Hi guys. This problem has been vexing me for a long time; I try tinkering with it every year or so and have never managed to get it to work. I am trying to share my mac's airport internet connection with my WinXP PC via ethernet. I'm running 10.6.5 on the Mac. Setting the PC to obtain an IP and DNS server address automatically results in the PC getting an IP assigned to it (by the mac or the router, I dunno) and it shows the router's IP as the default gateway. It seems to think that it is connected, but I can't load web pages.
In the PC's TCP/IP settings I have tried setting the DNS server address to the IP assigned to the Mac by the router. No dice.
In the same panel I have also tried setting the PC's IP address to the IP assigned to the Mac by the router. Still no luck.
I also tried setting the default gateway to the Mac's IP address, leaving in place the default subnet and an IP address I know is available on the router.
I have also tried these in various combinations, but to no avail. The only thing I haven't tried fooling with is the subnet mask, which I've left set to 255.255.255.0 (the router's default, of course.)
Scouring the internetz for help returned nothing of use...just lots of people with the same or similar problems posting "OMG CANT CONNECT TO INTERNET PLZ HELP!!!!!!!!!!!" with few or no coherent replies. If nobody here can help I suppose I will just have to finally accept the fact that the MacOS's internet sharing capabilities suck and Mac->Win via ethernet just doesn't work.
Some more information from you would help:
--What make/model of router are you using?
--What's the IP address of your router?
--What IP address does the Mac get from it?
--When you have the PC connected to the Mac with sharing enabled, what IP address does the PC get?
The router is a Belkin Surf N300 (F7D6301 v1).
The router's IP address is 192.168.2.1
The Mac's IP address is 192.168.2.2
The PC gets various sensible addresses. I remember having seen it get 192.168.2.7 and 192.168.2.8.
Try leaving the PC set to DHCP (so it'll obtain all settings automatically), then point a Web browser on it to http://216.168.61.85. If Applefritter loads, then you have a DNS problem.
Mike,
I am making the assumption that an Airport card is a wireless connection.
You will also have to take into consideration that I have not been doing this very long.
When you initially set up your Mac to your router; did you have them connected with an RJ-45 cable? I have found that with most wireless computers (ie Laptops) that the first thing you have to do is hard cable them together first time out for the router to recognize the wireless connection. Once that is set via router software you should be able to disconnect and if your computer is within a reasonable range, it should take you right to the internet.
Have you considered just running a Cat5 cable from your router to your Mac?
@ Dr. Webster: Tried it; no luck. Nothing loads.
@gsmcten: The problem is not the Mac...it connects to the internet wirelessly through the router via its airport card without a problem regardless of how the PC is rigged up. It's the PC that can't reach the internet when I run a regular Cat5 patch cable (not a crossover) from the PC's ethernet port to the Mac's and turn on internet sharing on the Mac.
I did consider running a huge patch cable from the router to the PC but A. I can't seem to find any of my long ones and B. The old lady would complain about it even if I could.
Ok. Now I understand.
No. I can't help. lol
I have both a Dell Dimension 4700 Tower and a Mac G5 running to a router via Cat5 cable.
I have not tried to piggy-back them on the internet. I only run one at a time (since I can't be in two places at once).
About the only thing good is the fact that I live alone and the only person who would complain is me. lol
I hope someone here has a solution for you.
PS....Try the cross-over cable. It couldn't hurt.
Mike, while I can't help with this particular quixotic quest, I think it'd be alot easier if you just dropped a (very) few dollars on a USB/wifi adapter for the Windows box. A search on eBay for [usb wifi] shows tons of product for under $10 shipped.
just a thought,
dan k