Sharing iMAC's Ethernet Port So that Network Printer Can Connect to LAN -Help-w/IP's

Joined
Aug 27, 2012
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Sorry for the horrible description of the problem I am having, I'm not good at posting/writing in forums at all. This is only my 2nd post ASKING for some help, I have ALWAYS been able to find me answers through others.
Here it goes - I'll do my best to explain everything and what I'm trying to accomplish as best as I can, still recovering from an Accident so some of my wording gets scrambled not to mention it's why I'm prob having trouble with this.

I have a HP OfficeJet 6310 AIO Network Printer (Via Ethernet Only) and it's been moved onto a desk next too an iMAC2011. Unable to plug the printer into the network now via Ethernet because too far and no Ethernet drops close by. (And I don't want to USB it to the iMAC and SHARE it)
The iMAC2011(MAC OS X 10.8.1) is connected to my Network via WiFi
--So I changed "Service Order" so that WIFI was at the top of NETWORK and Ethernet was right under it. I then went into Sharing and Enabled INTERNET SHARING - "Share your connection from: WIFI" - "To computers using "Ethernet" - Firewall is off - plugged Ethernet Cable from Printer to iMAC and Connection no problem.
-iMAC Ethernet Adapter is set DHCP and now has a 169.254.215 address and the HP Printer is also DHCP but has an iP address of 192.168.2.2 - and it set the Gateway as 192.168.2.1. ** The iMAC can see it and access the Web Interface to configure but none of my other network devices can see it (Obviously different subnets) but wasn't sure about using the Hostname "HP6310AIO.Local" but no.

-My Network IP Settup: TimeCapsule/Router-192.168.15.1 - iMAC*WiFi*-192.168.15.5(with gateway being the TC)

Anyways - I thought by giving the iMAC-Ethernet a Static IP on the same subnet 192.168.15.50 and then the Printer 192.168.15.75 / Gateway 192.168.15.50 and DNS1 192.168.15.1 would have been the trick - but didn't fly. I know I'm missing something and it's probably something simple and stupid.

Anyone have the answer? How do i configure the address for the iMAC-Ethernet-IP/Gateway/DNS and the Printer's-IP/GATEWAY/DNS.

Thank you to anyone who took the time to read my post, and again I apologize for anything that doesn't make sense or just horrible explanation.

-Craig-
 

Raz0rEdge

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Messages
15,734
Reaction score
2,059
Points
113
Location
MA
Your Mac's Specs
2022 Mac Studio M1 Max, 2023 M2 MBA
It's interesting that the HP printer would go through the iMac to get a valid IP address while the iMac connected to the WiFi has a self-assigned IP address thus making the printer in accessible to the other devices in your network.

Can you go to the Network panel and then have it attempt to renew the lease on your Airport connection and see if it gets a valid IP address again?
 
OP
M
Joined
Aug 27, 2012
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Points
1
It's interesting that the HP printer would go through the iMac to get a valid IP address while the iMac connected to the WiFi has a self-assigned IP address thus making the printer in accessible to the other devices in your network.

Can you go to the Network panel and then have it attempt to renew the lease on your Airport connection and see if it gets a valid IP address again?


I'm not even sure where the HP is getting the IP Address 192.168.2.1 (for gateway) and 192.168.2.2 (for an iP) - thought maybe it was apart of the "Internet Sharing" that i clicked on too. Like I can plug my MacBook Pro into the Ethernet Port and get access to the internet using the iMAC Ethernet Port, but I doubt I would be able to access the rest of the LAN - which is pretty much the same problem rightnow - just I only want the printer to be accessible from the LAN. Maybe if i disable the "Internet Sharing" and somehow Bridge the Ethernet to Wifi??? not sure I'm kinda at a loss now - I thought if I set the Ethernet IP (Gateway) to the IP of the WIFI on the iMAC it would route that way.but nope.
 

Raz0rEdge

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Messages
15,734
Reaction score
2,059
Points
113
Location
MA
Your Mac's Specs
2022 Mac Studio M1 Max, 2023 M2 MBA
Yeah the Internet Sharing is probably acting as a NAT, so you can talk out of the HP, through the iMac to the Internet if need be, but the other way wouldn't work. You need to bridge the network to make this work and I'm not sure the iMac has bridging capability built in..

You can always buy an Airport Express, plug it near the HP printer, have it connect to the WiFi network and run the Ethernet cable over to the printer. This might be the easiest solution..

I picked up the previous generation Airport Express recently off of eBay for about $30..
 
OP
M
Joined
Aug 27, 2012
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Yeah the Internet Sharing is probably acting as a NAT, so you can talk out of the HP, through the iMac to the Internet if need be, but the other way wouldn't work. You need to bridge the network to make this work and I'm not sure the iMac has bridging capability built in..

You can always buy an Airport Express, plug it near the HP printer, have it connect to the WiFi network and run the Ethernet cable over to the printer. This might be the easiest solution..

I picked up the previous generation Airport Express recently off of eBay for about $30..

Actually out of all the searching I did trying to see if anyone else out there has tried the same thing, the one way I didn't search was "Bridge wifi and ethernet on iMAC". After doing that just now I found that MAC OS X is not able to bridge the way I'm trying. I guess the internet sharing is SNAT and uses different protocols so even though you'd think it's the same thing, it's actually not. I'm still learning MAC since I "drank the Apple Fruit Punch" a year ago and switched EVERYTHING from PC to MAC! LOL Thanks for taking the time to respond - Unless there is some type of third party software since in theory Parallels Desktop does it since I use that for Windows 7 right?? I don't know - my head is starting to hurt from thinking about all this LOL!

Thanks again
 

Raz0rEdge

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Messages
15,734
Reaction score
2,059
Points
113
Location
MA
Your Mac's Specs
2022 Mac Studio M1 Max, 2023 M2 MBA
Yes Parallels allows you to create a bridge for the guest OS to access the network and be accessed, but then trying to enable THAT Internet sharing and all is just way too convoluted..I think the Airport Express will do the job easier and without having to keep the iMac turned on to print..
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top