quick help on internet access pls

[caccamolle]

Hi,
this is very basic. My sister in Italy is trying to connect her PB to a Linksys modem (DSL line) via ethernet and can't get it to work. Her husband has no problem with his portable pc (using same modem).

I just wanted to know whether there are basic checks one needs to do in OSX to ensure connection to the modem. Could someone give me a quick check list. Thx a million.

 

[Queso]

Is the router configured to give out IP addresses via DHCP?

Is the PowerBook set to automatically accept an address via DHCP in the TCP/IP tab in the networking prefs?

Has the PC got the Internet DNS server addresses hard coded in, and if so, have these been entered on the Mac too?

 

[caccamolle]

thank you.
Oh well, I am a bit concerned now if I have to go into router settings and/or settings on the pc as I am trying to help her over the phone (I am here in the US). Anyway, lets hope not.

Is the router configured to give out IP addresses via DHCP?

Is the PowerBook set to automatically accept an address via DHCP in the TCP/IP tab in the networking prefs?

Has the PC got the Internet DNS server addresses hard coded in, and if so, have these been entered on the Mac too?

 

[Queso]

Go into the Powerbooks network settings first. It's only if the 'Book isn't getting a DHCP address that you'll need to go on the router.

 

[caccamolle]

just an update.
Just spoke to my sister and we found that the problem is that "not connected to the Internet because there is no IP address", (this message appears in the Network Status under Ethernet); so I assume this means that the router is configured to give out IP addresses via DHCP.

Now, could I use the PC to find out what the IP address is ? Anyway, how do I find that number out ? Then, where do I put it in the TCP/IP preferences: under "using DHCP with manual address" or "manually", where the latter seems to require a "subnet mask" also ?
And, should I not tell her to change the settings of the router so all becomes easier ?

 

[SilentPanda]

Does she actually have a router? Or is she plugging the PB directly into the modem? If she is then it's probably a MAC address issue as I believe most ISPs give IPs based off the MAC address. Just wanted to check as your first post made no mention of a router.

 

[caccamolle]

Does she actually have a router? Or is she plugging the PB directly into the modem? If she is then it's probably a MAC address issue as I believe most ISPs give IPs based off the MAC address. Just wanted to check as your first post made no mention of a router.

sorry, my mistake. It is a modem.

 

[SilentPanda]

sorry, my mistake. It is a modem.

The MAC address on the Powerbook will probably need to be changed to that of the other computer. To be honest I don't know how to do that on a Mac...

 

[skubish]

The MAC address on the Powerbook will probably need to be changed to that of the other computer. To be honest I don't know how to do that on a Mac...

She might have to just plug the PB into the modem then turn the modem on then off again. Many ISPs use the MAC address of the modem and then IP address is assigned to the first device connected to it.

 

[Queso]

The MAC address on the Powerbook will probably need to be changed to that of the other computer. To be honest I don't know how to do that on a Mac...

Although you can do it in the Terminal, the result isn't permanent and will constantly need retyping in every time your sister wants to use it. The command you need is

sudo ifconfig en0 ether aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff

where the aa:bb...etc need to be replaced with the PCs MAC address. You'll be prompted for a password to complete the command as it uses sudo.

However, taking this forward I think she'd be better off getting a Netgear RP614 router, which can spoof the MAC address of the PC onto it's WAN interface, therefore allowing every computer behind it to use the DSL line at the same time. This will only work if it is the MAC address issue though, so don't spend any money until you know that's the cause of the problem.

BTW, to get the PCs MAC address you need to connect it to the modem, open up a command prompt and type the "ipconfig /all" command. You will recognise the MAC address. As on the Mac it's six pairs of characters seperated by either the : or - character.