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ATPM 6.05
May 2000

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How To Become a Network Guru in 10 Easy Steps

by Matthew Glidden, mglidden@atpm.com

Part 8—Macs & PCs Sharing the Same Internet Connection

Last month, in ATPM 6.04, I illustrated how to put Macs and Windows PCs on the same network using software that helped one computer speak the other computer’s language. While this method is useful for sharing files and printers on a mixed Mac/PC network, sharing an Internet connection between the two is a very different process. Since sharing files and sharing an Internet connection are different processes, you can generally run both simultaneously on the same network.

Before you begin, you must have your computers connected to the same network before attempting to share an Internet connection. To simplify things, I will assume you’re using an Ethernet network, although this method will also work over LocalTalk. First, purchase an Ethernet hub (or switch) and an Ethernet adapter for any Mac or PC that lacks one; then connect each computer to the hub using a length of twisted-pair Ethernet cable.

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If you only need to connect two computers together, you can simply use a single crossover Ethernet cable in place of the hub. The crossover cable is different from the “straight-through” Ethernet cable used in a hub-based network and will be packaged as such.

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TCP/IP and the Internet In Brief

Macs and PCs can both use TCP/IP, the data transfer method that forms the basis of the World Wide Web and the Internet in general. Sharing an Internet connection involves changing each computer’s TCP/IP settings. Before this can be done, you’ll first need to locate the TCP/IP controls on each computer. Macs utilize the “TCP/IP” control panel, located in the Control Panels folder within the System Folder. Under Windows 95 or later, go into the Start menu and select “Control Panel” from the Settings sub-menu. The TCP/IP settings are located in the “Network” control panel. The instructions that follow list the changes that need to be made.

Setting Up the Internet Connection

Sharing an Internet connection requires the use of a hardware- or software-based “router” that allows more than one network computer to concurrently use the incoming Internet signal. Hardware routers typically connect directly to a DSL or cable modem connection and many incorporate a hub in a single unit. Hardware routers automatically create Internet identities for networked computers, requiring you to do little more than turn them on.

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Hardware routers are generally easier to use than software routers, but they are also more expensive. If you use a dial-up modem connection, however, a software router is your only option. A software router is a software application that runs on an Internet-connected Mac. In this article, I’ll refer to the Internet-connected Mac as the “server” and the other computers as “clients.”

If you have a DSL or cable Internet connection and plan to use a software router, it’s important to ensure your network remains secure. For more information on network security and precautions, see ATPM 5.11.

To use a software router with DSL or cable Internet, I highly recommend adding a second Ethernet interface to the “server” Mac. You then connect one interface to the incoming signal and the second interface to the network. This keeps the network and Internet signals separate and secure. It therefore makes sense to choose a Mac with available expansion slots as the “server.”

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Setting Up the Server Mac

I should state that although Sustainable Softworks’ IPNetRouter is a sponsor of my own Threemacs.com Web site, that it was not my exclusive reason for picking it as an example software router. IPNetRouter’s primary advantages include service for an unlimited number of “client” computers and regular (often weekly) software updates.

IPNetRouter includes browser-friendly, easy-to-follow setup instructions. The first time I used the program, it took me approximately three minutes (including reading time) to get it running. If your “server” Mac uses the recommended two Ethernet interfaces, your IPNetRouter should look similar to the figure below, with one IP address for the Internet connection and one for your network.

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Setting Up a Client Macintosh

IPNetRouter functions as a DHCP server, common to other software routers, which “creates” Internet connections on demand for network computers. To use this, open the client Mac’s TCP/IP control panel and set “Connect via” to DHCP. The client should shortly receive IP and router addresses.

If you decide to set an IP address manually, you should pick an address beginning with “192.168.” (for example, 192.168.0.1), as these addresses are specifically set aside for private networks. Also make sure each computer on the network has a unique IP address. Set the subnet mask to “255.255.255.0” and the DNS router to the server Mac’s IP address or your Internet Service Provider’s DNS router’s address.

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Setting Up a Client PC

Configuring a Windows 95/98 PC client is similar to the Mac. You can choose DHCP as your connection method, although it may also help to know how to connect manually. To do so, highlight the TCP/IP protocol connected to your network interface and click on “Properties.” Select the “IP Address” tab and enter the IP address (again in the 192.168 group) and subnet mask (255.255.255.0). Enter and add the server Mac’s IP address in the Gateway tab. Select the DNS Configuration tab and enter your ISP’s DNS router address. You may also need to enter the server’s host name if the IP address alone doesn’t work. Close the Network control panel and restart your PC.

Testing the Connection

Once the client computer receives a valid IP address from the Mac server, you should be able to use any Internet application as if you were directly connected to the Internet. If the connection isn’t working correctly, start by double-checking the software router’s setup instructions to make sure the router is functioning properly.

If the router works for some client computers, but not for others, there may be a problem with the client’s network connection. Try sharing files to or from the problem computer. If you are unable to share files, you should reinstall the client’s Ethernet software and check the Ethernet adapter’s connection lights to make sure the physical side is working.

Things to Consider

It’s worth noting that Vicom makes the Macintosh software routers SurfDoubler and Internet Gateway. See their Web site for features and pricing. Hardware routers are coming down in price, some dropping below $100 including rebate. Search Dealmac using the keyword “router” to check on current deals.

Some DSL or cable modem ISPs don’t account for AppleTalk (file sharing) network traffic, which can cause problems with shared files on your home network when your Internet connection is active. Not all of these problems have solutions yet, but you should at least contact your ISP and ask about it if you experience that kind of problem.

appleCopyright © 2000 Matthew Glidden. Matthew Glidden is the webmaster of Threemacs.com, a guide to constructing and maintaining home and small-office Macintosh networks. He can also tango and juggle, not necessarily at the same time.

Also in This Series

Reader Comments (37)

Henry Wattson · May 2, 2000 - 01:01 EST #1
I am on a UGate 3000 hub/router ADSL using dynamic addressing. Have a Mac sharing with a PC works most of the time but sometimes have often Disconnected. WinPoets is installed on the PC and I think it causes conflict; cannot convince user to uninstall WinPoets.
William Whitely · June 14, 2001 - 00:11 EST #2
I have two G3's working on my network, file sharing and Internet sharing using a Linksys 4 port router. I can successfuly ping my PC connected to the LAN, the router setup says the PC is connected, but I can't get Explorer to connect to Yahoo.
Becky Johnson · October 12, 2001 - 09:25 EST #3
I am so clueless. I have two new iMacs with OS 9.1. I would like to connect them so my homeschooled children can be online at the same time on the same connection. I do not understand tech talk but I need help. What must I have and what must I do? Please??
Lee Bennett (ATPM Staff) · October 12, 2001 - 13:41 EST #4
Becky - I'm assuming you have a broadband connection of some sort. The software router, described above, is probably the cheapest method to go, but probably isn't as efficient or as easy to set up. Ideally, you'd simply get a hardware router (ask the vendor to be sure you get one that's compatible with your flavor of broadband) and the extra ethernet cables, and that should be all you need. Virtually all routers act as small hubs, too, but if not, you'd only invest a couple of 10 bucks for a small seperate hub. The third diagram on this page is the one that shows what I've described, except that the router/hub can be the same piece of equipment instead of seperate.
Samuel Kravin · December 19, 2001 - 17:55 EST #5
Could I do this using a wireless network? What would be different in the setup? I know Apple has Airport which is pretty fast (11mbs). Airport cards only work on Macs, right? Could I use an Airport card on the Mac and a compatible card (IEEE 802.11b) on the PC? Would they be able to communicate?
Dave · April 23, 2002 - 17:39 EST #6
I was told by my ISP that I do not need a router to connect two Macs to the internet. They said my Linksys 8-port hub would be sufficient and allow both Macs to connect via ethernet with DHCP and nothing else. This does not work. Do I have to buy a router or use software on the Mac in order to get both of them online?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Lee Bennett (ATPM Staff) · April 23, 2002 - 23:45 EST #7
Dave - Your ISP is sort of correct. You could simply split the incoming broadband connection with a hub instead of a router. Doing this would require that your ISP (and your broadband modem) must be capable of serving more than one real IP address to your location. This used to be the norm, but more and more ISPs seem to be no longer doing this because customers were abusing the privilege.

Don't discount the possibility that your ISP's technical crew may have just recently quit serving more than one IP to any broadband modem and the customer support crew aren't well-informed of this yet. If you connected an ethernet cable from your modem to the hub's uplink port, then connected your computers to the hub (remember the last port on many hubs can't be used if you have something in the uplink port), and configured the computers as if they were directly connected to the modem, that should be all you have to do. If it does not work, then you're probably only getting one IP address (one of your computers should be online at this point) and you would need a router.
Dave Dockery · April 24, 2002 - 09:19 EST #8
Hi Lee,

I appreciate your response. Unfortunately, I can't get that to work. The cable company is a real small outfit ($29 a month for cable modem!) and they're all friends of mine, so I don't think I have to worry about mis-information. They claim that they can see both of my computers online at the office and there should be no reason why I can't connect. They said they don't charge for an extra IP number and that the only reason why they need to know if there's an extra machine is for security reasons.

I think part of the problem is that they don't assign static IP numbers, so I connect via ethernet using DHCP. It works only on one Mac. But after calling back to the cable company, they cannot figure out why I am not online with both Macs. Of course, the last thing they said was, "well, we don't support Macs."

Oh well. I guess I should just get the router.

Thanks,

Dave Dockery
Lee Bennett (ATPM Staff) · April 24, 2002 - 23:13 EST #9
Dave - by chance, is the Mac that you are able to get online running OS 9.x and the one that you can't get online running OS 8.x?

OS 8.x was fairly widely known to have challenges using DHCP. Back when I ran OS 8 on my PowerBook 3400, it always took me a couple of restarts (and 1 or 2 resets of the cable modem) any time I went over and visited a friend of mine who had Road Runner and connected my laptop to his hub. The issues were, to my knowledge, resolved in OS 9 and DHCP works even better in OS X.
Dave Dockery · April 25, 2002 - 00:20 EST #10
Hi Lee,

No, both the G3 and G4 are running on the same system: OS 9.2.
Chris Lawson (ATPM Staff) · April 26, 2002 - 02:02 EST #11
Try installing the TCP/IP Options control panel from the Apple Extras folder on your OS 9 CD and make sure "don't retain DHCP lease on shutdown" is checked.

Long shot, but might work.

My guess is something isn't right with your ISP's configuration, but there are plenty of reasons to get a router other than fixing your particular problem...for instance, most routers also have some sort of firewall software on them.

cl
Norman Ross · June 18, 2002 - 10:35 EST #12
I just made the serious move from Windows to Mac (G4 PowerBook) and I am utilizing a broadband internet connection via an AirPort Base Station. My question is this: I still have a few Windows desktops around the house and I would like to share my broadband connection with the Windows machines and the PowerBook. How do I accomplish simultaneously using a Windows PC and the PowerBook on the one connection?

Help! I am a Mac novice.
Lee Bennett (ATPM Staff) · June 22, 2002 - 21:40 EST #13
Norman - if your PCs have wireless networking cards, you should be able to connect to the AirPort's signal just like your Mac does. If the PCs don't have cards, then you will need to pick up one additional piece of equipment. If you have the original Base Station, someone else might need to provide some help because I don't think the originals had the extra ethernet jack to plug in nonwireless machines. If you do have the newer Base Station, just connect that ethernet jack to a switched hub, and plug your PCs into the hub.
Tristan Forsyth · November 2, 2002 - 06:33 EST #14
Lee, I was reading your comments about Dave Dockery's problems getting a net connection on two Macs. I am having the same problem. I can get a net (ADSL) connection on my PM 5500 running OS 8.6, but can't get a connection on my G3 B&W running OS 9.2! I am running my ADSL modem into a switch and my G3 can see the PM 5500 but I cannot get the stupid ADSL to work on the G3 (even when I just plug the ethernet cable from the modem straight into my G3!) Any ideas? An e-mail reply would also be helpful if you have any ideas on this.
Lee Bennett (ATPM Staff) · November 2, 2002 - 10:45 EST #15
Tristan - look above in this article regarding the addition of a hardware router in your setup. Many broadband services (especially DSL) will only permit one connection per modem or, more accurately, one real IP address per modem. My guess is that the reason your G3 wasn't getting online is because the PM5500 was turned on first and was given the IP address by the DSL modem. If you shut off the G3, plug the DSL modem into it, reset the modem and turn on the G3, you'd probably get a connection there, but no longer be online with the 5500. A hub does not solve the problem. Sure, it lets the two computers communicate with each other, but the modem is still only going to give one IP address to the first computer to ask for it.

A router works by being the one to take the IP address from your internet service, then it provides fake IP addresses to any/all computers attached to it. You can either use a router that only does this function and add your own hub or switch, or you can pick up an inexpensive broadband router that has a built-in switched hub.
Rick · December 16, 2002 - 18:08 EST #16
I am trying to connect a PowerBook G4/400 to a PC network via ethernet. I am using OS X 10.2.2. The PC network runs XP professional and has a hardware firewall of some type. It is a manual connection--not DHCP--and there are no proxies.

I was able to ping the network and see the other computers on the network after many attempts over many days in which we got nothing. All I would like to do with this network is to be able to surf the net. Upon launching a browser it asks for a name and password, which are correct according to the network administrator, it tries to go to my ISP, but then stops with no info coming across the network.

I have been told that I need to enter my ethernet hardware address somewhere on the PC. I asked the PC administrator, however he is clueless as to where this data might be entered for my Mac. I am not sure this is even the problem stoping me from getting on the network. I am wondering if the firewall may be the cause of my problems. Any specific information would be appreciated. Thank you.
Tristan Forsyth · December 18, 2002 - 00:38 EST #17
Lee, just as a follow up to my "problem." I got all computers on my network to access the ADSL connection simply by changing the PPoE software I was using. I put MacPoET on one machine (the PM 5500) and internet on the other three (iMac, Blue and White G3, and a G3 PowerBook). It works like a charm!!

Now I can access the net at the same time on all four machines using one ADSL connection and a switch (which is cheaper than a router!)

I have recently upgraded the PowerBook and the G3 to OS X 10.1.5, so accessing the net is a snap with the built-in PPPoE support.

Now I just have to work out how to get the OS X machines to talk together (still having fun--they can't see each other) and how to get the pre OS X machines to talk to the OS X machines (I can see them but can't connect). Strange thing, the OS X machines can connect to the pre OS X and mount their drives (God I love Appletalk!). One day I'll figure it out!

Thanks again.
Nick Temple · March 13, 2003 - 06:07 EST #18
I'm desperate for help! We are a charity with three old G3 Macs connected to ADSL via an Ethernet router/hub. Recently, for no apparent reason, (and this had never happened before), we started to not be able to access some web sites, seemingly at random (i.e. not related to flash/Java/security or anything). If we go direct via dial-up (old-school!), we can connect to everything.

Does anyone have any ideas what this is and why it's happening? I did a traceroute, but that didn't really help.

Cheers
Evan Trent (ATPM Staff) · March 14, 2003 - 01:05 EST #19
I suspect it has to do with your DNS servers. Try punching in new DNS (name server address) numbers for the router. What might work well for you is using the numbers that you have in your TCP/IP Control Panel for your dial-up configuration since, clearly, those DNS servers are not having trouble accessing the web sites that are coming up blank on your DSL line.
Tristan Forsyth · April 22, 2003 - 01:09 EST #20
Hi guys! Continuing from my two posts above, I have decided to document my trials and errors with home networking. It may or may not be of help to some. Anyway, the information is here.

Hope it's of some help.

Tristan
Frank · June 30, 2003 - 00:51 EST #21
Hi. I'm trying to connect my Mac running OS 8.1 with my PC running XP. I have ICS running on it and serving another PC with XP and it works fine, but I'm new to Mac OS and can't figure out the proper settings.
In TCP/IP, I have set manual then I put my IP to 192.168.0.2, the subnet to 255.255.255.0, and the Router to 192.168.0.1, but nothing goes when I try connect to apple.com. No browser is installed, that I know of, but the connection fails. I tried using the DHCP server and also adding 192.168.0.1 to the server name address field, but that doesn't work either. Any idea? Thanks!!
Matt Coates (ATPM Staff) · June 30, 2003 - 10:26 EST #22
Try setting your router's IP address to 192.168.1.1 instead of 192.168.0.1, then set your Mac's IP address to 192.168.1.2 or higher. This will also require changing your PC's IP settings to match, being sure that you are assigning different IP addresses to each computer.

You did not indicate why you are setting this up manually instead of automatically, and what do you mean by "No browser is installed?"
Frank · June 30, 2003 - 20:04 EST #23
Hey, Matt. Thanks for the prompt response! I'll try that. I have automatic IP addressing set on the PCs, I just have the gateway set to 192.168.0.1 on the client PC. I'm not sure Internet Connection Sharing will allow me to use 192.168.1.1 as an address, but I'll take a look. How could I do this automatically on the Mac?

I don't have any internet properties available on the Mac. Only TCP/IP. The Mac was part of a secure network before and I think the users had limited control, so software was taken out. I have no CD reader on it, so I can't add big software on it without this network going. I'll let you know! Thanks again!
Matt Coates (ATPM Staff) · July 1, 2003 - 00:42 EST #24
Frank -- your problem may be related to Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) on the PC. There is a mighty big gap between OS 8.1 and Windows XP. The goal here is to set up your router without ICS in the mix.

Do you have the manual for your router? Check to see if 192.168.1.1. is the default address for the router. It probably is. If not, find out what the default address is. You will need it if you do manual settup of your Mac's IP address.

Turn off ICS in Windows XP and set the router to assign IP addreses using the options under the router's DHCP settings. Set the PCs to automatically receive IP addresses if they are not already. Set the Mac to use automatic addressing, too, by selecting "Using DHCP Server" under "Configure" in the TCP/IP control panel and select "Ethernet" under "Connect Via."

It's not advised, but If you choose to do the IP assigning manually, set "Manually" under "Configure," then enter the IP address by increasing the last number of your router's default by 1 (If the default is 192.168.1.1 use 192.168.1.2. Set the subnet mask to 255.255.255.0.

I'm guessing that with ICS off, your Mac should connect. But I'm not sure how you will know without a browser.
Sam · July 24, 2003 - 02:32 EST #25
Hey helpers, I appreciate all the excellent articles on this web site. I recently purchased a Dell Windows XP laptop after using Macs. I did so because the only high speed internet available at my house is Direcway satellite and they cater to Windows machines. The satellite system is on order and now I want to know if I there is some way to use the internet connection created through this PC (just for e-mail, really) with my G3 (black) laptop which runs OS X 10.1.5 at the moment. I don't have an AirPort card (yet), but the Dell has a wireless card. Any guidance about required software, hardware, etc. would be deeply appreciated. I realize that I may have to say goodbye to my Mac, but want to hang on if possible. I know of these wireless things only by reputation, but am looking forward to sitting outside on my laptop away from the nest of cables.
Evan Trent (ATPM Staff) · August 6, 2003 - 17:13 EST #26
Sam - you can use a PC to route the satellite connection via wireless to your Mac. That will work. But be forewarned, it is likely to be very, very slow.

Satellites use USB modems that require Windows drivers so you cannot plug them into a Mac, or even a PC running Linux, etc. Also, because they are USB- and not Ethernet-based, you cannot use a hardware router as you can for cable/DSL, etc.

So, you must use a PC. You can either use Windows Internet Connection Sharing, or a third party solution. ICS is quick and easy to set up but quite slow. It is also not optimized for satellite use. There are some other third party solutions that are and will yield better (at least faster) results.

Vicom Internet Gateway and similar solutions do not work because they bypass the Windows TCP stack to improve performance (successfully, I might add) but, in doing so, they cannot talk to proprietary gizmos like the Direcway satellite modem (because the drivers patch into the TCP stack).

But, you can use something like Sat Serv.

I have used it. It does a nice job.

There is a hardware solution. Actually there are two.

Assuming you are using DirecWay, you can get this gizmo called the DW4020 from Hughes.

The DW4020 is basically a USB-to-Ethernet router for the DirecWay system. It provides four client Ethernet ports. You cannot use more than four client PCs on it (there is actually a user limit, not just a port limit). It is the most trouble-free, maintenance-free solution because there is really no software to configure or PC to worry about rebooting, etc. It is also compact and has the same footprint as the DirecWay mode.

However, of course, it's not quite so simple. Very few installers actually know that the DW4020 even exists, and even fewer actually know how to install one if they are aware of its existence. So, if you have already ordered service and contracted installation, you are probably not going to be able to go with the DW4020. Call and ask your provider/installer if they can do it, but most major ones cannot. Earthlink, for example, cannot.

Optistreams, however, can.

They are quite pleasant to work with. In the past I have had good experiences with them. They will find an installer who knows what a DW4020 is and can install it for you.

The DW4020 cannot be retrofitted to an existing installation of DirecWay. This is unfortunate, but I have tried doing this in the past and Hughes insists it is simply not possible. It must be installed when your service is first connected.

If you either need to retrofit or require more than four users, the only industrial strength solution I have discovered also comes from Optistreams and is the OSR/G.

This is basically a headless Windows box that has Optistreams' proprietary software installed for routing, caching, and other services. Connect it to the USB modem for the DirecWay system, then connect it to an Ethernet hub/switch and, poof, you're in business. It is fast and flexible, and Optistreams has great support.

I am not, in general, a big fan of satellite internet access. Satellite internet access should be regarded as an absolute last resort. It is not a good way to go if you have anything other than dial up available (I might actually encourage ISDN in favor of satellite in certain circumstances). But if your alternative is dial up, it beats that in most of the ways Broadband usually does: always on, faster, doesn't tie up a phone line, etc.

The problem, aside from the above-described complexity of sharing the connection, is the major latency problem which makes web browsing slow. Also, upstream speeds are very slow which is problematic because even just sending data upstream to query a web DNS (i.e. when you type www.atpm.com and your browser requests the IP translation) can be surprisingly lethargic. Conversely, if you download a large file, speeds can be awesome. You can get 200 KB/s easily, but it's the seat of the pants speed that's missing. Sure, you can suck down large files quickly, but when you are browsing a web site or FTP site, the experience is sluggish because of latency and because there is this upstream bottleneck that just puts the brakes on most interactive Internet experiences. Also, because of the latency, when you browse a web site, all those little images take a long time to show up. If the entire site were one large image, that would be no problem. The latency issue really screws everything up.

You can resolve a lot of this using a proxy server to help resolve the latency issue (Direcway provides their own and many third-party solutions such as the Optistreams server provide a second layer of proxy on top of the Direcway to further speed web browsing). Internal caching, caching of DNS translations, etc. can help to make things somewhat zippier. But this is not cable or DSL. As I mentioned, you can enjoy very high download speeds, but I'd still take 256 kbps DSL over satellite any day of the week.

I don't mean to rain on your parade, I just feel that you should be an informed consumer. Satellite is great if it's your only broadband option, but a lot of people think it's going to be just like cable or DSL and it really isn't. I've installed many satellite systems now for friends, customers, etc. and, while things have improved steadily (it used to be that DirecWay was downstream only and you needed to use a modem and a phone line for upstream!), the technology still has a long way to go.

I just realized that, in ranting on endlessly about your options, I forgot to really explain how to incorporate wireless properly outside of using ICS on a Windows box.

If you use either the DW4020 or the OSR/G, you will want to get a wireless router or AirPort Base Station and have that route Ethernet to wireless. I would probably be inclined to get a Base Station and set it up as a Wireless-to-Ethernet bridge rather than a router, just to make setup easier and remove another layer of network congestion. The new AirPort Extreme Base Station also has the benefit of both WAN and LAN ports. You can get routers from other manufacturers such as Linksys for more, and they do offer web-based administration which the AirPort Base Station does not (though it has its own configuration application, instead).

Also, I did not mention that weather is another factor to consider when using satellite internet. In heavy storms, rain, snow, etc. you will lose the feed. The feed is much more susceptible to outages than the video feed for DirecTV. I am not entirely sure why this is so but, in any event, you do end up without internet access in storms and, if snow gets stuck on the dish, you have to go up and brush it off because the parabolic reflection effect is obviously lost. Also, sometimes the DirecWay modem will get "stuck" offline even when the dish regains a clear signal. You will have to unplug it and plug it back in to force it to reestablish a connection.

For some rural users, it's not as bad as constant drop-outs from dial up connections over old, noisy analog phone lines but, depending on what your weather is like, you may find satellite to be a major hassle and it also pays to give some thought to where you mount the dish because if you can't get to it, you have to pay for somebody to come clean it or wait for the snow to melt, etc.

Like I said, I hate to sound so negative, but I like to put all the facts out on the table for our readers.
Gideon · November 17, 2003 - 19:57 EST #27
I have a small network with one XP machine running the broadband and the DHCP. The other Windows PCs run fine, but the two G4s running OS 9.2 won't connect through the XP server. The Settings have been made, i.e. ethernet and DHCP on the Macs, but they just won't pick up an IP address or they pick up some other address. Even if I set the Macs' IP addresses in the DHCP range, I just cannot get them to work, though they are able to file share between them okay. Any ideas?
Evan Trent (ATPM Staff) · June 3, 2004 - 16:52 EST #28
Can you give me a better sense of how your network is constructed? When you say you ahve a gateway you are trying to connect to, what exactly is it? A router? A software gateway solution?
Rob Smith · November 23, 2005 - 09:46 EST #29
Can anyone help please.
I have 3 pc's running XP home and an imac g4. I want to create a home network connecting the above computers. I have a netgear DG834gt all in one modem router. Can i create a network using this? do i need any other hardware? any advice on how to go about it. Thanks
krystmas jones · January 7, 2006 - 14:51 EST #30
I have a mixed network and am having a problem with getting my OS 9 machine to access the network. I have a server running win2k advanced server, one desktop with winXP, one desktop with win98, one laptop with winXP. I also have a wireless mac OSX desktop (panther), a wireless mac OSX laptop (tiger), and a wired mac OSX desktop (jaguar). Everything is going through a belkin gateway and the printer has access through ethernet (static IP). I need to know if there is a way to get the OS9 machine to use ethernet to share the internet connection from the wireless winXP desktop. It has a wireless card and a NIC. I currently have the NIC setup with static IP and ICS turned of (the firewall is off). The OS9 machine is the only one I can't get access to through the network and am running out of options.
Mike C · September 10, 2006 - 17:21 EST #31
I have a question... I'm more of a PC guy myself, but I'm trying to help a friend get his old PowerMac G3 (Beige) on his wireless network. I thought we could just hook a wireless ethernet bridge to his network port, configure it and go... but it doesn't appear to be the case. Do you know if this is even possible, and what kind of configuration I would need to do on the PowerMac to make it work?

Thanks, enjoying the articles.
Lee Bennett (ATPM Staff) · September 10, 2006 - 17:39 EST #32
Mike - as long as you're using standard DHCP to hand out IP assignments, it should just be a matter of setting the Mac TCP preferences to get information automatically (via DHCP) and following the instructions to do the same on the bridge. Is there anything about your wireless network that is out of the ordinary? MAC address filtering? Encryption? Non-DHCP IP assignments?
Mike C · September 14, 2006 - 00:36 EST #33
No nothing special. We attempted it, but I wasn't able to make the G3 speak to the bridge. I have a feeling that the built-in network card is damaged... either that or I just don't know how to configure a Mac's network settings. Probably a little of both. Thanks for the help!
dennis harper · June 3, 2007 - 00:24 EST #34
I am having trouble with a network that has 3 mac's an 2 pc's with a dsl modem and a linksys router with a builtin 8 port switch. My problem is the router has to be reset a lot I can access the internet for a few days and then it will go down. And I will reset the router and it will work for a while and quit again this is the second router/switch the first one went out completely. Please help
Thanks
ATPM Staff · June 3, 2007 - 01:05 EST #35
Dennis - what brand of router? Were both routers new or a couple years old?

There's also a possibility that it's not the router that is the problem, but that your DSL connection disconnects if there is no activity for a period of time. I've even heard of a few (though rare) that have a had a hard time limit for a connection regardless whether you're active or idle.

If it's just an idle time out, just leaving one of the computers running with an application that pings out for data every couple of hours should suffice to keep it active. Just leave Safari going on a Mac and set it to look at one of the Apple RSS feeds if you can't think of something else.
Sean Craig · December 3, 2007 - 09:01 EST #36
I need to connect a PC and I Mac Pro to the same wireless internet connection. I will buy any equipment necesary to achieve good results. What would you recomend i do ? Would a wireless router suffice ?
ATPM Staff · December 3, 2007 - 10:14 EST #37
Sean - as long as both the PC and the Mac have a wireless card (did you get the AirPort option on your Mac Pro?), then yes, a standard wireless router should be all you need. You'd simply run the ethernet output from your cable or DSL modem into the router instead of one of the computers.

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