[mbotta]

Mac OSX 10.2.3

One desktop connected by ethernet to the internet, one iBook without connection, both equipped with Airport cards.

Is it possible to have internet and file sharing over the same Airport connection?



Thanks for your suggestions.

mbotta

[ghporter]

Take a look at the last month or two of posts in this forum-you'll have to poke around ( ) for it because the search function isn't very good. Anyway, this has been addressed here from several different angles.

My suggestion in this is to get a wireless "gateway router" rather than sharing your Internet connection via your desktop. This provides a degree of security, and the convenience of not needing to have the desktop turned on for the laptop to have access.

[mbotta]

Glenn,

Thanks for your answer. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find the threads you are referring to.

Nevertheless, I feel my original question has not been answered. Is it possible or is it not to share both internet connection and files over the same airport connection?

Thanks again,

mbotta

[aaanorton]

Originally posted by mbotta:
Nevertheless, I feel my original question has not been answered. Is it possible or is it not to share both internet connection and files over the same airport connection?

Yes, it's doable, but I agree with GHP: you're much better off with a wireless router. Just scroll down the main Networking forum page and click on things that say "wireless", "Airport" and/or "router". They're all over the place.

[ghporter]

Originally posted by mbotta:
Nevertheless, I feel my original question has not been answered. Is it possible or is it not to share both internet connection and files over the same airport connection?

Sorry, I guess I inferred that you could without coming out and saying it. I could also have been a bit more instructive in telling you to look through the forum over the last few months-I could have told you specific key words to look for, or specific individuals (like tooki, one of our moderators) to email specifically for information or research directions.

[mbotta]

anorton, glenn,

Thanks for hanging in there. I will definitely have a look again.

The reason I don't look further into the router solution is that I simply do not have the funds. I recently had the fortune of welcoming a new member to our family and any expense will have to be aimed at supporting our little kid rather than our little network.

So, wireless, airport, router, tooki are the keywords here in the networking forum then, aren't they?

Thanks again,

mbotta

[ghporter]

Congratulations! I hear you-diapers, etc. are expensive, and toys have to take a back seat. Here's the cool part, though-there are a lot of these "toys" that are not nearly as expensive as you may think. For example, I just bought a (wired only) SpeedStream router with print server at Office Depot for $28.76-with a $20 mail in rebate! I did plug the router in and make sure it worked before I sent off for the rebate . And there are "stepwise ways to get to the end point you want: wireless networking throughout the houes. I bought a router a long time ago, and added a wireless access point later. Keep your eyes open for sales and you may find a bargain when you have a couple of bucks handy.

[aaanorton]

Well, congratulations!
If at all possible, try to get the router. Maybe sell (or return?) the Airport card in the desktop, as this machine can just be plugged directly into the router. This would get you at least half way towards the cost of a router.
Check these out:
Asante FR1004
Netgear MR814

There are a lot of options out there, but these two are solid.

[mbotta]

aanorton, glenn,

Thanks for your kind wishes. The kid sure is a much less predictable toy than my computer network

Suppose I were to buy a router (which after looking at the prices I am still not sure I can afford, but for the sake of discussion, because I cannot seem to get any concrete explanation on how to proceed _without_ a router ), what would the network setup - both hardware and software - need to be for

- internet sharing, and
- file sharing

to be on simultaneously between my iBook and my PowerMac, over the _same_ airport connection?

Thanks,

mbotta

[aaanorton]

Originally posted by mbotta:
Suppose I were to buy a router (which after looking at the prices I am still not sure I can afford, but for the sake of discussion, because I cannot seem to get any concrete explanation on how to proceed _without_ a router ), what would the network setup - both hardware and software - need to be for

- internet sharing, and
- file sharing

to be on simultaneously between my iBook and my PowerMac, over the _same_ airport connection?

Actually, there's not much to setting up with no router. I haven't done this, but it should basically be limited to starting file and internet sharing in the Sharing pref pane in Sys Prefs. You may also need to make a trip to Internet Connect to enable a comp to comp network, but I'm really not sure.
With a router, it's pretty easy too. The cable modem will plug into the WAN port of the router. Then each client needs to enable file sharing and DHCP connection in Sys Prefs > Network > Airport tab. Then open up a browser and go to the page listed in the literature that came with the router. This will take you directly to the router itself, not the internet. Here you'll be able to set any prefs you want. Chances are that you won't even need to change anything besides enabling security options like WEP and MAC address filtering, which probably default to off. That will pretty much do it.
To connect to the other comp (either set up) just use the Go menu > Connect to Server in the Finder.
Both ways are real easy.

[mbotta]

anorton,

Thanks for your reply.

Some time ago, I tried this very approach - just activate both internet sharing and file sharing, but I always ended up losing the file sharing capabilities (couldn't find the desktop in the "Go -> Connect to server..." menu in the laptop's Finder). Now, however, it all seems to work.

I keep the firewall on just in case, with 128-bit encryption. I know it's not ideal, but for now it'll have to do...

Thanks again!

mbotta