I figured it out. The voicemail I didn't want that came with my new phone service had taken messages even though I didn't set it up (!!!) and once I got the beepbeepbeep off the line, the Airport modem could find the dial tone. Why the Powerbook's internal modem was more versatile? less sensitive? smarter? I can't understand, but here's the solution for future reference.
>Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2008 19:15:50 -0500 >To: macgroup-erdos.math.louisvi.ed >From: Mary Anne Stout <[email protected]@pop.gmail.com> >Subject: airport not getting dial tone >Cc: >Bcc: >X-Attachments: > > >I've just moved (more like, am moving) and I've got the Airport >Extreme over here and plugged in and working--the AlPBG4 (10.4.11) >and the Macbook (10.5.3) can see it--but when I try to connect to >the internet I get the message "There was no dial tone." If I plug >the very same phone cord into the PB's internal modem, it connects >fine. (See? I'm here.) Airport Help does not give me any useful >clues. Have you got any? TIA >-- > >Mary Anne >"There are some situations your genes don't prepare you for." >Robert T. Bakker, _Raptor Red_. -- Mary Anne in Mount Eden "We tend to think that familiar and obvious facts must be easy to explain. This is not the case." Tim Silverman _______________________________________________ The next Louisville Computer Society meeting will be January 27 at MacAuthority, 128 Breckinridge Lane. Posting address: [email protected] Information: http://www.math.louisville.edu/mailman/listinfo/macgroup
