Internet sharing via Airport with an OS 9 machine? - Macintosh Garden

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2011, January 7 - 10:49am

#1

Bolkonskij's picture

Bolkonskij

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Internet sharing via Airport with an OS 9 machine?

Hi everyone,

I'm wondering how to get my two Macs to share one internet connection? This might be an interesting question for a lot of people with older Macs.

The PowerMac G4 uses an ethernet bridge to connect to a local WLAN. It works perfectly. I'm running 10.5.8 right now. I've activated internet sharing, choosing to use the Ethernet connection and share it via Airport.

The TiBook G4 running 9.2.2 doesn't seem able to connect unfortunately. I've activated Airport under Nine and set the connection to Airport in the TCP/IP control panel. In the control strip Airport menu it only shows my home network, but not the connection from my PowerMac G4.

Any ideas on how to share the internet connection between both machines?

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2011, January 7 - 9:15pm

#2

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So the PowerMac G4 has an AirPort card ? And you wish to let other computers connect to that AirPort card and access the Internet through your Ethernet connection ?

I'm presuming that you've gone through all the details in the Sharing system pref.
1. Is AppleTalk enabled over the AirPort interface. Unlike TCP/IP, AppleTalk can only be active on one interface at any time. You may want it on AirPort if you want OS9 computers to connect to it.
2. You may need to set "Allow this computer to create networks" in the Network System Pref for AirPort.
3. And then actually create a network, should default to the name of your PMG4. I think only unencrypted or WEP 40bit / WEP 128bit encryption is permitted (well, that's all you'll be able to use on the OS9 side). Be sure to choose a channel away from the existing wireless network channel selection.

Did I miss anything ?

2011, January 7 - 11:34pm

#3

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themacmeister

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@bertyboy, you can work on my network anytime

Do you have any idea if there is an Airport Extreme card that is eMac (1.25GHz USB 2. compatible.

I have read that there is ONE PC airport extreme compatible card that will work in the eMac. I believe it is very rare, but will still be WAY more affordable, and available than Airport Extreme card for the eMac. I also believe it ONLY fits in the eMac, due to the slot design.

The eMac is currently stripped bare, with no RAM, no HDD, and a faulty DVD-Burner. So I will not be running to the store and getting this Airport going.

2011, January 7 - 11:51pm

#4

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AFAIK, that eMac takes a standard Apple AirPort Extreme card.

Don't see many on eBay, I think they stay in the Macs they were purchased for and get sold with the Mac.
Other options may be a wireless bridge. Connect by Ethernet to the eMac and it connects wirelessly to your WLAN.

2011, January 8 - 8:14am

#5

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Bolkonskij

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Yes, both machines have an Airport card. I wish to share the incoming (ethernet) connection on my PowerMac G4 with my PowerBook G4.

Both machines have AppleTalk enabled. On the PowerMac G4, only Airport has.

On the PowerMac G4, I've activated Internet Sharing, chose a channel and WEP encryption.

Is it supposed to show up in the Airport Menu in the control strip under OS 9? I only see my home network there, but not my "PowerMac G4" network.

2011, January 8 - 9:56am

#6

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Yes it hould show up as another network, but under the Computer-to-Computer networks header, not immediately next to your existing Wireless LAN.

AppleTalk active over AirPort on the PowerBook G4 too. But this shouldn't stop you seeing the PMG4 WLAN.

The Location Manager control strip module can be extremely useful if you need to keep changing settings for different scenarios. You set up configurations for Modem, Remote Access, TCP/IP, AirPort, AppleTalk and maybe others, and then switch between them in a second, you never have to remember all the dettings that have to change.

2011, January 8 - 1:03pm

#7

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Bolkonskij

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Okay, something is definitely not working here, it doesn't show the network under computer-to-computer. Any ideas on what I could have missed out?

I think I'll boot into OS 9 now and see if I can get things going from there. Don't want to set my home network back to WEP encryption, too risky these days, especially if you don't live in a rural area but downtown.

2011, January 8 - 2:52pm

#8

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Just checking the steps on the PMG4 ...
1. Open Network System Pref
2. Turn AirPort on
3. For "Select Network to Join" choose "Create Network"
4. Create it with or without encryption.
5. Click "Show All" at top and select Sharing System pref.
6. Select Internet Sharing, check sharing from Ethernet to just AirPort.
7. Turn Internet Sharing On.
8. Back to Network System pref.
9. Does AirPort show "On" or "Self Assigned IP" ?
10. If it's "Self-Assigned IP" choose the "Create Network" again, same settings as before.
11. Back in Network System Pref, AirPort should now say "On"
12. Connect with the PBG4, under Computer-to-Computer networks.

Ah, step 13 was going to be check that you have the laest AirPort update for OS9, the standard OS9.2.2 AirPort software only supports 40-bit WEP, if you upgrade to latest, it supports 128-bit WEP.

2011, January 8 - 3:14pm

#9

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Bolkonskij

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Thanks for your detailled help, really appreciate it! I went through every single step to ensure it's all set up properly.

1. Check
2. Check - Airport activated
3. Network created
4. check
5. check
6. check
7. check - turned it on
8. check
9. check - self assigned IP is shown
10. check - created it again, same settings
11. No, it stays with "self assigned IP"

So this is the problem? If I get your right, there needs to be an "on" shown instead of "self-assigned IP" ?
(FYI, I've created a network, assigned a channel, using 40-bit WEP encryption)

2011, January 8 - 5:49pm

#10

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That was just a step-by-step list of how I do it on my OS X 10.5.8 (Mac Pro) and share internet so my PMG5 (10.3.9) and MDD (10.3.9 and OS9) can access it. I did it with no encryption on the network.

Not sure if the "On" or "Self-Assigned" is important, but I couldn't connect until I wen back and turned AirPort on and created the computer-to-computer network AFTER I'd changed the Internet Sharing to share over AirPort.
Perhaps turn it all off and start from 1, but I have a feeling you would have already done this. Better still, turn it all off and do 5, 6, 7 then 8 and then 2, 3 and 4, then jump to 9 through to the end.

What version is the AirPort software ? ASP might have the version info we seek, but 40-bit WEP (a 5 character password) should be fine whatever version. v2.0.2 is required for 128-bit WEP, v2.0.4 was the last version available, AFAIK.
Only other possibility I can think of is the channel, a US card allows 1-11, a European card allows 1-13, as long as the PMG4 isn't choosing a channel the PBG4 card can't use.

2011, January 10 - 7:31am

#11

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Bolkonskij

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Couldn't get it to work, I'll go back to step one and try everything again. There must be an error somewhere or I may be missing something. Anyway thanks for your help (as always!), greaty appreciate it!

2011, January 13 - 7:15pm

#12

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Ah well, for some reason it won't work out. I've made my peace with that. Now trying to share the connection via fireware cable. Does that work with OS 9? I remember that back in the OS 9 days there was fireware stuff around, I just wonder whether it is possible to share the internet connection with an OS 9 system?

For testing purposes I had booted the TiBook into 10.4.11 (so both systems run 10.4.11) and it worked without any problems. Under OS 9 however, I couldn't get the TiBook G4 to recognize the connection. So I wonder - is it actually possible or was sharing via firewire only later introduced?

2011, January 13 - 8:18pm

#13

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You could definitely boot OS9 over a FireWire connection (ie. my 500MHz PowerBook G4 and iPod 3rd gen - it carried an installed version of OS X 10.2 and OS9.2.2).

As far as the OS9 side knows, it's just using TCP/IP and AppleTalk over FireWire. And that's all you have to do, open the control panels and see if FireWire is one of the options. From memory, it is.

2011, January 14 - 8:06am

#14

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Thanks! What bugs me is that there is no FireWire option in any of the control panels. For example:

--> Control Panels --> TCP/IP offers me to choose among:

AppleTalk(MacIP)
AirPort
Ethernet (integrated)
PPP

I chose AppleTalk this time and went on to --> control panels --> AppleTalk. There I have

AirPort
Ethernet (integrated)
Remote Access only

as options. Where can I chose FireWire? Am I missing something?

2011, January 14 - 8:51am

#15

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Can you just check that all the FireWire extensions are loaded. I'll boot up my PMG4 (OS9.2.2) tonight and do some digging.

2011, January 15 - 10:48am

#16

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Nope, I don't get FireWire as an option either. Checked for missing extensions, all FireWire related extensions are there.
Maybe it was an OSX 10.2 or 10.3 feature.

I did consider that the "AirPort" card in the PMG4 under OSX 10.5 might be operating on wireless 'g' only. But can't be the case because:
It works with OSX 10.4.11 on the PBG4.
The original AirPort card only works on 802.11a/b. Although there are Belkin wireless 'g' PCI cards that show up as an AirPort card and use the AirPort software.

So free workarounds seem to be exhausted. But something like a short wireless bridge connected to the PBG4, or a PCMCIA wireless card may offer a cheap alternative. OK, not as 'mobile'. It all depends on what you are willing to put up with.

2011, January 15 - 11:06am

#17

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Or there's something called "FireNet 2.5" for OS9 by Unibrain. FireWire networking for OS9. Not sure if it also needs the driver software on the other end too, that would suck.

Info page here: http://www.bare-bone.com/firenet/eindex.htm

Download firenet_mac.sit here: http://www.rawsound.com/archive/index.php?dir=Web%3ANetwork/

2011, January 17 - 8:02pm

#18

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Repeating myself but - thanks, bertyboy! Found the culprit. Today I was opening up the PowerMac to add two more hard disks (of course causing problems, more about it soon ) when I noticed that for some unexplained reason the antenna cable of the airport card got loose. I have no idea how it could happen. But what baffles me is that OS X was not showing any error, displaying Airport as doing just fine?

Anyway, case solved. Better always double check your antenna cable. *sigh*

2011, January 17 - 8:40pm

#19

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WooHoo !!!!!!!!!!!!

What can I say about hard disks in the MDD ... use Cable Select on all of them, don't mix Master / Slave and CS, but I suspect you've already checked that.

2011, January 25 - 8:46pm

(Reply to #19) #20

Nadav34

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Joined: 2011 Jan 24

Bertyboy,

I just noticed your picture.. is that really you? You remind me of my son though he is 11.

2011, January 25 - 8:45pm

#21

Nadav34

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Joined: 2011 Jan 24

Speaking of Internet sharing.. my mighty 2010 6-core Mac Pro is sharing its internet connection with my G4 Pismo... seems both love each other For some reason the airport card in my Pismo isn't working with my router.. I know 802.11b is the standard speed on the airport card and only WEP is supported, but how can I be getting a network error if I enter the correct password? This password is the same I use on my mac pro and PB G4, but the Pismo's airport card(maybe its not the pismo, but the airport card) might be going bad or something.

Internet sharing works rather well and is a suitable replacement should the airport card fail, for now.

2011, January 25 - 11:32pm

#22

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bertyboy

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My daughter, aged about 9 months, that was about 6 months ago.

2011, January 26 - 3:34am

(Reply to #22) #23

Nadav34

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Aw... she's cute! I thought at 1st it was a picture of you