How can Mac Pro (late 2013) create a WiFi network for Mac Books to connect to internet?

Question

How can Mac Pro (late 2013) create a WiFi network for Mac Books to connect to internet?

I am moving my Mac-Pro (late 2013) to a garden office. I have an ethernet cable to connect it to the house network. I also have a Mac Book Air which will only connect to a network by WiFi. I can use this Mac-Pro to create a WiFi network and the MacBook can talk to the Mac Pro over this WiFi network. But the Mac Book does not see the local network let alone the Internet, both of which are seen on the Mac Pro.

Is there a way that I can connect the created WiFi network to one of the two Ethernet cards in the Mac Pro?

Or what?

Tim

Mac Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.1), with Epson Stylus Photo P50 printer

Posted on Apr 19, 2014 2:44 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Apr 19, 2014 2:59 PM in response to Tim Powys-Lybbe

What you can do is Share your Internet connection (from Ethernet) over a different medium, such as WiFi. This turns your Mac Pro into a mini-Router.

OS X Mavericks: Share your Internet connection

Reply

Answer 2

turbostar

Level 4

2,941 points

Apr 19, 2014 3:14 PM in response to Tim Powys-Lybbe

Or run a ETH cord from the 2nd Mac Pro to your laptop

Reply

Answer 3

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Apr 19, 2014 4:05 PM in response to Tim Powys-Lybbe

MacBook Air can use Thunderbolt to ethernet, there is also a $199 ? docking station that provides ethernet, audio, video, Firewire800, and USB3 ports.

Reply

Answer 4

Apr 19, 2014 4:37 PM in response to turbostar

Regrettably the Mac Book Air does not have an Ethernet port.

Reply

Answer 5

Apr 19, 2014 4:40 PM in response to The hatter

Not sure about that as this 2010 Mac Air does not have a thunderbolt port.

And I'm really looking for a wireless solution as the whole point about a portable is to carry it around.

Reply

Answer 6

Apr 19, 2014 5:36 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

This looks as if it will do exactly what I want and the Link you gave shows precisely what appears on the Sharing preferences.

I have turned Internet sharing on and restarted the mac Pro in case that would make a difference.

But the problem is that the options are all greyed out, both "Share your connection from:" and "To computers using", the formet shows "Ethernet 1" and the latters has a tick against "Ethernet 1". So I can't set the "To Computer using" to WiFi. My ID has full administrator privileges.

Any ideas anyone?

Tim

Reply

Answer 7

Apr 19, 2014 5:39 PM in response to Tim Powys-Lybbe

So have you tried Internet Sharing?

Reply

Answer 8

Apr 19, 2014 5:54 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

No, I can't do internet sharing with the Mac Book Air as it will only do WiFi and the Mac Pro does not let me select WiFi let alone give the network a name and password for me to select on the Mac Book Air.

Reply

Answer 9

Apr 19, 2014 6:01 PM in response to Tim Powys-Lybbe

Why will it not let you Share your Ethernet connection over WiFi?

Can you select any other media instead?

Reply

Answer 10

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Apr 19, 2014 6:26 PM in response to Tim Powys-Lybbe

Late MacBook Pro 2011 17" has Thunderbolt. I did not realize there was a 2010 model Air, which was when Thunderbolt first came out, and really needed Lion, never worked well with Snow Leopard.

Reply

Answer 11

Apr 20, 2014 12:56 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I have half cracked it.

For some reason the first step it to turn internet sharing off.

Then internet sharing can be configured and the wireless network set up and given a password.

Then, and then only, turn internet sharing back on and turn WiFi ON. All this is on the Mac-Pro (late 2013).

Now the Mac Air sees the new network and can log on and connect to the WAN internet locations, at least via Safari.

BUT if I use Finder on the Air, it will connect to the Mac Pro but it will not display what is on its disc. Though I can do screen sharing. Odd.

Also Air-Drop has stopped working, so there is no means of transferring files between the Pro and the Air.

I am going away now for a few days and will revisit this on my return.

Thanks for your help.

Reply

Answer 12

Apr 20, 2014 9:44 AM in response to Tim Powys-Lybbe

BUT if I use Finder on the Air, it will connect to the Mac Pro but it will not display what is on its disc.

You are sharing your Internet connection. The packets received from the MacBook Air will be forwarded your Router to be sent to the Internet.

If you want your Mac Pro to share its files, that must be configured separately using File Sharing. It should be possible, but it will require Finder to explicitly make a File Sharing connection to the Mac Pro (and mount the Mac Pro Shared Volume).

I am not upbeat about restoring Airdrop. Airdrop takes advantage of some some features and shortcuts that may no longer be available with this Internet Sharing setup.

Reply