If you are having problems connecting to the Internet, and have checked that your modem is properly connected to your computer and to the wall jack, check your network settings to make sure they match the settings you received from your ISP.

Open System Preferences and click Network. The Network Status pane shows the status of each network port, such as Built-in Ethernet, AirPort, or Modem (Internal or external). Network Status tells you if the port has been set up, if there is anything connected to the port, if the port is connected to a network or the Internet, and in some cases, the IP address the port is using.

Make sure the settings are correct for the type of Internet connection you use. If they are not, you can highlight the port, such as Internal Modem or External Modem, click Configure, and enter the proper settings.

If you don't see the network port you expected to see, choose Network Port Configurations from the Show pop-up menu and make sure the port you want to use is selected.

Use the Show pop-up menu to select the network port you use for connecting to the Internet.

• Choose Internal Modem or External Modem if you use a dial-up connection.
• Choose your Ethernet port configuration (named Built-in Ethernet unless you gave it another name) if you use a DSL or cable modem.
• Choose AirPort if you connect to an AirPort base station or other wireless network.

Click TCP/IP, and use the Configure IPv4 pop-up menu to choose the method your ISP uses to provide your IP (Internet Protocol) address.

IPv4 addresses are a series of numbers divided by 3 periods, and often look like this: 123.45.67.89

IPv6 addresses are a series of numbers and letters divided by 7 colons and often look like this: fa80:0000:0000:0123:0203:93ee:ef5b:44a0

• Choose Manually if you were given a specific address from your ISP or network administrator, and enter the address in the IP Address field. If your ISP gave you a specific IP address to use, you were most likely given other addresses to enter, such as the subnet mask, router, and DNS (Domain Name Service). Make sure those addresses are correct.
• Chose Using DHCP if your ISP delivers your IP addresses by DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). If you use DHCP, the address fields are filled in by your ISP. Most ISPs use DHCP.

If you use a DSL or cable modem, and your ISP uses Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE), choose Built-in Ethernet from the Show pop-up menu, click PPPoE, and then select the "Connect using PPPoE" checkbox. Enter your service provider, account name, and other information you received from your ISP.

See also