Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock and the Ethernet port

K

kimjohnsson

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 13, 2013
58
8
Hi guys!

I have a PC laptop, which I want to connect to the Belkin using a network cable, with the Belkin being connected to my iMac over Thunderbolt. I would expect the PC to join my home network when the cable is attached to both the PC and the Belkin, but it doesn't do that. The Mac is connected to the network using a cable.
The cable is ok, as when I bypass the iMac/Belkin route and plug the PC network cable directly to the wall, it works.

So we have:
a) Home network -> PC: works
b) Home network -> iMac: works
b) Home network -> iMac -> Belkin -> PC: doesn't work

When I connect the PC and the Belkin, the PC starts waiting for an IP, which it never gets. Should the iMac be configured in a certain way for this to work, or have I been mistaken as to how the Belkin is supposed to work?
 
The Mac will share its internet connection but you have to configure it in the sharing preference (system preference) .

Unlike most basic PCs, Macs don't support dual ethernet ports. So you may not be able to share the Mac internet connection with an ethernet device on the thunderbolt dock. Don't have first hand knowledge, however.
 
ColdCase said:
Unlike most basic PCs, Macs don't support dual ethernet ports. So you may not be able to share the Mac internet connection with an ethernet device on the thunderbolt dock. Don't have first hand knowledge, however.
Click to expand...

Macs do share network connections over any available network interface, including multiple ethernet ports. He just needs to set it up in the Sharing Preferences.

He just needs to turn it on and select Share From ethernet...to the Thunderbolt ethernet port. Here is my system (it's not set up this way, but you can see the options):

InternetSharing.png
 
chabig said:
He just needs to turn it on and select Share From ethernet...to the Thunderbolt ethernet port.
Click to expand...

Hi!

Thanks! This almost did it. I shared the connection to the Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet Controller, and now I get the PC to connect, but it somehow gets the IP 192.168.2.2 and gateway 192.168.2.1, when it should be 192.168.1.x/192.168.1.1. So where does that IP come from/where do I configure it?

The Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet Controller gets a self-assigned IP 164.254....

Cheers,

Kim
 
dyt1983 said:
You also need to use a crossover ethernet cable, or your PC needs to support auto MDI-X (uplink)... because both the Belkin and an older PC by default expect to be MDI (and an MDI needs to connect to an MDI-X).
Click to expand...

Hi!

Both kinds of cables apparently work...

Cheers,

Kim
 
dyt1983 said:
Why is it "almost"? Are you able to access the internet now from the PC? (Because it is NAT forwarding you won't be able to go back from the Home Network side of your graphic to the PC... you'd have to manually set up a bridge instead of use Internet Sharing.)
Click to expand...

I can see the internet from the PC, but not the shared resources on my network. I can ping them successfully, but they don't show up in Explorer. I can also remote desktop to the PC from my Mac, which is my primary need, but I would also need to be able to use the network drives.

Maybe a bridge would be the right thing. No idea where to start, though...

Cheers,

Kim
 
kimjohnsson said:
I can see the internet from the PC, but not the shared resources on my network. I can ping them successfully, but they don't show up in Explorer. I can also remote desktop to the PC from my Mac, which is my primary need, but I would also need to be able to use the network drives.

Maybe a bridge would be the right thing. No idea where to start, though...

Cheers,

Kim
Click to expand...

You just need to turn on File Sharing. Internet sharing and file sharing are different things. See the picture I posted above.
 
dyt1983 said:
This is the part where it gets suggested to just use a wired ethernet hub or switch for $10/£10/€10.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that would work. I just thought that since there's an Ethernet port, I can use it :)

I'll probably try the bridging at some point just for the fun (?) of it, but I'll probably end up geting a switch if things turn out too inconvenient.

Thanks for the hints,

Kim
 
Is this belkin's one thunderbolt 1 or thunderbolt 2? I am looking for a reliable thunderbolt 2 docking station.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back