Internet Connection - Sharing PC & Mac

heyyo · 03-04-2005, 20:21

Internet Connection - Sharing PC & Mac

I have a PC already connected to broadband internet and i want to share the connection with a Apple MAC computer, what software,cables etc would I need for me to do this?

Can anyone plz help, its urgent.

thanx

homealone · 03-04-2005, 21:21

a router is the obvious answer - that would require network interface cards installed in the pc & the mac and 'cat5' ethernet patch cables to hook it all up

**David F** · 03-04-2005, 21:22

does the mac have ethernet? To the best of my knowledge a cable router should work as long as its mac compatable Ive look at bit and this seems to be the case

http://forums.macrumors.com/archive/...hp/t-3083.html

http://www.computing.net/mac/wwwboard/forum/10768.html

http://www.macosx.com/forums/archive...p/t-40851.html

downquark1 · 03-04-2005, 21:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

does the mac have ethernet? To the best of my knowledge a cable router should work as long as its mac compatable Ive look at bit and this seems to be the case

http://forums.macrumors.com/archive/...hp/t-3083.html

http://www.computing.net/mac/wwwboard/forum/10768.html

http://www.macosx.com/forums/archive...p/t-40851.html

Every Mac made in recent history has an ethernet socket and any TCP NAT router will work with a mac. It is after all a standardised protocol.

**David F** · 03-04-2005, 21:45

not ever had anything to do with a mac lol lol

**Graham M** · 03-04-2005, 22:31

I was considering purchasing an IMac on eBay just to say I had one. they look sweet.

SMHarman · 03-04-2005, 23:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by heyyo

Internet Connection - Sharing PC & Mac

I have a PC already connected to broadband internet and i want to share the connection with a Apple MAC computer, what software,cables etc would I need for me to do this?

Can anyone plz help, its urgent.

thanx

What do you have at the moment? A PC cable and cablemodem?

Assuming this you need
Wired -
Network Card in PC
Network Card in Mac (usually as Standard)
Patch cables (straight through) x2 one for each machine - long enough to reach where the CM is.
Wired router - say the Linksys Etherfast Cable/DSL Router BEFSR41
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...819037-1343655

Wireless / Wired
Does teh mac have an airport card?
Is the PC staying next to the CM
Then a Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router WRT54G-UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...819037-1343655
The same network interface card in the pc and a straight through patch cable.

Fully wireless - as above but another wireless card for the pc

Damien · 04-04-2005, 10:31

get a wireless router.

The mac will connect with airport pretty quickly...

heyyo · 04-04-2005, 12:19

thanks, its for my cousin, problem is they have talk talk broadband...it weird u have to dial to connect, was wondering this may be an issue

SMHarman · 04-04-2005, 12:22

No it is ADSL broadband which has an element of 'dial up' in it when compared to Cable.
Is their package restricted in any way (bandwidth / time?)
How is the PC connected to the Broadband at the moment Ethernet or USB?
Does the current ADSL modem have an ethernet socket on it?

heyyo · 04-04-2005, 12:30

its connected via usb, not the modem doesnt have an ethernet socket. not restricted by bandwidth/time

SMHarman · 04-04-2005, 12:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by heyyo

its connected via usb, not the modem doesnt have an ethernet socket. not restricted by bandwidth/time

and does this computer have an ethernet port on it?

First off to share the connection you will want one of these for wired only or these for wired / wireless
There are other manufacturers, I've been very happy with linksys products, others recommend belkin or netgear.

**Chris T** · 04-04-2005, 12:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by heyyo

its connected via usb, not the modem doesnt have an ethernet socket. not restricted by bandwidth/time

I set up mother-in-law's house for wireless at the weekend, with this Belkin ADSL modem/wireless router.

It would work perfectly well with a mix of PCs and Macs accessing the internet on it simultaneously. She bought it at (shudder) PC World, where they also gave her a free wireless network card for her laptop. Leaving aside the fact that she didn't actually need it as her laptop had one built in already, that was a good deal I think. Presumably they would supply a wireless network card to install in a desktop PC as well.

If you are connecting up multiple computers, consider having as many as possible wireless, otherwise they either all have to sit next to each other, or you have to run lots of cable round the house. You will find it very easy to get the PC to go wireless, but depending on the age and model of the Mac, you may have to stick with wired access for that. All Macs made since the late 90s have an Ethernet port so no problem there, but they tended not to ship with Airport (Apple's branded wireless network card) pre-installed unless you specified it as an optional extra. You can of course go out and buy an Airport card, but IIRC you can no longer buy the older, slower Airport cards that I believe are necessary for older Macs (especially iMacs) - Apple now only seems to sell Airport Express, which is a better, faster card but not, I believe, compatible with older iMacs (certainly not the old colourful plastic ones).

For minimum expenditure, I would buy the belkin modem/router, go wireless with the PC but site the router near the Mac and use the Mac's ethernet port to connect to the router.