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Q: How to get VPM software to address only one ethernet port on Mac Pro

Hello and thanks for any help anyone can provide.

 

I have a 2009 Mac Pro running OS X 10.11.3. The Mac Pro has two physical ethernet jacks on the back. Plugged into jack #1 is my wifi router with internet access. Plugged into jack #2 is a SiliconDust HDHomeRun dual TV tuner. EyeTV is the software that records and plays back TV shows from the HDHomeRun.

 

My problem is that when I select Connect in the VPN software (Private Internet Access) the HDHomeRun becomes invisible to the EyeTV software and I can neither record nor watch live TV broadcasts. The moment I disconnect the VPN software the HDHomeRun signal appears again and all is well.

 

This was not a problem until about two weeks ago. Thinking back I remembered that just before the issue arose I had "looked around" in the Mac System Prefs Network panel. I was trying to figure out why my wife's MacBook Air couldn't access the shared library of TV shows recorded with EyeTV - a main feature of the software. The only thing I remember doing that might have changed anything was to click on Renew DHCP Lease (in the Advanced section) while one of the Ethernet ports was selected in the left panel. I completely realize this was a dumb thing to do since I'm a networking novice and I didn't know what it might accomplish. And I don't know if this is the cause of my problem or not.

 

In the Network panel in the Mac System Prefs, in the left column, Ethernet 3 says connected and I guess is where my wifi router is plugged in. Below that, Ethernet 2 says Self-Assigned IP - i assume this is the HDHomeRun box. Below those two are listed FireWire, iPhone USB, and Bluetooth PAN, all Not Connected.

 

I have uninstalled and reinstalled a clean copy of the VPN software.

 

I have swapped which port the wifi router and HDHomeRun are plugged into but this didn't change anything.

 

I have chatted with the VPN maker and they had no solution but I'm waiting to hear back from their next tier of support.

 

Thanks again for any ideas anyone might have.

 

Martin

VIN,Mac Pro (Early 2009), OS X El Capitan (10.11.3), null

Posted on Feb 20, 2016 4:06 PM

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Q: How to get VPM software to address only one ethernet port on Mac Pro

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  • by John Lockwood,

    John Lockwood John Lockwood Feb 22, 2016 2:15 AM in response to VergeMusicWorks
    Level 6 (9,324 points)
    Servers Enterprise
    Feb 22, 2016 2:15 AM in response to VergeMusicWorks

    Some VPN systems are configured to deliberately force all network traffic to go via the VPN connection, this would then prevent talking to local devices like your HDHomerun at the same time.

     

    Also you would be better off connecting the HDHomerun to the same network as your router, either plug it in to a spare socket on the router, or get an Ethernet switch. The two Ethernet ports can act as different networks and then unless you know what your doing controlling what traffic goes where gets complicated.