Setting up Ethernet on a MacBook

[Boksney]

I am currently on vacation and away from my router. I would like to connect my MacBook to the internet, and my brother has an HP laptop here connected to the internet via an ethernet cable.

I have tried connecting the cable to my MacBook and following these instructions on setting up the connection, yet Safari tells me I have no internet connection and Network Diagnostics cannot fix the problem. Can anybody tell me what I am doing wrong? Thanks.

 

[sammich]

I'm not totally sure how to share internet over wifi on Windows but (assuming the HP has wireless):

Plug the ethernet cable into your MacBook, make sure the internet works. Then go to System Preferences -> Sharing -> Internet Sharing (2nd from bottom). Don't check this box yet

Select share from your Built-in Ethernet, check the Airport, from 'To Computers using', and go to 'Airport Options' for passwords and naming etc.

NOW check the 'Internet Sharing' checkbox, make sure the airport is on. Go to the HP and find your new wireless network and put in the right details and ta da!

 

[Nugget]

sammich, he's not asking the question you're answering.

The answer is, in 99% of the cases, you enable ethernet on a mac by performing the following complicated steps:

1. plug the cable into the mac.
2. congratulate yourself on a job well-done

If those steps don't work, then there's a problem, and we're probably going to need more information to work you through it. A good first step would be to look and see how your brother has his HP configured.

Another interesting piece of information would be to look and see what your Mac thinks is happening when you plug in the ethernet cable. In system preferences in the Network section there should be an "Ethernet" connection. Is it green, yellow, or red. What does the state say? It ought to say "Connected" but it probably says something else. That would help diagnose the problem.

 

[Boksney]

Okay. The plug in the cable and go doesn't work, so there probably is sometihng else going on here. When I open up the Network pane, the inidicator beside of Ethernet is green, and below it says "Self-Assigned IP."

As for the configuration of the HP, I have no idea. I have zero experience with Windows, so I wouldn't be able to tell you unless you told me where to look.

 

[EricNau]

Okay. The plug in the cable and go doesn't work, so there probably is sometihng else going on here. When I open up the Network pane, the inidicator beside of Ethernet is green, and below it says "Self-Assigned IP."

This means that the Mac isn't receiving an IP address from the DHCP server.

Is this ethernet cable connected through a router, or is it coming directly from the cable modem? If it's the former, try resetting the router, if it's the latter, you can try some of the steps mentioned here: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1920

 

[Boksney]

This means that the Mac isn't receiving an IP address from the DHCP server.

Is this ethernet cable connected through a router, or is it coming directly from the cable modem? If it's the former, try resetting the router, if it's the latter, you can try some of the steps mentioned here: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1920

The cable's coming from a modem. I looked at the Apple support page, but those instructions appear to be for Tiger. I'm running Leopard..

 

[belvdr]

Do you get a link light on the port?

 

[pismobrat]

another thought

Ok..

Couple of questions

1) Is there no router/firewall that your brother has?
2) If not, sounds like he has DSL
3) If it is a DSL service - eg: Telus here in Canada. The MAC (not related just to apple) is going to be a unique number that is registered to his account and any other devices with a MAC address will not be allowed on to the line w/o being first registered.
4) If he has a cable modem - then this might require more thinking.

Let us know if he has DSL or not and we can go from there.

 

[cdcastillo]

...I would like to connect my MacBook to the internet...via an ethernet cable... I have tried connecting the cable to my MacBook...yet Safari tells me I have no internet connection...

I'm not totally sure how to share internet over wifi on Windows...

What??????

 

[DoFoT9]

OP it sounds as though the ethernet port is using a static IP, generated because of a previous setting or from the 'unknown'.

i would suggest going into System Preferences, Network settings, select ethernet and make sure that it is using "DHCP Server" for the IP.