Mac Networking

[oskar]

I usually don't post in the forums that aren't part of the rumors/news forums so sorry if this question doesn't belong here. In fact this question is more network related than mac-only. However I run only Macs on my network so...

I have 2 routers. A SMC and a D-Link. The D-Link is connected to my DSL modem and the SMC is connected to the D-Link. I'm trying to find a way for both routers to act as one LAN, if that's possible. For example, I want the computers connected to the SMC to "see" the ones connected on the D-Link as if they were all connected to the same router. Like for personal file sharing and/or printer sharing.
Is that possible? I don't know if there's a special term for that so I really don't know where to look for an answer, so I came here.

I appreciate your help.

More info: The D-Link is a 4 port and wireless DSL/Cable router. The SMC is a 4 port DSL/Cable router (no wireless). All macs are running Tiger 10.4.2 or Panther 10.3.9.

 

[Laser47]

I believe that in order to do that you need to turn off dhcp on the 2nd router, and then make sure that the 1st router is connected to the 2nd router through the LAN port not the wan port.

 

[oskar]

I believe that in order to do that you need to turn off dhcp on the 2nd router, and then make sure that the 1st router is connected to the 2nd router through the LAN port not the wan port.

I can't find where to turn of dhcp on the SMC. Tried just plugging it in like that and it didn't work.

 

[ElectricSheep]

I don't have an SMC router to play with. Can you post some screenshots of the configuration screen (in Safari) and we might be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[Laser47]

if you cant get to the smc config screen you could try connecting the smc router directly to you computer by itself then look in the TCP/IP tab and look where it says router and copy the ip address.
Then go to safari and type in the ip address in and go to the config screen. If it asks for a password try admin and password or admin and a blank password. Also when you turn off DHCP make sure you change the ip address of the smc router so that it is not that same as the 1st router and also make sure its no an ip address in the routers range. Just post screenshots of the config screen if you need help.

 

[trainguy77]

You also need to turn off NAT!

 

[oskar]

Litlle off-topic: Where can I upload images to?

Okay I've come up with a few questions.

I do know the basics of configuring the router. Like making my computers have a static IP on my LAN and allowing and denying communications through ports. But I only know how to do that individually on each router. What I'm trying to do is allow all the computers on both routers connect to the Internet. And I would like all of them to see each others public (shared) folders and maybe share a printer.

Could someone please explain a little how the connections are supposed to work?
Is the 1st router going to see only one user (the 2nd router) connected to it, or will it see all of the users connected on the 2nd router? I'm not sure if I need a special or specific feature on the 2nd router. Is the 2nd router supposed to be configured or not: Static IP address Dynamic IP, etc.?
I appreciate your help. Wish I could explain a little better.

 

[freiheit]

I'm no expert, but this should work

I'm no expert, but as long as your D-Link (connected to your DSL modem) is set to give your SMC router an IP address (static or DHCP, shouldn't really matter) AND as long as the SMC router is set to supply its connected PCs with its own set of IPs which do not overlap the ones given to the PCs connected to your D-Link, then you should be fine.

PCs within the second line (connected to the SMC) will see the PCs connected to the D-Link as being upstream from them. The tricky part may be in going the opposite direction, as the SMC router may not allow the "outside" PCs (connected to the D-Link) to access file sharing ports on PCs in the second line.

So for example, if the D-Link has an internal IP address of 192.168.1.1 then the SMC can have 192.168.1.100. You can configure the D-Link to then give dynamic (DHCP) IPs to its own PCs beginning at 192.168.1.150 and have the SMC give DHCP IPs to its own PCs beginning at 192.168.1.101. That would keep the two routers from assigning the same internal network IP to two different machines so that you can always access one from another by IP if nothing else.

 

[oskar]

I believe that in order to do that you need to turn off dhcp on the 2nd router, and then make sure that the 1st router is connected to the 2nd router through the LAN port not the wan port.

I tried this again and finally found the way to turn off DHCP. It is easier than I thought actually. On the SMC, the option is under "LAN". You simply need to turn of DHCP server. On the D-Link the same function is under "DHCP". I guess it simply hadn't ocurred to me that turning off DHCP server was the option Laser47 was talking about.

The bad thing about this configuration is that you are able to connect only 3 wired computers to the 2nd router, instead of 4. That's why at I decided to put the SMC as the one that connects to my modem and the D-Link as the one that "expands" the network. The other bad thing is that after turning off DHCP server, I can't connect to the D-Link to configure it. I probably have to reset it physically.