can't connect to internet

[victoriabarnes5]

I am renting an apartment right now with internet that is included and my boyfriend is able to connect using his PC through the ethernet cord however when I connect it to my mac it does not work. I tried doing the network diagnostics thing, and somehow ended up at a screen asking me for DHCP client ID as well as other screens asking for information I don't have. I tried googling this issue and basically it seems like I need to call the internet provider. I don't want to do that because I don't speak the language of the country I am living in well enough to communicate about computers and internet, which I know nothing about. Is there a way I can connect without having to call someone!? I've had this same problem before trying to connect to ethernet, and it was easily fixable I just don't remember how!
Thanks!

[Satcomer]

Is he connecting to a cable or DSL modem? He is he using a router instead of connect directly to a modem? What Mac are you running plus what version of OS X?

[victoriabarnes5]

Cable modem, no router, my mac is really old, Verseion 10.4.11

Machine model : Power book 5,6
CPU Type Powerbook G4 (1.2)

[DeltaMac]

This should be easy....
When you connect to the cable modem, unplug the power to that modem, wait a few seconds, then plug back in. You should be connected in a few seconds. So, every time you switch between your Mac, and your BF PC, just restart the cable modem.
The reason is, that modem has to recognize the computer. restarting the modem makes it 'recognize' the new computer.