Can't connect my PoweBook G4 to the internet..

omgwut · 02:20 PM

Hey there,
I've got a PowerBook G4 running OS X 10.2.8, which I'm trying to connect to the internet to download some updates and install some applications I need. I connect it to my cable router via ethernet cable and go into Network settings in the Preferences panel. Built-in Ethernet is selected, Automatic location by default, and I've got DHCP selected, so I would figure it would automatically renew my IP address and TCP info and get me online, but its doing nothing. Even when I copy the IP address and Subnet mask numbers from my desktop Network settings and put them into my PowerBook and click Apply, I still can't get online and my PPPoE indicator in the top righthand corner just keeps saying Idle.

What's going on here? Can anyone help me? Thanks. :[

Queso · Sep 2, 2006, 02:20 PM

Are you connecting the PowerBook directly into the cable provider's equipment? If so, is your provider one of those that request a MAC address when you sign up? If so, the connection will only work with the MAC address of your PC unless you "spoof" the address onto the PowerBook.

omgwut · Sep 2, 2006, 02:33 PM

Yes, the ethernet cable connects my PowerBook to the ethernet port on my cable router.

Where can I enter my MAC address in Network preferences?

Queso · Sep 2, 2006, 02:38 PM

In Jaguar I believe it's under the Ethernet settings in the Network Panel (although that may be Panther I'm thinking of). If you switch the Ethernet interface to Manual rather than Automatic, does it give you the option of just typing it in?

omgwut · Sep 2, 2006, 02:44 PM

Well, under the TCP/IP tab if I set Configure to Manual, I can enter the IP Address, Subnet Mask and Router info in by myself. But I copy the exact same numbers, all three sets from my desktop iMac and click Apply Now, and when I open Safari or try to run Software Update the thing still doesn't work.

Queso · Sep 2, 2006, 02:48 PM

Not under the TCP/IP tab. I'm a bit hobbled as it's been a while since I used Jaguar, so it's possible that the tab I'm describing is in Panther instead. It's the fifth one along when you have the Ethernet interface selected.

Is it there?

omgwut · Sep 2, 2006, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dynamicv

Not under the TCP/IP tab. I'm a bit hobbled as it's been a while since I used Jaguar, so it's possible that the tab I'm describing is in Panther instead. It's the fifth one along when you have the Ethernet interface selected.

Is it there?

No, unfortunately it isn't.. I'm running 10.3.9 on my desktop, but I don't have the install disc and so I have to run 10.2.8 on my notebook.. For whatever reason I guess there's no fifth Ethernet tab in Jaguar's Network panel.

Queso · Sep 2, 2006, 02:55 PM

OK, then there's a Terminal command that you can use to do it, but when you reboot the computer it will lose the setting.

Open your Terminal and type

sudo ifconfig en0 ether xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx

replacing all the xx with the MAC address of your PC's network card (which you can get by using "ipconfig /all" in the Windows Command Prompt). Be aware that whilst this is in place you won't be able to connect the PC and Laptop together using an Ethernet cable.

omgwut · Sep 2, 2006, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dynamicv

OK, then there's a Terminal command that you can use to do it, but when you reboot the computer it will lose the setting.

Open you Terminal and type

sudo ifconfig en0 ether xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx

replacing all the xx with the MAC address of your PC's network card (which you can get by using "ipconfig /all" in the Windows Command Prompt). Be aware that whilst this is in place you won't be able to connect the PC and Laptop together using an Ethernet cable.

Is that a valid Terminal command, too? I'm running a G4 desktop iMac, not a Windows machine, sorry.

And by whilst this in in place, do you mean I won't be able to network the two machines together with an ethernet cable from here on out afterward, or while I'm performing the commands?

Queso · Sep 2, 2006, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by omgwut

Is that a valid Terminal command, too? I'm running a G4 desktop iMac, not a Windows machine, sorry.

And by whilst this in in place, do you mean I won't be able to network the two machines together with an ethernet cable from here on out afterward, or while I'm performing the commands?

Sorry, I got the impression that the desktop was a Windows machine. In that case, don't worry about that little bit.

Since this command gives the two machines the same ethernet address they won't talk whilst the laptop is spoofing the desktop's address, but it's easily solved with a reboot of the laptop.

If this does turn out to be the cause of the problem, I'd recommend getting an ethernet router, since you can set it's Internet port to spoof the iMac's MAC address, and leave everything else inside as it is from that point on.

omgwut · Sep 2, 2006, 03:09 PM

That sounds like it might be a good idea.

I entered the command you gave me and put in the numbers from my ehternet ID, and when I pressed enter I got this message:

"We trust you have received the usual lecture from the local System Administrator. It usually boils down to these two things:

#1) Respect the privacy of others.
#2) Think before you type.

Password:"

And then it won't let me type anymore.. Am I supposed to enter my desktop's administrator user account password here or what? It won't let me..

Queso · Sep 2, 2006, 03:14 PM

Yeah, that's the standard sudo warning for user accounts. You may need to precede the sudo command with a

login <admin account>

if your user account doesn't have the right privileges. This will switch the Terminal window to your Admin account which will have the correct permissions to change the MAC address.

omgwut · Sep 2, 2006, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dynamicv

Yeah, that's the standard sudo warning for user accounts. You may need to precede the sudo command with a

login <admin account>

if your user account doesn't have the right privileges. This will switch the Terminal window to your Admin account which will have the correct permissions to change the MAC address.

I entered the login command, but it does the same thing.. that is, it gives me a Password prompt, but then follows it with a dark grey bar, and I can't type a single key afterward. What should I do?

I am running an Admin account on both machines, too..

Queso · Sep 2, 2006, 03:26 PM

It is allowing you to type, but it won't display the password as you type it in. Run the Login command, type in the admin password then hit ENTER. The prompt in the Terminal window will change.

Then type the sudo ifconfig command to change the MAC address.

omgwut · Sep 2, 2006, 03:44 PM

Alright, I entered the sudo command, followed by my password, and I get no error text, but also no sort of confirmation. It just takes it, and starts a new text line.

I click back into my Network settings on my PowerBook, and the Ethernet address is still the same, that is, it's not the one from my iMac.

FYI, I've been doing this with the PowerBook disconnected from the router or the iMac. Should I have one of them networked before or while doing this or what?

Queso · Sep 2, 2006, 03:47 PM

No need. I also don't think the GUI shows the change. Run

ifconfig en0

in the Terminal to see if the change has taken. You'll recognise the MAC address in the output.

omgwut · Sep 2, 2006, 03:52 PM

Nope, it still reads my PowerBook's ethernet ID.. I'll try it again.

omgwut · Sep 2, 2006, 03:58 PM

Well, this is stupid.. Every time I enter the command to change the Ethernet ID, I try to verify it with the ifconfig en0 command and the output just tells me that the ID is still the same.

What a royal headache.

Queso · Sep 2, 2006, 04:01 PM

Then I can only think that for some reason that command optioin hasn't been properly implemented in Jaguar. I know it definitely worked in Panther, and it works in Tiger too.

Sep 2, 2006, 02:10 PM	#1
omgwut macrumors regular Join Date: Jul 2006	Can't connect my PoweBook G4 to the internet.. I need help, please. Hey there, I've got a PowerBook G4 running OS X 10.2.8, which I'm trying to connect to the internet to download some updates and install some applications I need. I connect it to my cable router via ethernet cable and go into Network settings in the Preferences panel. Built-in Ethernet is selected, Automatic location by default, and I've got DHCP selected, so I would figure it would automatically renew my IP address and TCP info and get me online, but its doing nothing. Even when I copy the IP address and Subnet mask numbers from my desktop Network settings and put them into my PowerBook and click Apply, I still can't get online and my PPPoE indicator in the top righthand corner just keeps saying Idle. What's going on here? Can anyone help me? Thanks. :[ Last edited by omgwut; Sep 2, 2006 at 02:20 PM.
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Sep 2, 2006, 02:20 PM	#2
Queso macrumors 603 Join Date: Mar 2006	Are you connecting the PowerBook directly into the cable provider's equipment? If so, is your provider one of those that request a MAC address when you sign up? If so, the connection will only work with the MAC address of your PC unless you "spoof" the address onto the PowerBook.
	0

Sep 2, 2006, 02:33 PM	#3
omgwut Thread Starter macrumors regular Join Date: Jul 2006	Yes, the ethernet cable connects my PowerBook to the ethernet port on my cable router. Where can I enter my MAC address in Network preferences?
	0

Sep 2, 2006, 02:38 PM	#4
Queso macrumors 603 Join Date: Mar 2006	In Jaguar I believe it's under the Ethernet settings in the Network Panel (although that may be Panther I'm thinking of). If you switch the Ethernet interface to Manual rather than Automatic, does it give you the option of just typing it in?
	0

Sep 2, 2006, 02:44 PM	#5
omgwut Thread Starter macrumors regular Join Date: Jul 2006	Well, under the TCP/IP tab if I set Configure to Manual, I can enter the IP Address, Subnet Mask and Router info in by myself. But I copy the exact same numbers, all three sets from my desktop iMac and click Apply Now, and when I open Safari or try to run Software Update the thing still doesn't work.
	0

Sep 2, 2006, 02:48 PM	#6
Queso macrumors 603 Join Date: Mar 2006	Not under the TCP/IP tab. I'm a bit hobbled as it's been a while since I used Jaguar, so it's possible that the tab I'm describing is in Panther instead. It's the fifth one along when you have the Ethernet interface selected. Is it there?
	0

Sep 2, 2006, 02:55 PM	#8
Queso macrumors 603 Join Date: Mar 2006	OK, then there's a Terminal command that you can use to do it, but when you reboot the computer it will lose the setting. Open your Terminal and type sudo ifconfig en0 ether xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx replacing all the xx with the MAC address of your PC's network card (which you can get by using "ipconfig /all" in the Windows Command Prompt). Be aware that whilst this is in place you won't be able to connect the PC and Laptop together using an Ethernet cable.
	0

Sep 2, 2006, 03:09 PM	#11
omgwut Thread Starter macrumors regular Join Date: Jul 2006	That sounds like it might be a good idea. I entered the command you gave me and put in the numbers from my ehternet ID, and when I pressed enter I got this message: "We trust you have received the usual lecture from the local System Administrator. It usually boils down to these two things: #1) Respect the privacy of others. #2) Think before you type. Password:" And then it won't let me type anymore.. Am I supposed to enter my desktop's administrator user account password here or what? It won't let me..
	0

Sep 2, 2006, 03:14 PM	#12
Queso macrumors 603 Join Date: Mar 2006	Yeah, that's the standard sudo warning for user accounts. You may need to precede the sudo command with a login <admin account> if your user account doesn't have the right privileges. This will switch the Terminal window to your Admin account which will have the correct permissions to change the MAC address.
	0

Sep 2, 2006, 03:26 PM	#14
Queso macrumors 603 Join Date: Mar 2006	It is allowing you to type, but it won't display the password as you type it in. Run the Login command, type in the admin password then hit ENTER. The prompt in the Terminal window will change. Then type the sudo ifconfig command to change the MAC address.
	0

Sep 2, 2006, 03:44 PM	#15
omgwut Thread Starter macrumors regular Join Date: Jul 2006	Alright, I entered the sudo command, followed by my password, and I get no error text, but also no sort of confirmation. It just takes it, and starts a new text line. I click back into my Network settings on my PowerBook, and the Ethernet address is still the same, that is, it's not the one from my iMac. FYI, I've been doing this with the PowerBook disconnected from the router or the iMac. Should I have one of them networked before or while doing this or what?
	0

Sep 2, 2006, 03:47 PM	#16
Queso macrumors 603 Join Date: Mar 2006	No need. I also don't think the GUI shows the change. Run ifconfig en0 in the Terminal to see if the change has taken. You'll recognise the MAC address in the output.
	0

Sep 2, 2006, 03:52 PM	#17
omgwut Thread Starter macrumors regular Join Date: Jul 2006	Nope, it still reads my PowerBook's ethernet ID.. I'll try it again.
	0

Sep 2, 2006, 03:58 PM	#18
omgwut Thread Starter macrumors regular Join Date: Jul 2006	Well, this is stupid.. Every time I enter the command to change the Ethernet ID, I try to verify it with the ifconfig en0 command and the output just tells me that the ID is still the same. What a royal headache.
	0

Sep 2, 2006, 04:01 PM	#19
Queso macrumors 603 Join Date: Mar 2006	Then I can only think that for some reason that command optioin hasn't been properly implemented in Jaguar. I know it definitely worked in Panther, and it works in Tiger too.
	0


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