Cruzio Setup Docs » How To Connect To a Wireless Network With Macintosh OS X
» Introduction » Setup » What do I do if I cannot connect? » My wireless connection was working just fine, but now it's not!

Introduction

The purpose of these instructions is to help you configure your Macintosh computer and AirPort Card to connect to a wireless router (or wireless access point; from now on, the terms "router" and "access point" will be used interchangeably).

These instructions assume that you have Internet access, such as Cruzio DSL, or that you are at a location with access, such as an Internet café; and that you will be connecting to a wireless router that has previously been installed and configured. If you need to purchase a wireless router, you can do so at Cruzio. If you have already purchased a router from Cruzio, but have not yet configured it, please see our router instructions.

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Setup

Setting up a wireless connection with Mac OS X is fairly straightforward.

1. By default, the first time a computer equipped with an AirPort card is within range of a wireless router, Mac OS X will prompt you with a message that says "None of your trusted wireless networks could be found, do you want to connect to <SSID>?" where <SSID> is the name of the wireless network. Click OK.

2. You may be prompted for the network's password; enter the password. You are now connected wirelessly.

3. If you do not receive a prompt, use the AirPort Menu*, located in the upper-right hand area of the screen. Click on the Airport Menu and select the name of the network.

If you do not see the name of the network, select "Other..." and enter the network name manually.

4. You may be prompted for the network's password, if there is one; enter the password.

You should now be connected wirelessly.

*If you do not see the AirPort Menu, follow these steps:

1. Click the Apple Menu and select "System Preferences".
2. Click on "Network".
3. From the "Show" menu, select "Network Port Configurations".
4. Put a check next to "AirPort" to turn it on, and click "Apply Now".
5. From the "Show" menu, select "AirPort".
6. Check the box next to "Show AirPort status in menu bar".

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What do I do if I cannot connect, or get frequently disconnected?

If there are security measures in place on the router, such as MAC address filtering, access could be denied. Make sure you are aware of any security measures before proceeding.

Check these settings:

1. Click the Apple Menu and select "System Preferences".
2. Click on "Network".
3. From the "Show" menu, select "AirPort".
4. In the "TCP/IP" tab, ensure that "Configure" is set to "Using DHCP".
5. In the "Proxy" tab, make sure that nothing is checked.

The network's name, or SSID (Service Set Identifier), may have changed. If the network is your own, connect to your router with your Web browser (with a wired connection) and check the SSID settings.

If you're running a Macintosh operating system older than 10.3 you cannot connect to a network that is using WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access). Cruzio recommends upgrading your operating system if you need to connect to WPA networks.

You may have interference from other wireless routers in your area broadcasting on the same channel as yours. If the router is your own, connect to your router with your Web browser (with a wired connection). Try changing your router's wireless channel. The recommended choices to try first are 1, 6, and 11.

You may be out of range of the router. Try moving closer. If the router is your own, try moving the router to a different location. Try moving it higher or lower as well. If the network is your own, you may want to consider purchasing a signal booster. Many companies sell boosters that will increase the signal of your router.

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My wireless network was working just fine, but now it's not!

Often, rebooting the router will get things working again. Pull the power cord out of the router, wait for five seconds, and plug it back in. You may want to reboot your computer as well.

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Cruzio provides these instructions as a service to our users. If you have any feedback or suggestions on how to improve these, please send email to support@cruzio.com

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