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Title: Online Banking - Author: Mical Wilmoth - Word Count: 607 - Interest Level: All - Description: Online Banking on the Mac can be trying - especially when the bank involved only uses software designed for a PC. But it’s possible, even easy, using PC emulation software.

Online Banking
by Mical Wilmoth

Online banking seems to be the "in" thing these days. Even my dad, who has a PowerMac 6100 and a checking account with NationsBank, has wanted to get connected. As I'm sure many of you know, NationsBank now lets you pay bills, check your current balance, transfer funds from one account to another, email questions to the bank, and even arrange a loan, all by computer. They provide the software and an "800" number, and you bank from home, while wearing your pajamas, at 3 am. At least that's what all their ads say.

The NationsBank form for ordering your password and PIN asks if you use a Mac or PC. If you want a hard copy of the book and the 4-floppy software installation set (strongly recommended), there's a $7.50 charge. Alternatively, the software can be downloaded from the bank's web site. Unfortunately, this form neglects to mention that NationsBank software is PC only, and their Tech Support personnel are totally unable to relate to anyone who even mentions the word Macintosh.

Password and PIN received, my dad called me to get him connected to the bank. I sent Larry, since he's got more time than I do these days. Larry downloaded the NationsBank software from the web site, at which time he realized that it was PC-only, and he turned the whole thing back over to me.

My dad has a PowerMac 6100 with a PC card. If you've read my previous article about the Apple PC card, you know there's a problem with modem connection from this card. It connects to the outside world through the Mac modem, and this strips out all of the 4 signals PC modems expect to receive when making a connection. Since I am intimately familiar with this problem, I called NationsBank to discuss the modem situation before trying to install their software.

NationsBank's Customer Support Department, to its credit, is aware that some of their Mac friendly customers have connected by computer using their software, but the young man I spoke with said he "didn't have any idea how they've done this." So, he passed me on to a young woman in Tech Support who assured me it couldn't be done. After I exploded in her ear, and assured her it would be done, I asked to talk to someone who knew something about connecting to their server, and I was referred to another young man who told me very sincerely that their server cannot connect to a Mac modem. I thanked him very much, and we discussed the fact that it would still be possible to connect my dad to their server - from his Mac.

Since I know about the Mac / PC modem problem, I simply installed a copy of SoftWindows onto my dad's computer, installed the NationsBank software from their floppies into SoftWindows, verified the modem and printer settings within SoftWindows, and connected my dad with NationsBank. It was a very straightforward and simple installation. Once connected to the bank, we updated my dad's password and PIN, and he is now (possibly at this very moment) very happily banking from home.

My dad's PM6100/66 is too slow to support Virtual PC. In addition, we had previously encountered this problem with the modem connection, so we had an older version of SoftWindows (which includes only Windows 3.11) on hand. That said, I'm sure the newest versions of both SoftWindows and Virtual PC will work, since both emulate PC modem connection as part of their function.

If anyone has questions about this, don't hesitate to contact me by email for help. My email address is <MdAPPLE@aol.com>.

Mical Wilmoth

First Published in the January/February 1998 issue of Seeds & Stems, bi-monthly publication of the Maryland Apple Corps, PO Box 668, Riderwood, MD 21139-0668.

Please credit the Maryland Apple Corps. when reprinting this article, and please forward a copy of your newsletter (including this article) to us at Md Apple Corps, Inc., P O Box 668, Riderwood, MD 21139-0668. - Thank you. Mical Wilmoth, editor.

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