UTV & Mac OS 10.3

CitySickness

Installed the latest Mac OS (Panther) on my G4 this evening, then re-installed the driver software for the Prestige 630-11 USB modem that UTV provided me with. Nothing working - I figure I've left one crucial box unchecked in my settings or something, so I call up UTV support, who tell me that the supplied drivers are incompatible with OS 10.3, and I could "maybe" try the Zyxel website where "maybe" there are new drivers available. Except, of course, there aren't. UTV kindly inform me that if this is the case, I will have to spend €50 to upgrade to an ethernet modem...

Bear in mind that OS 10.3 has been on general release for about 4 months now, so it's not as if I'm an extremely early adopter. As an aside, UTV also claim that they don't support Safari as a browser for the Mac, despite the fact that Microsoft have stopped making a Mac version of IE and Safari is the proprietary browser for the platform.

Anyone got any bright ideas as to how I can actually get to use my expensive broadband connection without forking over ANOTHER 50 quid? Or, failing that, creative suggestions for polite ways of telling UTV to stuff their contract up their hole?

ZENER

I sympathise with you on this, it's become the norm for mac users when it comes to support. I've had a search around and can find no reference to drivers for this modem.

I know it's annoying but in fairness an ethernet device is the best option. It's going to be far easirer to configure and will work on any platform.

Let us know how you get on, I'm sure you'll not be the only one who will come up against this problem.

Regards

Tinky

dglancy

Can't see where them supporting or not supporting Safari come into it. The ISP's job is to supply you with an IP network connection to a router which is configured to route to other networks (i.e. the internet).

Unless they mean that the www.utv.ie website dosen't support Safari.

sceptre

Out of luck on the modem you have - according to this, a Panther driver doesn't exist and Zyxel aren't going to be writing one.

Nyum Nyum

CitySickness - you have my sympathies

I had the same trouble as you when I upgraded to 10.3 in October.

Even on the Apple help forums somehow it was MY fault for having a USB modem and that I should simply "buy an ethernet" one!! So my upgrade ended up costing me about €300 :rolleyes:


I ended up getting rid of the Mac. This kind of situation was unacceptable.

daveyjoe

Originally posted by dglancy
Can't see where them supporting or not supporting Safari come into it. The ISP's job is to supply you with an IP network connection to a router which is configured to route to other networks (i.e. the internet).

Unless they mean that the www.utv.ie website dosen't support Safari.

In that case Opera doesn't support UTV either

jank

above is the reason why i hate apple with a passion
ok for multimedia but for everything else its a struggle

daveyjoe

Originally posted by jank
above is the reason why i hate apple with a passion
ok for multimedia but for everything else its a struggle

That's not much of a reason then :rolleyes: , if you have an obscure modem brand (Zyxel) and that obscure modem brand decides not to support the latest version of Mac's then there's not much you can do about it. USB modems are difficult at the best of times on windows, Ethernet modems are much easier, much more compatible and only a small bit more expensive.

ZENER

It's true that some devices are difficult to get support for where the mac is concerned, but the situation is improving.

In some cases no drivers are required at all, most digital camers (except Canon . . ba**ards) and DV cameras require no supporting software whatsoever, the majority of printers require no intervention from the user to operate correctly, where windows will throw a hissyfit if there's no CD from which to install half a gig of unnecessary offle onto the hard disk !

It's horses for courses I guess but if, like me, you like to dabble with Unix while still requiring to have course assignments in on time then the Mac suits just fine thanks !

Tinky