ISPs for Macs?

I've signed up for broadband ISP that has a Mac compatible modem but service won't commence for 3 weeks or so. Until then,  I've been looking for a dial up option for one month but can't seem to find an ISP compatible.

I've tried

Virgin- won't open even though says is  disk is compatible
Wanadoo- won't open even though says is compatible
BT- opens up, dials up then sends to error page when registering
AOL- won't open at all even though the disk says it is compatible

I am on OSX and it says something about using Classic9 but I don't have that on my laptop.

What do you other Mac users use for either dial-up or broadband?

If the customized software won't work, you could still just get service and then set up your dialer/browser/mail programs manually.

Paul, how do you mean?

oh, yes and you'd be proud to know I took your advice from the electronics info thread and rewired a plug.  I had a friend talk me through it over the phone. The color of the wires were tricky. So far the fuse hasn't blown or the device hasn't melted to nothing! Anything else I should be aware of? It was an HP all in one printer/scanner/copier machine. I gritted my teeth all the way through it and just wanted to go out and buy the UK lead and be done with it buy my friend convinced me otherwise to at least give it a try.

Paul, how do you mean?

I'm not at all familiar with the Mac or what software comes bundled with the O/S, but I assume that you already have a web browser and e-mail program with it? 

Somewhere in those packages you should find an option to set up a new dial-up connection.  It might be named "Add connection" or "New account" or something like that.

It's then just a matter of entering all the relevant configuration data, which your ISP should provide:  Telephone number, user name and password, server addresses for incoming and outgoing e-mail, etc.

oh, yes and you'd be proud to know I took your advice from the electronics info thread and rewired a plug.  I had a friend talk me through it over the phone. The color of the wires were tricky.

With an American cord into a British plug, you should have ended up with green on the earth (ground) pin at the top, white to the neutral on the left, and black to the fuse on the right. 

Anything else I should be aware of?

So long as you got the connections right and the cord terminated and secured properly, you should be fine.    What size fuse did you use in the plug?

right, BT was the only one that even let me get as far as opening to give me instruction on how to change my PPP (whatever) and do dial up. I got that far but then it when to an "oops" message.

i guess i will just suck it up and go without for a few more weeks!!

yes, exactly... white to the left, green up top and black to the  right next to the fuse.... as far as the fuse, the plug set came with it, does 13 amp sound right?

If you need dial up short term, then you can try this company:

http://freeola.com/dial-up-internet/

No contracts, you can pay by the minute via 0845 number.

Instructions for setting up a Mac are here:

http://freeola.com/support/supportdocs/connections_mac_osx.php
http://freeola.com/support/supportdocs/connections_mac_early.php

right, BT was the only one that even let me get as far as opening to give me instruction on how to change my PPP (whatever) and do dial up. I got that far but then it when to an "oops" message.

Were you still trying to run their supplied CD though?   It could be a software compatibility problem with your version of operating system or something similar.    The actual protocols used to transfer data to and from your system over the link are all the same whether you are running a Mac, Windows, DOS, Unix, or anything else, so there's no such thing as a Mac-specific dial-up connection.  It's only the installation program and any customized software your ISP provides which needs to be specific for your operating system.   If you just set up manually (e.g. following the type of procedure outlined  in Cait's links) you might have more success. 

as far as the fuse, the plug set came with it, does 13 amp sound right?

A 3 or 5-amp fuse would be quite sufficient in this application and provide closer protection.   13A isn't really a problem in this application though, as the cord will still be adequately protected.

Thanks Cait and Paul. I got my broadband set up this week. Had a few problems at first. Turned out I could connect but then get disconnected or not connect at all. Called up and had the Mac geek on the team with the thickest Scottish accent call me back. Nice to know computer geeks in any country can make you feel dumb.  Most of the problem was I couldn't understand him! We got it sorted. The driver on the CD wasn't the correct one.

But I am good to go now!