joefromcolrain

Q: Local area network mixed ethernet and wireless can't communicate between macs

I have several macs running 10.4, 10.5, 10.6 and 10.10 on my home lan, some connected to the dsl router by ethernet and some by wifi. Two of those macs is are the other end of the house and not able to connect by wireless, so they are connected by ethernet. At the other end of the house are some connected by ethernet and some by wireless or both. All are able to access the internet, but it is impossible to do file sharing or ichat with the distant macs unless an ethernet cable is plugged into the other macs.  How can I fix the problem?

MacBook Pro

Posted on Mar 4, 2015 6:43 PM

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Q: Local area network mixed ethernet and wireless can't communicate between macs

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  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Mar 4, 2015 10:24 PM in response to joefromcolrain
    Level 10 (123,506 points)
    Mar 4, 2015 10:24 PM in response to joefromcolrain

    Hi Joe,

     

    Some Routers hand out differ IP ranges for Wifi & Ethernet, others have a setting to share Wifi & Ethernet.

     

    In System Preferences>Sharing>TCP/IP, what are all the IPs please?

     

    It's completely safe to post any that start with 10. or 192.

  • by joefromcolrain,Helpful

    joefromcolrain joefromcolrain Mar 5, 2015 11:06 AM in response to BDAqua
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 5, 2015 11:06 AM in response to BDAqua

    Thanks for your help BDAqua.

     

    Here are the identifiable devices connected to the local area network:

     

    Zoom dsl Router:  10.0.0.2

    DHCP Client Status

    Host Name                                     IP Address  
    474100  10.0.0.10  
    powerbook (10.4)  10.0.0.15    (ethernet & wifi)(office)
    Macbook pro (10.6)  10.0.0.14    (wifi)(in or near office)

    unknown001124a1f63c                   10.0.0.17  

    intel imac  (10.4)                             10.0.0.7    (ethernet)  (studio)

    Daughter's-Macbook (10.6)              10.0.0.8    (wifi)  (near office)

    EpsonStylusPro3880-84E3F6           10.0.0.16    (ethernet) (office)

    unknown0019e30b873b                   10.0.0.6  

    imac G5 (10.5)                                 10.0.0.4    (ethernet)  (studio)

     

    These items may be among the unknown host names above:

    copystar printer    (connected by ethernet) (studio)

    ipad (connected by wifi when in range)

     

    The dsl router has 4 internet ports, however, only one is in use, which is connected to a netgear 5 port ethernet switch. These devices are in my office. The devices at the other end of the house, in my wife's studio, are connected to that netgear switch by a 100' cable through another netgear 5 port ethernet switch.

     

    The ethernet devices all communicate with each other, the wifi devices all communicate with each other, and they all connect to the internet. (well, not the printers as far as I know.) Also, the device addresses seem to change from time to time, but they are always 10.0.0.x.

     

    Also, strangely enough, when my Macbook Pro is close to the dsl router, which is on the desk with the powerbook, it does communicate with the ethernet devices. When it is farther away, it communicates only with the wifi devices and the internet.

  • by BDAqua,Helpful

    BDAqua BDAqua Mar 5, 2015 12:32 PM in response to joefromcolrain
    Level 10 (123,506 points)
    Mar 5, 2015 12:32 PM in response to joefromcolrain

    Also, strangely enough, when my Macbook Pro is close to the dsl router, which is on the desk with the powerbook, it does communicate with the ethernet devices. When it is farther away, it communicates only with the wifi devices and the internet.

    I believe that is the clue, I can't really picture clearly the setup, but something(s) are not extending the range of the local network, they're handing out their own 10.0.0.x IPs And connecting to the Modem, you have two separate 10.0.0.x local networks it seems.

  • by joefromcolrain,

    joefromcolrain joefromcolrain Mar 5, 2015 12:52 PM in response to BDAqua
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    Mar 5, 2015 12:52 PM in response to BDAqua

    Aha, here's another clue: Even though I moved the MBP downstairs from my office, it still is communicating with all the other devices. But I realize that while it was in my office, I plugged it into the ethernet momentarily. Perhaps that is what jogged the MBP to stay connected on both networks. Perhaps every time I start it up, I have to be sure to plug in the ethernet until it recognizes the other devices on the ethernet and then I can unplug it.  I'll see how it goes for the next few days.

     

    Thanks.

  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Mar 5, 2015 1:04 PM in response to joefromcolrain
    Level 10 (123,506 points)
    Mar 5, 2015 1:04 PM in response to joefromcolrain

    That might be a workaround for that one, but I think the switches need to be connected to the LAN port on whatever is handing out Wifi.

  • by joefromcolrain,

    joefromcolrain joefromcolrain Mar 5, 2015 1:27 PM in response to BDAqua
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    Mar 5, 2015 1:27 PM in response to BDAqua

    Ahhh... but how do I find out which device is handing out wifi?  In any case, the workaround is working so it is tolerable. Still, my wife may not be able to communicate with the kids' computers from the studio, but this is an improvement. When my kids need something printed, they usually just put it on a thumb drive and hand it to me.

  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Mar 5, 2015 2:27 PM in response to joefromcolrain
    Level 10 (123,506 points)
    Mar 5, 2015 2:27 PM in response to joefromcolrain

    Well, can you explain step by step from where the Internet enters the house, which device it goes to & which ports, then to which ports on which devices?

  • by joefromcolrain,

    joefromcolrain joefromcolrain Mar 5, 2015 2:53 PM in response to BDAqua
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 5, 2015 2:53 PM in response to BDAqua

    phone line in office to

                 |

    zoom dsl modem/router---------------

          |                                                        |

    wifi to                                           ethernet to netgear switch1------------------------------------------

    my macbook pro                         ethernet to netgear switch 2 (studio)                                          powerbook g4

    daughter's ibook                          ethernet to                                                                                  epson printer

    son's macbook pro                              imac intel                                                                      my macbook pro when in office

    ipad                                                      imac G5

                                                                copystar printer

  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Mar 5, 2015 3:52 PM in response to joefromcolrain
    Level 10 (123,506 points)
    Mar 5, 2015 3:52 PM in response to joefromcolrain

    Looks OK from here, must be a setting in the Modem/Router, maybe bridge mode, see if this helps...

     

    https://und.edu/student-life/housing/resnet/configurewirelessadsl.pdf

  • by joefromcolrain,

    joefromcolrain joefromcolrain Mar 5, 2015 7:43 PM in response to BDAqua
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 5, 2015 7:43 PM in response to BDAqua

    Hmmm... I'm not sure about that since those settings are different than the ones my isp gave me. When I tried one of the configuration settings in the tutorial, the modem sent me a warning message, so I didn't save any changes. So, until I understand what it all means, I think I'll hold off on any more changes. It seems to be working better now even if it isn't perfect.

     

    Thanks for your help. I'll be back if it doesn't work as well as I need.

  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Mar 7, 2015 10:30 AM in response to joefromcolrain
    Level 10 (123,506 points)
    Mar 7, 2015 10:30 AM in response to joefromcolrain

    OK, good luck!