Internet Sharing over WiFi not working

Question

Level 1

6 points

Internet Sharing over WiFi not working

Hi,

i am trying to share my ethernet internet connection on my macbook to my other devices over WiFi. I set everything up and it seems to work but when I try to connect a device after entering my wifi pass it will try to connect forever (spinning circle) and never get an actual connection.

As I usually use a vpn, I also tried sharing the vpn connection instead of ethernet over WiFi - same Problem.

I am using a MacBookPro with El Capitan - but the problem was already there before the update. I tried to connect with my iPhone and my iPad, so it seems like its really a problem with the mac...

Thanks for any advice!

MacBook Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11)

Posted on Oct 14, 2015 7:25 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Aug 15, 2017 5:46 PM in response to caramelcat

Thank you for this answer caramelcat! I allowed incoming access to bootpsd and now can use a laptop as a wifi hotspot in a room where our router wifi can't reach AND still can keep the firewall set on. Do you know, in layman's terms please, what this does? Rephrased - is there a vulnerability introduced by allowing incoming access to bootpd? (the only device(s) using the laptop as a hot spot for wifi are in a residential house where there is both security and a password set on the computer sharing. as well as the Firewall set on the router itself. I don't think the network name is broadcast either as I had to initially enter that, too.

Reply

Answer 2

Oct 18, 2015 6:44 PM in response to abzhibilt

I was just about to downgrade to Yosemite because I couldn't share my VPN on El Capitan. However, I've found a solution that works for me. Go to System Preferences > Network > choose the connection that you want to share > go to advanced settings > choose DNS > input 8.8.4.4

That fixed the problem for me. Hope it helps you out!

Reply

Answer 3

Oct 18, 2015 8:37 PM in response to trevrelso

Did you mean input it under DNS Servers or Search Domains?

I tried both separately, but neither worked for me.

Reply

Answer 4

Oct 26, 2015 1:18 PM in response to Peach and Goldfish

DNS Servers. It's been working for me. Sorry it didn't help.

Reply

Answer 5

abzhibilt Author

Level 1

6 points

Nov 3, 2015 8:18 PM in response to trevrelso

thanks for your reply but didn't help me either 😟 - can't imagine there isn't a solution.... but seems like no one can help

Reply

Answer 6

Jan 6, 2016 2:29 PM in response to abzhibilt

Hi!

Try resetting all settings for the internet sharing, restart your mac and then start configuring the internet sharing again. It might as it worked for me!

Regards,

Reply

Answer 7

dzheng01

Level 1

5 points

Jan 29, 2016 11:56 PM in response to abzhibilt

I had the same problem. I fixed it by turning off the apple firewall in Security and Privacy. Everything seems to be working and my ipad and iphone can connect to my ethernet connection over wifi.

Reply

Answer 8

juang54

Level 1

8 points

Feb 6, 2016 7:27 AM in response to trevrelso

May I jump in? Goodwife and I each have a Mac El Capitan 10.11.3. All we are trying to do is share files across the two Macs over our local (household) network (netgear 5g). This may be complicated by a spotty Windows (variously called "workgroup" or other, depending upon which version of Windows, and I have three)).

I'll deal with the windows later, for now I cannot get file sharing to work and this answer sounds like it might address my problem. Do you think that it might? Any advice appreciated, thanks,

JG

Reply

Answer 9

May 1, 2017 9:48 AM in response to abzhibilt

Someone suggest turning off the firewall, which worked for me too, but you only need to allow incoming access to the bootpd

Then the wifi client device can get an ip address.

Thanks

Reply