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Pierre B. · Sep 23, 2003, 09:12 AM

I would like to connect a 12" powerbook to a PC using a single cable. Is that possible through the ethernet ports? And what type of cable one would need? Could the PC (win2k) be used as a router for internet access from the powerbook?

AssassyN · Sep 23, 2003, 09:15 AM

For file transfers? Yep, you'll need a "Crossover" ethernet cable to connect directly from ethernet port to ethernet port. And also, in "Internet" options on your Mac, you can enable Internet sharing.

malone · Sep 23, 2003, 09:18 AM

Yes, it's possible. You'll need a crossover network cable (found at any computer store). Or if you're feeling really savvy, you can take a regular straight-through network cable and change a few of the pins around to make it a crossover.

The PC can act as a router for Internet for (not sure what you mean by 'from') the PowerBook, but you'll have to have two network cards in the PC... One to connect the PowerBook to and the other to connect to the Internet.

Originally posted by Pierre B.:
I would like to connect a 12" powerbook to a PC using a single cable. Is that possible through the ethernet ports? And what type of cable one would need? Could the PC (win2k) be used as a router for internet access from the powerbook?

malone · Sep 23, 2003, 09:19 AM

Gah, and the ubiquitous AssassyN beats me to it... :>

Originally posted by AssassyN:
For file transfers? Yep, you'll need a "Crossover" ethernet cable to connect directly from ethernet port to ethernet port. And also, in "Internet" options on your Mac, you can enable Internet sharing.

Pierre B. · Sep 23, 2003, 09:24 AM

Thanks for the replies. Actually, the PC has internet access through an ethernet card with a 10base-2 (internet access) and a 10base-t port (free). Could the free port be used to provide internet access to the powerbook?

Spheric Harlot · Sep 23, 2003, 09:38 AM

Originally posted by Pierre B.:
Thanks for the replies. Actually, the PC has internet access through an ethernet card with a 10base-2 (internet access) and a 10base-t port (free). Could the free port be used to provide internet access to the powerbook?

It could in theory.

You'd need to turn on what Mac OS X calls "Internet Sharing" on the PC. (I have no idea how to do this, or if it is easily possible. If it were the other way round, with the 'book hooked up to the net and sharing its connection, you'd just enable Internet Sharing in the "Sharing" control panel.)

Another, faster alternative to get stuff off your Powerbook into the PC (10baseT is about USB-speed, which is awful for anything over a few MB) is to boot the 'book into Firewire Target Disk mode, by holding down the "T" key on restart. This turns your Mac into an external Firewire drive that you can hook up to another computer.

The PC needs a Firewire card and additional software, though, since Windows can't read Mac-formatted media by default.

-s*

Pierre B. · Sep 23, 2003, 09:41 AM

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
It could in theory.

You'd need to turn on what Mac OS X calls "Internet Sharing" on the PC. (I have no idea how to do this, or if it is easily possible. If it were the other way round, with the 'book hooked up to the net and sharing its connection, you'd just enable Internet Sharing in the "Sharing" control panel.)

In that case, a crossover cable is still needed or a standard one could do the job?

all2ofme · Sep 23, 2003, 10:11 AM

I thought that Macs didn't need crossover cables the way PCs did. Anyone sure of this either way?

Spheric Harlot · Sep 23, 2003, 10:13 AM

Frankly, I'm not sure.

I thought all new Apple laptops had auto-sensing Ethernet ports (that is, the Ethernet port detects automatically whether straight- or crossover cable is used and switches internally), but I can't seem to find definitive information on the 12" 'book.

I've never tried with mine (all direct Ethernet connections have been with auto-sensing TiBooks), so I can't say.

-s*

AssassyN · Sep 23, 2003, 10:34 AM

Originally posted by all2ofme:
I thought that Macs didn't need crossover cables the way PCs did. Anyone sure of this either way?

This was officially proven untrue by me. Someone also told me Macs have some sort of builtin "auto crossover switch"...bull. A normal CAT5 cable registered nothing, whereas the crossover cable worked.

WOPR · Sep 23, 2003, 10:36 AM

Originally posted by AssassyN:
This was officially proven untrue by me. Someone also told me Macs have some sort of builtin "auto crossover switch"...bull. A normal CAT5 cable registered nothing, whereas the crossover cable worked.

It's not 'bull' as it works on certain models.

AssassyN · Sep 23, 2003, 10:40 AM

Originally posted by WOPR:
It's not 'bull' as it works on certain models.

But it's not the "Mac" that does it, as in the "Mac platform" perse, it's actually SOME of the Mac's HARDWARE that allows it...it's been rumored like it's the Mac software/OS, and it's not.

bcoutlander · Sep 23, 2003, 10:40 AM

I have had no problems using auto-switching with my 12" pb. I have used straight through cables to connect to network printer to trouble shoot printing issues and had no problems.

darren h · 11:20 AM

must read whole thread before posting in future

still, someone without an ethernet modem might find this useful

On a win2k machine you will not need another network card to share an internet connection if you are using a dial-up modem (internal or external) or a usb modem for adsl. All you need to do in win2k is allow other users to share internet connection and then set the ip address of the win2k comp in the router field in your 12"s network prefs.

I have no experience with ethernet modems so you may well have to have another card if that is the hardware you have

Hope that is helpful

Spheric Harlot · Sep 23, 2003, 11:25 AM

Originally posted by AssassyN:
But it's not the "Mac" that does it, as in the "Mac platform" perse, it's actually SOME of the Mac's HARDWARE that allows it...it's been rumored like it's the Mac software/OS, and it's not.

WHICH hardware were you trying?

Was it a 1990 Mac SE, or a 2001 G4?

All TiBooks (starting 2nd rev IIRC), for example, have auto-switching Ethernet ports.

I don't know about other models, but I was under the impression that all Apple hardware manufactured after a certain cutoff date does.

Again, I can't find the details, unfortunately, so this is unverified.

-s*

superlarry · Sep 24, 2003, 12:15 AM

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
I don't know about other models, but I was under the impression that all Apple hardware manufactured after a certain cutoff date does.

you're right, but that date might change by model. i.e., i know my cube wasn't autosensing, but i think all the gigabits are. the 12" PB is autosensing (tried and true).

escher · Sep 24, 2003, 08:37 PM

Originally posted by bcoutlander:
I have had no problems using auto-switching with my 12" pb. I have used straight through cables to connect to network printer to trouble shoot printing issues and had no problems.

Thanks to auto-sensing, I've even used a crossover cable as a regular Ethernet cable with my iBook! Auto-sensing definitely works. No need to bother with crossover cables.

Escher

philz · Sep 24, 2003, 10:01 PM

Couple things...

Auto-sensing refers to automatic speed negotiation, what you're thinking of is generally just called "automatic crossover". It's definitely not exclusive to Macs.

Windows uses Internet Connection Sharing(ICS) for NAT. IIRC, in 2k all you need to do is pull up your adapter properties -> advanced tab -> click the enable internet sharing check box.

In the long run you may find yourself better off going with a hardware solution. This way you don't have to leave the PC running whenever you want to use the net.