Mac...connect tower, laptop, cable & OLD printer

MishaAmI · 10-31-2005, 03:57 PM

Greetings. TWO questions! I have a Mac G4 tower and a G4 laptop. I have a cable modem which goes to a ethernet switch which uses the Ethernet port on my tower. I currently have the two computers connected via Firewire only, and the laptop is not connected to internet. I bought a DLink ethernet broadband router today. (And I already have a ethernet switch.) What's the difference? Can't I use the switch to add the laptop on? Goal is to connect the laptop to the internet, but as importantly, to share files between the two computers as if the tower is a server. I don't want to copy files to the laptop to use - I want to access directly from the tower. SECOND main question - I have a great but old HP 2100M laser printer. I understand I can get a card to make it ethernet compatible... Would that then connect the printer to the switch or router? ANYONE have any experience trying to bring all this stuff together? THANKS!

**johnwill** · 10-31-2005, 05:36 PM

You want the router. Here's a simple description of Routers vs. Switches.

Since you have a cable account and all wired machines, this should be simple.

Turn everything off.

Connect the router's WAN port to the cable modem with a CAT5 patch cable (straight cable).

Connect the computers to the router's LAN ports with CAT5 patch cables.

Turn on the cable modem, wait for it to get a steady data light.

Turn on the router, give it a couple of minutes to stablilze.

Turn on the computers and start surfing the Internet.

The Ethernet equipped printer should also connect to the router, just like the computers.

I can't help you with the configuration of MACs, since I'm a Windows kind of guy.

10-31-2005, 03:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
MishaAmI Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: White Plains, NY Posts: 1 OS: Mac OS X Tiger	Mac...connect tower, laptop, cable & OLD printer Greetings. TWO questions! I have a Mac G4 tower and a G4 laptop. I have a cable modem which goes to a ethernet switch which uses the Ethernet port on my tower. I currently have the two computers connected via Firewire only, and the laptop is not connected to internet. I bought a DLink ethernet broadband router today. (And I already have a ethernet switch.) What's the difference? Can't I use the switch to add the laptop on? Goal is to connect the laptop to the internet, but as importantly, to share files between the two computers as if the tower is a server. I don't want to copy files to the laptop to use - I want to access directly from the tower. SECOND main question - I have a great but old HP 2100M laser printer. I understand I can get a card to make it ethernet compatible... Would that then connect the printer to the switch or router? ANYONE have any experience trying to bring all this stuff together? THANKS!

10-31-2005, 05:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,921 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	You want the router. Here's a simple description of Routers vs. Switches. Since you have a cable account and all wired machines, this should be simple. Turn everything off. Connect the router's WAN port to the cable modem with a CAT5 patch cable (straight cable). Connect the computers to the router's LAN ports with CAT5 patch cables. Turn on the cable modem, wait for it to get a steady data light. Turn on the router, give it a couple of minutes to stablilze. Turn on the computers and start surfing the Internet. The Ethernet equipped printer should also connect to the router, just like the computers. I can't help you with the configuration of MACs, since I'm a Windows kind of guy. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience