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sfl_vlad

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 11, 2020
9
2
Hi! I have a question about setting up a network for Steam Link on Apple TV 4k. I have an Apple TV 4k that has Steam Link installed, and I have a PC in the next room. Currently, the PC and Apple TV 4k are connected to the same wi-fi network, but it is possible to connect the Apple TV 4k directly to the PC using Patchcord (Ethernet). How do I set up my LAN, PC, and Apple TV 4K to use a wired connection instead of wi-fi when playing Steam Link, since my wi-fi connection is not reliable or fast enough for a comfortable game? Thanks!
 

HDFan

Contributor
Jun 30, 2007
7,302
3,349
When you are using steam on the AppleTV you want to be connected directly to the PC - ethernet port to ethernet port, without using a switch or network? And when you disconnect the wired connection you want the Apple TV to use Wifi?
 

waw74

macrumors 601
May 27, 2008
4,787
1,018
this might work, you can share the Mac's internet connection.
You'll just want to share the wifi with the wired

when the aTV has a wired ethernet connection, it will turn it's wifi off. (not sure if it verifies it's connected to the internet, or just if it has a link)

 

sfl_vlad

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 11, 2020
9
2
When you are using steam on the AppleTV you want to be connected directly to the PC - ethernet port to ethernet port, without using a switch or network? And when you disconnect the wired connection you want the Apple TV to use Wifi?
Yes, i want, my Apple TV will be connected directly to the Windows PC - ethernet port to ethernet port, without using a switcher or router. No, I don't want to disconnect the wired connection every time. While using Steam Link, I want data to be transmitted over a wired connection directly from the PC, and for everything else, Apple TV would use Wi-Fi. Is it possible?
 

waw74

macrumors 601
May 27, 2008
4,787
1,018
wired connection directly from the PC, and for everything else, Apple TV would use Wi-Fi. Is it possible?
impossible, the appleTV is either/or on networking, if you have a network cable plugged in, then the wifi is off.

Here's the windows version of what I posted earlier.
But all traffic for the aTV will go through the PC, so the PC must be on for you to stream anything.


If you can't run an ethernet cable from your router to your devices, Your best bet might be power line networking,
you get a box that plugs into the wall outlet by your router, it also connects to the router by ethernet
you have another box that plugs into the wall by your computer, you'd run ethernet from that to a network switch, You'd then wire the PC and aTV to the network switch.

The 2 boxes connect to each other over the power lines in your home. Since you are gaming, I should mention there shouldn't be lag between your PC and aTV, but there might be lag in the connection from either device to the internet. in theory it shouldn't be worse than wifi though.
 

sfl_vlad

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 11, 2020
9
2
impossible, the appleTV is either/or on networking, if you have a network cable plugged in, then the wifi is off.

Here's the windows version of what I posted earlier.
But all traffic for the aTV will go through the PC, so the PC must be on for you to stream anything.


If you can't run an ethernet cable from your router to your devices, Your best bet might be power line networking,
you get a box that plugs into the wall outlet by your router, it also connects to the router by ethernet
you have another box that plugs into the wall by your computer, you'd run ethernet from that to a network switch, You'd then wire the PC and aTV to the network switch.

The 2 boxes connect to each other over the power lines in your home. Since you are gaming, I should mention there shouldn't be lag between your PC and aTV, but there might be lag in the connection from either device to the internet. in theory it shouldn't be worse than wifi though.
The point of a wired connection is to maximize the connection speed between Apple TV and PC. As far as I remember, Apple TV supports 1 Gigabit. My network card in the PC also supports 1 Gigabit.
I didn't know that Apple TV disables wi-fi when you connect the cable.
If I share the Internet connection of my PC with Apple TV, will this not lead to the fact that during the game using Steam Link, traffic will not circulate between the Apple TV and the PC, but through the PC it will be transferred to the router, and then all traffic will stop returning to the router. I'm afraid that this will not speed things up, but rather slow them down :)
What if I don't share my Internet connection, but just connect saber? Will this work?
Well, I agree that when the PC is turned on, traffic from Apple TV goes through my PC. However, if I turn off my PC (shutdown), does Apple TV not realize that it's time to work over wi-fi?
 
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HDFan

Contributor
Jun 30, 2007
7,302
3,349

I didn't know that Apple TV disables wi-fi when you connect the cable.
Yep.

if I share the Internet connection of my PC with Apple TV, will this not lead to the fact that during the game using Steam Link, traffic will not circulate between the Apple TV and the PC, but through the PC it will be transferred to the router, and then all traffic will stop returning to the router. I'm afraid that this will not speed things up, but rather slow them down

Not sure I understand what "share the Internet connection" means. You mean wire both to your router?

Note the difference between a switch and a hub. A hub routes all traffic to all devices. A switch sends just the traffic designated for that device to the devices port.

Not sure what "all traffic will stop returning to the router" means. Normally in a wired network devices connected to a switch/router are two way connections. I'm not a gamer, but don't think you would have bandwidth issues on a wired network.

When you direct connect a computer to a device not using a router/switch you can run into network address problems. If I direct connect my Mac to a wifi router, the router assigns a 192.168.x.x address to the connection. Since my network is 10.0.x.x this causes a lot of problems.

What if I don't share my Internet connection, but just connect saber?

What is saber?
 

sfl_vlad

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 11, 2020
9
2
Not sure I understand what "share the Internet connection" means. You mean wire both to your router?
No, I mean this: How to Share Your Internet Connection in Windows Using Ethernet
Not sure what "all traffic will stop returning to the router" means. Normally in a wired network devices connected to a switch/router are two way connections. I'm not a gamer, but don't think you would have bandwidth issues on a wired network.
I made a mistake. I wanted to say: …but through the PC traffic from Apple TV 4k and PC (steam running game) will be transferred to the router, and then all traffic will be returning from router to the Apple TV 4k and the PC.
I thought that with a direct wired connection of Apple TV 4k to the PC, the game broadcast (Steam Link) will be carried out over the wire directly without using wi-fi.
I mean "cabel" :)
 

waw74

macrumors 601
May 27, 2008
4,787
1,018
"share the internet connection"
means a computer sharing one of it's connections with another.

for example - 2 comptuers, only one has wifi, The other can join wifi, and share it's connection over wired ethernet to the one without wifi.
 
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