07-29-2004, 10:39 AM

Hi. I have a 15in 1.25ghz Powerbook g4. I connect to the internet using a cable modem + a Cat5 cable. (it has USB support too and that works also). The other computer in my house is, LOL, a 100mhz Dell Laptop. My mom uses it for surfing since our Gateway tower died. I have heard several references from people on this board that they run their other computers THROUGH their Mac's to access the internet. Is there a way to do this? The Dell obviously has a network card (not built in). I was thinking, would it be possible to run the USB from the modem to my PB, and then Cat5 between the PB and the Dell - and then both comps couldl use the internet simultaneously? Please help me! I'm tired of having to power-cycle the modem everytime I come in to go on the web and my mom has been using the Dell.

07-29-2004, 04:46 PM

You need a router to allow internet sharing.

I used this d-link model until I added a wireless puter to my network.

http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=62

07-29-2004, 05:52 PM

Compusa has the D-Link DI-604 4-Port Ethernet Broadband Router for $9.99 after rebate.

07-29-2004, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by chronogoof89

Hi. I have a 15in 1.25ghz Powerbook g4. I connect to the internet using a cable modem + a Cat5 cable. (it has USB support too and that works also). The other computer in my house is, LOL, a 100mhz Dell Laptop. My mom uses it for surfing since our Gateway tower died. I have heard several references from people on this board that they run their other computers THROUGH their Mac's to access the internet. Is there a way to do this? The Dell obviously has a network card (not built in). I was thinking, would it be possible to run the USB from the modem to my PB, and then Cat5 between the PB and the Dell - and then both comps couldl use the internet simultaneously? Please help me! I'm tired of having to power-cycle the modem everytime I come in to go on the web and my mom has been using the Dell.

I've never tried connecting to a cable modem via USB, but assuming you try it and the PB can connect that way (it sounds like you've already been able to connect with the USB), you can certainly run an Ethernet cable from the Mac to your Dell and it will work just fine. No router would be necessary.

07-29-2004, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by Padawan

I've never tried connecting to a cable modem via USB, but assuming you try it and the PB can connect that way (it sounds like you've already been able to connect with the USB), you can certainly run an Ethernet cable from the Mac to your Dell and it will work just fine. No router would be necessary.

Yeah, I connected fine with USB. I dunno if its slower, but I didn't notice anything... I used to have to connect my Windows 98 PC with USB. It sucked. It would take HOURS to get the drivers and modem to work right. I usually gave up and called tech support to walk me through it, and I always did it right like they said. They'd usually walk me through it like 5 or 6 times and it would finally work.

With the Mac I plugged it in and it came right up recognizing the modem by name (Surfboard 4100)... LOL I love it... I've tried to have the Mac on USB and the Dell on Cat5 from the Mac, but it doesn't work. Are there any settings I may need to adjust on the Mac side. The PC shouldn't care where the connection is coming through. I'm basically trying to get the Mac to act like a router and still be able to connect at the same time.
Yes, I know I could get a router for $10. I work at Office Depot. I'm cheap, I'm going to college soon (WiFi saturated dorm...!) and I don't feel like spending $10 to keep me from power cycling the modem for 2 weeks. If I can do it for free though, and also amaze people with the awesome connectivity of the Mac, I will.

07-29-2004, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by chronogoof89

With the Mac I plugged it in and it came right up recognizing the modem by name (Surfboard 4100)... LOL I love it... I've tried to have the Mac on USB and the Dell on Cat5 from the Mac, but it doesn't work. Are there any settings I may need to adjust on the Mac side. The PC shouldn't care where the connection is coming through. I'm basically trying to get the Mac to act like a router and still be able to connect at the same time.

Go to System Preferences, then click on Sharing. There should be a tab labeled Internet, and clicking on that tab should give you the option of enabling internet sharing.

07-29-2004, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by Padawan

Go to System Preferences, then click on Sharing. There should be a tab labeled Internet, and clicking on that tab should give you the option of enabling internet sharing.

Yeah, I tried that. I allowed it to share the en2 Ethernet adapter (which is the USB, that's what it lists I'm using to connect when I use the USB). I allowed it to share this connection over the built in Ethernet Card. Didn't work. Its probably an issue on the PC end, and I don't feel like dealing with that, unless you have any suggestions?!

07-30-2004, 12:42 AM

Wouldn't he need a crossover ethernet cable connecting the two computers?

07-30-2004, 01:14 AM

Originally Posted by pedrothekevin

Wouldn't he need a crossover ethernet cable connecting the two computers?

What's that
I just have regular, cheap Cat5.

07-31-2004, 08:15 PM

Still believe that you have to have a router to allow both computers to have access to the internet. The cable modem doesn't know how to "route" the traffic.

As far as the crossover cable your powerbook doesn't need one because it has Auto-Medium Dependent Interface Crossover (Auto-MDIX). It will sense the connection and act like a crossover if need be.

08-01-2004, 04:49 PM

I stand corrected!

It seems that in OS X you can use your Mac as the "router" via system preference settings. Of course you would always have to have the host computer on.

I would still go with the $10 router.

08-01-2004, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by pedrothekevin

Wouldn't he need a crossover ethernet cable connecting the two computers?

No, the internal Gigabit LAN connector has auto sensing technology means, you can use a standard Cat 5 for 10/100 Mbit connections but you MUST have a Cat 6 for 1Gbit networking. The additional shielding is required for hi-speed networking.

Hope this helps.

08-01-2004, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by chronogoof89

Yeah, I tried that. I allowed it to share the en2 Ethernet adapter (which is the USB, that's what it lists I'm using to connect when I use the USB). I allowed it to share this connection over the built in Ethernet Card. Didn't work. Its probably an issue on the PC end, and I don't feel like dealing with that, unless you have any suggestions?!

Do you have OS X's firewall switched on? The controls are located in the same "Sharing" menu, under the Firewall tab. The internet sharing won't work if the firewall is on, so you'll have to turn it off first. I just tested everything again using my iBook and an old Toshiba laptop, and the sharing works great using a standard ethernet cable.

08-01-2004, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by Padawan

Do you have OS X's firewall switched on? The controls are located in the same "Sharing" menu, under the Firewall tab. The internet sharing won't work if the firewall is on, so you'll have to turn it off first. I just tested everything again using my iBook and an old Toshiba laptop, and the sharing works great using a standard ethernet cable.

No. Its switched off. I have restarted the old computer after the cable is set up and the PB is running off of USB. I'm going to see if I can get it to work.
Firewall is off. There shouldn't be any adjustments to the Dell right? Because it doesn't know/care if the service is coming from a router, powerbook, directly from the modem, etc when using a network card.

08-01-2004, 07:21 PM

It worked! Cool guys, thanks so much! Saved me $10! I don't know what I did, but I shut off the Dell until the network was setup, then I started it up with everything going. It didn't work at first. I ran winipcfg and it listed an IP address under the Network card, so I was like... this SHOULD work?! I released that IP and renewed it. I then opened up IE 4 and it loaded yahoo right up! Thanks again!