connecting mac to the internet thru my wireless pc

Hi, I have a G5 Mac and I wish to connect it to the internet through my dell laptop which is connected wirelessly to my router which is located downstairs. I get that I need to plug in an ethernet cable, but after that, there's loads of questions that I keep getting asked that I do not know the answer to to, like DNS server and subnet mask. What on earth is it all about? I thought I could just plug the ethernet in and it would work. I'm using Vista on the laptop and 10.5.6, could anyone help, mucho appreciated in advance, cheers, Leo

Well, this is more of a Windows question than it is a Mac question. You basically need your Windows machine to act as a router, and to do that, you'll need to enable Internet Connection Sharing:

Using ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) - Windows Vista Help

You may also have to purchase a special kind of Ethernet cable called a "cross over cable".

Regardless, once you have this configured, it should be as simple as turning the Mac on (there is no configuration needed).

A better and more reliable option, in my opinion, would be to simply purchase a USB wireless adapter for your Mac.

Hi and thanks for your response..Ok I've done all those things and it's still not working, maybe I have the wrong lead then. I wanted to share the internet connection thru my laptop with the ethernet connection and at the same time network the two together, but I can't figure out how to do that either.

technokush said:

Hi and thanks for your response..Ok I've done all those things and it's still not working, maybe I have the wrong lead then. I wanted to share the internet connection thru my laptop with the ethernet connection and at the same time network the two together, but I can't figure out how to do that either.

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Most likely your Ethernet adapter on the Windows machine doesn't support the ability to bridge. In that case, you will need a crossover cable.

You can make one if you're familiar with the process of crimping RJ-45 ends or you can purchase one from just about anywhere that sells computer stuff.

Here's an example:

For only $1.42 each when QTY 50+ purchased - 7FT 500MHz Cross-Over Cat6 Cable - Gray (System Link for X-BOX HALO XBOX CAT6) | Cat 6 Crossover Cable