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Help!! Sharing Cable Connection With Mac and PC.

DaftUnion

DaftUnion

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 22, 2005
689
0
Wisconsin
Ok, first of all, I searched a lot on google for information on this, and a lot on the Mac Rumors site but I had no luck finding what I wanted. Similear topics, but none that matched exactly what I was looking for.

I currently have Road Road run through a Netgear GS605 Router. The connection works just fine on my PC, but I can't get the connection to work for my iMac G5.

The message on my iMac is "Built in Ethernet is currently active. Built-in Ethernet has a self assigned IP address and may not be able to connect to the internet.

So, I was wondering what my options were on this, besides calling Road Runner and paying more for a static IP address or something similiar to this nature (this apparently solves the problem for extra money?)

I've already been tinkering around with network settings and am curious if I have the right IP address, subnet mask, and router address. Any help would be appreciated! It's hard when you get a brand new mac, think you'll be able to connect to the internet, and then a no go. :( :(
 
Have you tried using the Network Set Up Assistant which can be found in the System Preferences, under the Network tab, click the Assist Me button. It walks you through connecting to the internet pretty well IMO.

Also, how is the PC connected to the internet? What methods did you use to get it connected?
 
Is DHCP automatic on that router?

A static IP address won't fix the problem since the router will assign 'internal IPs' for all the computers. DONT pay for a static IP unless you really need it (gaming, server, remote access, etc.)
 
mad jew said:
Have you tried using the Network Set Up Assistant which can be found in the System Preferences, under the Network tab, click the Assist Me button. It walks you through connecting to the internet pretty well IMO.

Also, how is the PC connected to the internet? What methods did you use to get it connected?
Click to expand...

I have tried using the Network Set Up Assistant using the Assist me, and the diagnose tab. It never recgonized the preferences automatically, and would require me to directly enter an ip address, subnet, and router address. (this also didn't work--maybe I need a router and not a switch though--this Netgear GS605 is a switch)

The pc is connected through the netgear switch that is connected to the motorala cable modem. (works fine)

Also I can type the address for the modem in and see the settings on the iMac so I know the ethernet is connected and works fine.
 
Looks like I need to return this switch and get a router from what I've seen online. I only have 1 IP address, this can't be changed through a switch so the iMac isn't connecting from what I've seen from searching around. A router can solve this 1 IP address to work for multiple computers w/o paying the cable company money for each additional IP address if I'm correct?

Quick other question though--if anybody has two computers connected through a cable modem, any suggestions (please) for a good router that should work with little or no work in configuring for a mac and pc?
 
I've never had major trouble with any router I've tried, so just pick one that is relatively cheap (they are all about the same). However, my Linksys had trouble keeping the signal every so often, and it died altogether just over a year after I bought it, so perhaps avoid Linksys. My new router is from D-Link and has worked perfect. For the least issues of trouble, get a wired router so you always have a solid signal. All routers will generally work fine with both a Mac and a PC. In fact, in our house, my signal goes from the cable modem to the router to a PC upstairs, and also to a hub downstairs which is connected to my Mac and my Asante Ethernet-Localtalk adapter (to my printer), as well as to a spare ethernet cable for hooking up an additional computer when I need it. As for setting it up, on a PC use the CD that will come with the router and follow the directions in the manual. As for the Mac, you don't need the CD, simply set it to Built in Ethernet and under the TCP/IP tab, set it to "Using DHCP." After setting it up, click "Renew DHCP lease" to set your assigned IP address from the router and to get it connected. After that, surf away. Every so often your connection may die. If so, simply pull the power on the router and then wait a few seconds and reconnect. Or, in extreme cases, pull the power out of both the cable modem and the router, and pull the cable coax from the cable modem and wait 30 seconds, then reconnect everything and turn it all back on.
 
Thanks everybody for your quick replies. I'm already returning the switch tomorrow and getting the router the same day (Today/Monday) Hopefully all goes well and I'll post tomorrow whether I had success or not.
 
It worked. Simple as that. Plugged the thing in, no configuration on the Mac whatsoever. Almost TOO simple. Anyways, I'm a happy guy now. My iMac never could fully come alive w/o the internet, but it's a different story now.

Cheers :D
Dan
 
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