Networking an Imac and a PC (1 Viewer)

[Jacob_St]

Warning! This post is VERY long winded and I apologize in advance.

Hi. I have an Imac and PC (with WinME) in the same house. I use roadrunner cable internet on the imac and dial up on the PC. I am now in the process of connecting both computers to share the cable service. Roadrunner told me this is no problem I just need a hub and the RJ 45 cable for each computer. I now have the two computers and the cable modem hooked up to the hub. The Imac is connecting to the internet just fine but I'm having problems with my PC. I called Apple tech support. They say I need a router instead of a hub to make a PC/Imac cable internet connection work. I then called Roadrunner and they still say that either a Hub or a Router will work but that they cannot help any further.

My set up is as follows: The Toshiba Cable Modem is connected directly to the four port hub and the Imac and the PC's ethernet cards are connected directly to the hub as well.

Here's my question: Can I connect these two with a hub or do I need a router? My other question is do the computers really need to network to make this work? I've activated the home networking program in my PC but am afraid to mess with the networking program in the apple.

 

[Joseph S]

You could do both, but the hub option would require you to waste resources on the PC serving as the router.

A standalone router w/built-in hub is the best option.

 

[MikeAlletto]

You want both computers to be able to use the cable modem at the same time right? Roadrunner was sorta right, but you probably didn't tell them you want to use both at the same time, and don't. With just what you have setup now it won't work. You only get one IP address from roadrunner (unless you pay for 2). You need a switch that functions as a dhcp server also. Just get one of those linksys or netgear broadband firewall things. They will act as a DHCP server and dish out IPs to your mac and PC. So you will plug your cable modem into the router, then your 2 computers into the router. Then you will be able to use both computers at the same time.

 

[Jacob_St]

Thank you for the responses. So I need a router witha DHCP switch and broadband firewall software?

 

[Larry Seno Jr.]

I couldn't get an IMAC and my PC to share the same IP address because Apple sucks HORRIBLY. Their networking software is BULLSHIT and wouldn't allow the Ibook to have the same IP address as another computer on the same network, even though I wanted it to. SO you will need a router which does IPMasqing.

 

[Glenn]

Hi,

Yes you ned a router and a hub or switch. Several companies make routers with a built-in 4 port switch or hub and that should work fine for you. That will allow you to access your high speed cable internet on both computers at the same time.

No problems here with 2 ibooks with wireless airport connections, one iMac, and 2 windows machines all connected at once.

Good luck,

Glenn

 

[Joseph S]

I couldn't get an IMAC and my PC to share the same IP address because Apple sucks HORRIBLY. Their networking software is BULLSHIT and wouldn't allow the Ibook to have the same IP address as another computer on the same network, even though I wanted it to. SO you will need a router which does IPMasqing.

I'm sorry but Apple's networking software is top notch with both OT and FreeBSD.
In case you never tried. Start up the PC, put it in standby, use the same ip on the Mac, wake up the PC.
Here's what you get in Windows XP, "Windows - System Error There is an IP address conflict with another system on the network."
Your machines are supposed to have different IP addresses and that is the reason for the router in the first place. How do you expect to share files between the PC and Mac if they have the same IP? The router is assigned the unique ethernet MAC address rqd by the cable co/dsl co, it is assigned an ip (ex: 24.x.x.x) by the cable company's DHCP server based upon the MAC address you provided as your unique MAC address.
The router becomes your "Gateway" at 192.168.1.1. Machines on your router's network should be assigned ip addresses of the form 192.1.1.X. Where X a number between 2 and 254. The DNSs can either by forwarded from the router or can be manually entered based on current info or the numbers you see assigned to the router.

Jacob you only need a router similar to the Linksys Cable/DSL. ex: http://linksys.com/Products/product.asp?grid=23&prid=20
SMC makes them too as do other companies.
If also need to use the modem for business or school restricted access. Mac OS X allows for simultaneous connections on all wireless, modem, and ethernet ports on the machine. So you only need to set it up once and if you need to dial-in just choose connect. All restricted access will go via the modem and non-restricted access will go via the ethernet port.
Enjoy.

 

[Kelley_B]

Also what OS are you running on your Mac? If you have OS X you will be able to see the PC and share some files with it, like MP3s, etc...

 

[Jacob_St]

Also what OS are you running on your Mac? If you have OS X you will be able to see the PC and share some files with it, like MP3s, etc...

I have OS X. After I connect the two computers to the router will the IMAC automatically be able to "see" the PC? The reason I ask this is because I haven't even touched the IMAC's networking software. I was afraid I'd screw it up.

I have a feeling my main problem is going to be my PC that runs on WinME. How do I get my PC to see the IMAC? I've already gone into "home networking" and went through those steps. Afterwards do I just click on "Entire Network" and then click "search for all computers"?

 

[Jacob_St]

Nevermind my last question! I bought the Linksys four port switch model and in five minutes my PC and Imac are cruising the net! Thanks for all the help! This place is a god send for computer novices like me.

 

[Mike Sogge]

When you finally get the hub/router situation settled, look into a program for the Mac called DAVE. It will allow you to easily share files between your PC and iMac, as Windows is not very cross-platform "friendly" when it comes sharing over a network. Although it is possible to do it in OS X without DAVE, it isn't exactly the easiest thing to do.

 

[MikeAlletto]

I got an eval copy of DAVE a long time ago and that had to have been the buggiest piece of software I've ever seen. Now when I need to go between my mac and PC I just ftp between them. Much easier and I don't need any crazy extensions on my mac making it unstable.

 

[Joseph S]

The latest edition of Dave for OS X is much improved and a piece of cake to use. 1 Pref Pane for Login, 1 for Network, and 1 one for shares.

The other options are Samba and Sharity, or enter the IP of the PC in Apple's "Connect to Server" menu option as smb://blahblahblah. I switched from Sharity to Dave b/c Toast had issues with Sharity running.

 

[Thomas Newton]

The router is assigned the unique ethernet MAC address rqd by the cable co/dsl co

Unless you're talking about a protocol such as DECnet Phase IV, the manufacturer of the networking box or adapter picks the MAC address. Maybe you were trying to say that with a router, you only have one "here's my MAC address, tell me my IP address" request going to the cable company, rather than one for each of your BOOTP/DHCP-enabled PCs/Macs?

 

[Joseph S]

Unless you're talking about a protocol such as DECnet Phase IV, the manufacturer of the networking box or adapter picks the MAC address.

Usually the Cable/DSL company requires the MAC address of your ethernet adapter for initial install. That number is unique.

The router also has a MAC address of its own. However with the Linksys and others you can have the router claim to be another MAC address. You simply enter the MAC address of your original device into the Linksys Router Web Admin tool and your up and running without calling the Cable company to change their info to recognize the router's original MAC addreess.

That's the unique MAC address I meant. (assign the router the MAC of the original install device.)

I've had mixed experiences one cable rqd the MAC, one didn't and neither did my DSL provider.