How to Connect to a Computer that is Using a Mac's Internet Sharing Feature?

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Level 1

32 points

How to Connect to a Computer that is Using a Mac's Internet Sharing Feature?

I've recently aqquired a computer (running Linux Ubuntu) that is kind of old has has no wifi capabilites, so I'm using my Mac's Internet Sharing, and connecting my Linux to the Mac. There is no other way to connect to my local network.

However, I wish to run a local server on the Linux so that other computers connected to the network my Mac is connected to can access this Linux. While my Mac successfully does this, and my Linux successfully connects to the Mac, other computers connected to the network cannot connect to the Linux.

I know why. When I share my internet from Wifi to Ethernet, the Mac creates its own separate network.

What do I do to allow other computers to connect to my Linux?

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9), Model of 2008

Posted on Apr 3, 2014 5:58 PM

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Answer 1

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,660 points

Apr 3, 2014 9:45 PM in response to iTryFreeApps

Get a real router or get a wifi card for the Linux box.

You can try to fiddle with the Mac's internal networking to make the ethernet bridge for all wifi clients, but frankly that is headache & a bad idea for anything that is going to 'serve' other users. You really don't want to go through another machine if you can help it, especially as there will be latency in Wifi already.

Running a server on wifi will be slow, you'd be better with ethernet.

What are you hoping to share from the Linux machine, how many clients you expecting?

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Answer 2

iTryFreeApps Author

Level 1

32 points

Apr 3, 2014 10:00 PM in response to Drew Reece

I'm thinking external 2 clients at most (not including the Linux box itself) and running a local Minecraft server.

So I guess I will have to move the Linux box to a place where Ethernet will reach it from the modem…

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Answer 3

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,660 points

Apr 4, 2014 9:28 AM in response to iTryFreeApps

I think that will serve you better than trying to route through the Mac, you should be able to see the server on each client since they will be on the same network range.

You should also have better performance if you can reduce the amount of data going through wifi, sorry we still can't beat wires just yet.

Stay away from the creeps 🙂

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