Apex mac friendly?

m and m · Feb 11, 2011

So i have a new apex on the way and thought of something i should of before i bought it. Is apex mac friendly, i only have 5 macs in this house and no Pc's. Will i need to buy one to run it?

DrTrey · Feb 11, 2011

I believe the Neptune products will interface just fine with the Mac OS. But if there's a problem with that, then you can just buy a copy of Windows 7 and install it on your Mac using Boot Camp. Probably no need to buy an inferior PC just to run an aquarium controller :nerd:

MAXreefer · Feb 11, 2011

Just got an Apex a couple days ago and only running Mac's here also.
No issues at all. The whole configuration/controlling stuff is web based.
Only thing different is with a PC you just can enter http://apex to get to the web page. On the Mac you have to put in the actual IP address.

m and m · Feb 11, 2011

Well i would just buy a cheap laptop and have it next to my system. I truly dont want to run windows on any of my macs. the only one close to the controller would be my Imac and i definitely dont want to use that one due to its for work.

m and m · Feb 11, 2011

Thanks maxreefer, How hard is it to set up to my computer im truly not good with figuring that comp stuff out.

btkrausen · Feb 11, 2011

I'm running Chrome on my Macbook Pro and I connect to the Apex with no problems.

As for setting up, you just give the Apex an IP address on the Apex itself, and then you can do the rest from the browser.

MAXreefer · Feb 11, 2011

m and m said:
Thanks maxreefer, How hard is it to set up to my computer im truly not good with figuring that comp stuff out.

You don't have to setup anything on your Mac.
Can you hardwire the apex to your router/switch?

m and m · Feb 11, 2011

MAXreefer said:
You don't have to setup anything on your Mac.
Can you hardwire the apex to your router/switch?

I could but it would be a BIG hassle using a ethernet cable to my imac would be allot easer for me i mean its always connected to the internet via wirelessly.

MAXreefer · Feb 11, 2011

m and m said:
I could but it would be a BIG hassle using a ethernet cable to my imac would be allot easer for me i mean its always connected to the internet via wirelessly.

What you want to achieve is more tricky and some network settings on the router and the Mac have to be done.

gilmour01 · Feb 11, 2011

i had problems updating the apex firmware with my Mac, but everything else seems fine.

btkrausen · Feb 11, 2011

There is a wireless gaming adapter that you can put on the Apex to give it a wireless connection. Then you can access it from any of your Macs, wireless or not.

btkrausen · Feb 11, 2011

This is the wireless adapter that you can use according to some searches. wnce2001 - BestBuy

MAXreefer · Feb 11, 2011

btkrausen said:
There is a wireless gaming adapter that you can put on the Apex to give it a wireless connection. Then you can access it from any of your Macs, wireless or not.

Agree on that one.
If you just would hardwire the Apex to your Mac you would be able to communicate with the Apex but only from that particular Mac. Not from the other ones in your house unless you do some serious network settings on router and Mac.
I just have no experience with the game adapter. When we build the house we hardwired the whole house and have ethernet sockets everywhere. Just plugged the Apex in one of the outlets and assigned it a static IP.

btkrausen · Feb 11, 2011

MAXreefer said:
Agree on that one.
If you just would hardwire the Apex to your Mac you would be able to communicate with the Apex but only from that particular Mac. Not from the other ones in your house unless you do some serious network settings on router and Mac.
I just have no experience with the game adapter. When we build the house we hardwired the whole house and have ethernet sockets everywhere. Just plugged the Apex in one of the outlets and assigned it a static IP.

Exactly what I did. I ran a Cat5e from my router to the Apex. Check out this unofficial Apex guide...it looks pretty good.

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m and m · Feb 12, 2011

The big thing i want is to be able to sett everything on my imac in the same room as the apex, then while on the go be able to control things wirelessly via my I4, so when I'm out and the GF says something is wrong a few clicks from my cell phone from any where and its done. I have the RK right now and it doesnt have the computer which IMO is alot easer then sitting there on that little screen and i can not control it on my Iphone.

So i think im just gonna run it to the one imac and just control it from that one, thanks guys.

btkrausen · Feb 12, 2011

If you run it just to the single iMac, you won't be able to connect a regular network cable straight from the Apex to the iMac, you'd need a switch/hub in between them. You can pick up a small 5 port hub from Best Buy or even Walmart for cheap.

reefboxerguy317 · Feb 12, 2011

I was also in the same situation as you, and also not too good with all the computer stuff. The apex does work just fine with mac, and I can pull up the apex and turn things off or on and check my tank. But to this day I have never been able to update the firmware with my mac. I've followed all the directions but could never get it to download. Now when there is a new firmware released I just borrow someones pc that has windows. Much easier.

btkrausen · Feb 12, 2011

Good call. I think I've only attempted to update the firmware in the last year maybe once or twice. The first time updated the EB firmware, but I don't think anything was available the second time. I was doing it from a Win7 PC.

m and m · Feb 12, 2011

Making it universal so i can see it from every where is just simply giving it my IP address? i just had to find my IP address to play call of duty and It literally took 30 mins until some one said why dont you find a you tube video on it. Solved my problem in two mins.

btkrausen · Feb 12, 2011

Yeah, you just need to give it an IP address. On the Mac, just go to System Preferences, and then Network. It'll tell you right on that front page what your IP address is. On a Windows PC, go to Start, Run, and type CMD. Then type ipconfig. It'll give you everything you need to know, and more probably.

I would give the Apex an IP about 50 away, just to be safe. So if your IP on the Mac is 192.168.1.101. give it 192.168.1.50. Most home networks will use a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, and the gateway will be the address of your router, probably 192.168.1.1. If you don't plan to access the Apex from beyond your home network, or if you don't want it to send out email/text, the gateway isn't required.