-down list at the top of the dialog box if needed, and click Connect to dial the modem. You can keep the Internet Connect window open to show you your connection status while you're online.

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You can also launch Internet Connect from the Network Status page of the Network Preferences pane; simply click the Connect button on that page to bring up the Internet Connect window.

8.

Disconnect the Modem

When you're done using your Internet connection, click Disconnect in the Internet Connect window (the Connect button changes to Disconnect when the connection is established) or select Disconnect from the Modem Status System Menu.