imac as router?

dogmatix_dogmatix_
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
greetings



i want to use an old imac as an router... the problem is that the imac has only one ethernet connection and i'll have to use this one for my cable modem connection.



is there any solution to use a second ethernet card via usb, and does any software (like gNat or IPnet Router) support these solution...



the other possibility would be using a pc - linux router... but those pee cees are making a horrible noise... so i'd rather use an imac or a cube.



thanks for helping me.





cheers



dogmatix

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 17
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    I'm sure you've probably thought of this, but why not just get an actual router? The Netgear RT314's go for about $50, and include four switched 10/100 ports. They offer an exceptional amount of options for configuring them. They use less power, make less noise, take up less space, and have cool blinking lights
  • Reply 2 of 17
    allinoneallinone Posts: 279member
    I believe you can use IPNetRouter with just one ethernet port.



    <a href="http://www.versiontracker.com/moreinfo.fcgi?id=2216&db=mac"; target="_blank">http://www.versiontracker.com/moreinfo.fcgi?id=2216&db=mac</a>;



    I've never heard of a USB to Ethernet device.



    I agree with Jack that a hardware router/switch is probably a better way to go.
  • Reply 3 of 17
    dogmatix_dogmatix_ Posts: 4member
    yes, I thought about using an ordinary router... but the problem is that my internet provider is not supporting routers... how does IPNet work with just one ethernet card?... Please explain...



    thanks



    dogmatix
  • Reply 4 of 17
    allinoneallinone Posts: 279member
    What does "does not support" mean?



    Won't answer your questions?

    Somehow disables?

    Violates your contract?



    Why would it be any different with a computer running NAT?



    As far as how IPNetRouter works you'll have to read their docs yourself. I evaluated it a couple of years ago when I first got DSL but I don't remember the details.
  • Reply 5 of 17
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    I used to have a broadband internet provider that "didn't support routers". When the guy came over to do the installation and saw what I had going on, he said, "Look, I'm not allowed to plug this thing into your router and make sure it works. I'm going to have to plug the line directly into your computer, anything you do with it after that, go for it."



    They're probably saying they don't support routers to 1) Keep you from calling tech support asking them to troubleshot *your* router, in which case IPNetRouter is classified as a "router" in this scenario, 2) They want you to fork over a few extra bucks a month to buy additional IPs for your other computers, in which case you could run everything through a standard hub.
  • Reply 6 of 17
    posterboyposterboy Posts: 147member
    [quote]I've never heard of a USB to Ethernet device.<hr></blockquote>



    They exist, but I have never seen a mac Compatible one. Linksys makes a few different ones, as does netgear. They are good if you dont have a PC cardslot available on your laptop, but that is about it.



    As to DSL/Cable Internet providers not supporting routers, its mainly for 2 reasons.

    1) they have some software on their support side that lets them perform some basic diagnostics on your connection, and they dont work correctly if you have a router hooked up.

    2) they want to charge you extra for supplying you extra IP addresses, as mentioned above. My DSL provider gives me 2 IP addresses, but that is somewhat of a rarity. The local Cable Internet provider here in Vancouver gives you one IP, unless you subscribe to Digital Cable television, and then they give you a second for free.



    --PB



    [ 05-14-2002: Message edited by: PosterBoy ]</p>
  • Reply 7 of 17
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    So in any case,based on what PosterBoy said, you can get a hardware router, and if they ever need to run diagnostics on your connection (and I'm not sure how it works, I set up my Netgear router to forward all incoming port requests to a certain IP, and I specify port forwarding requests for other specific IPs... such as port 80, 21, 23, etc), you can always unplug the router to let them do their diagnostics.



    You can still get away with a hardware router, and running IPNetRouter is not any different really.
  • Reply 8 of 17
    dogmatix_dogmatix_ Posts: 4member
    with my provider company it is the same like you said before, they just want to let me use one computer... the second one just for extra money...



    but still the problem is, they somehow know the id-number of your networkcard which comes free with subscribing... and they will just let you use your computer with this card...



    well, unless i'll tell them that i've bought a new computer and tell them the new id-number... i think this should work...



    thanks for all your help





    cheers



    dogmatix
  • Reply 9 of 17
    allinoneallinone Posts: 279member
    [quote]Originally posted by dogmatix_:

    <strong>

    well, unless i'll tell them that i've bought a new computer and tell them the new id-number... i think this should work...</strong><hr></blockquote>



    What the company is looking at is your 'MAC' address (MAC does not stand for Macintosh in this case), it's the unique ID of your ethernet card.



    Some routers allow you to spoof your MAC address. I have a Linksys and it includes this feature. So you could get a Linksys and just set it to the same MAC address as your Mac and the ISP would be none the wiser...
  • Reply 10 of 17
    mikey offendermikey offender Posts: 412member
    [quote]Originally posted by M3D Jack:

    <strong>I'm sure you've probably thought of this, but why not just get an actual router? The Netgear RT314's go for about $50, and include four switched 10/100 ports. They offer an exceptional amount of options for configuring them. They use less power, make less noise, take up less space, and have cool blinking lights </strong><hr></blockquote>



    The Netgear RT314 has been discontinued. Go with the LinkSys. I've got the 4 port router/switch and it roolz.
  • Reply 11 of 17
    dogmatix_dogmatix_ Posts: 4member
    Linksys sounds great... do you have a url for frurther information...

    thanks



    cheers



    dogmatix
  • Reply 12 of 17
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    [quote]Originally posted by dogmatix_:

    <strong>with my provider company it is the same like you said before, they just want to let me use one computer... the second one just for extra money...



    but still the problem is, they somehow know the id-number of your networkcard which comes free with subscribing... and they will just let you use your computer with this card...



    well, unless i'll tell them that i've bought a new computer and tell them the new id-number... i think this should work...



    thanks for all your help





    cheers



    dogmatix</strong><hr></blockquote>



    You could always go with a Netgear model that *hasn't* been discontinued. I prefer the Netgear routers because they're small, they're square, and they're made out of metal. The Linksys routers are plastic and they're curved.



    Anyhow, about the Ethernet MAC Address of your computer's network card, the Netgear router has an option where it will actually spoof that number, so your ISP will never know, because the router will be broadcasting the same number. I don't know if Linksys does that.



    I just trust netgear, not too fond of Linksys I guess
  • Reply 13 of 17
    allinoneallinone Posts: 279member
    [quote]Originally posted by dogmatix_:

    <strong>Linksys sounds great... do you have a url for frurther information...

    </strong><hr></blockquote>



    Here's one with a 4 port switch on Buy.com for under $70:



    <a href="http://www.us.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10235958&loc=101"; target="_blank">http://www.us.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10235958&loc=101</a>;



    The make 1, 4, 8 and 12 port models I believe.



    <a href="http://www.linksys.com"; target="_blank">http://www.linksys.com</a>;
  • Reply 14 of 17
    dogmatixdogmatix Posts: 8member
    linksys really sounds nice, what about usrobotics broadband router?



    had anyone experiance with this one?



    cheers



    dogmatix
  • Reply 15 of 17
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    You may want to read some of the ArsTechnica reviews on the routers...



    <a href="http://www.arstechnica.com/reviews/3q00/linksys/befsr41-1.html"; target="_blank">Linksys Review</a>



    <a href="http://www.arstechnica.com/reviews/01q2/netgear/rt314-1.html"; target="_blank">Netgear Review</a>



    Another worthwhile read for you might be this <a href="http://www.firewallguide.com/hardware.htm"; target="_blank">buyer's guide type thing</a>.



    Hope that helps...
  • Reply 16 of 17
    allinoneallinone Posts: 279member
    [quote]Originally posted by dogmatix:

    <strong>linksys really sounds nice, what about usrobotics broadband router?



    had anyone experiance with this one?

    </strong><hr></blockquote>



    Another great place for info is DSLreports:



    <a href="http://www.dslreports.com/"; target="_blank">http://www.dslreports.com/</a>;



    There should be a hardware forum for most popular models...



    Here's the Linksys one:



    <a href="http://www.dslreports.com/forum/equip,16"; target="_blank">http://www.dslreports.com/forum/equip,16</a>;



    and here is the list of other hardware forums:



    <a href="http://www.dslreports.com/forums/18"; target="_blank">http://www.dslreports.com/forums/18</a>;



    Enjoy.
  • Reply 17 of 17
    dogmatixdogmatix Posts: 8member
    thanks a lot... i think i'm going with the linksys





    cheers



    dogmatix
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