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Can I get two macs on wireless network

D

db2six9

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 2, 2009
4
0
Heres the deal, i'm in Japan and I have cable internet, i am using a dsl wireless router to create a home network (damned if im gonna pay 2 bills for a japanese cable router) every time I connect, the internet service provider intercepts my link and forces me to log in, when I try to log in on another computer it does the same thing, but I can only log in one computer at a time on the same user id. Is there a way to split the connection from my wireless router to each mac without the service provider recognizing it is two separate machines? This is legit, if I shell out the 2 bills for their wireless router I can log two machines in, so its not like im stealing service here, just trying to get my wife and I on at the same time without having to buy new hardware that is redundant.

Thanks
 
I'm not sure what protocol they use in Japan but a lot of routers have an option in their configuration pane to auto log in to a broadband carrier network. It should only appear to the provider that the router is logged in and both your computers should be behind that (the default set up).

AOL uses the PPPoE protocol http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point-to-Point_Protocol_over_Ethernet for example. Not sure if they allow multiple simultaneous connections though, which would make the router login moot.

Option B: Internet connection sharing. http://lifehacker.com/283088/share-your-macs-internet-connection-wirelessly
One has to be connected via cable though, I think.
 
thanks

ok, I think I see where your going with that. I am using and old AT&T 2Wire 2700 gh-b something or other dsl router. I can log into the router on a pc and make changes, but for some reason I cannot reach the router on my mac (separate issue, separate thread) any ideas what I need to change in this specific router or in my mac preferences (10.5.7 on one and 10.4.11 on another)
I agree that the router should be the one that is recognized and the machines behind it unseen, but that doesn't seem to be the case. I dont think the network is all that sophisticated (they are selling some pretty cheesy hardware for modems and routers-simple is an understatement) so I cant imagine this would be too difficult to overcome . . . just too difficult for me.
 
-db2six9

In the years since Broadband arrived, the term 'router' has been applied too broadly. In this case, it sounds like your DSL 'router' isn't really a router, but a modem with one IP.

What you need to do is get an actual Router. Defined by having NAT. A router with wireless features is most common these days.

What will happen is that guy will grab the address from your ISP through your DSLmodem, satisfying the ISP. Then within your network the router will allow many computers to connect, assigning it's own IP addresses (via NAT).

This way, your ISP sees one IP being used at your address (the Router's WAN connection), while you get to use as many as 256 devices in your home (depending on the router's specs). It sounds like a cheat, but it's not, (unless I'm very wrong )you are paying for bandwidth, not connections. The ISP just won't support your network, that's all.

To test this theory, plug one of your Macs directly into the wire coming out of the DSL, then share the internet connection wirelessly to the other Mac using the "Sharing" preference. With the second Mac, connect wirelessly to the first, and try to surf with both simultaneously.

This way you can test the theory without expense.

If it works, you know you can buy a router. If not, well, something else funky is going on.

Please let us know how it goes.
 
I had tried connecting the mac via ethernet and sharing my ehternet via airport, but the other computer was still told that another user with that name was already logged on.
You dont understand how frustrating this is :mad: There is language barrier at the help desk and no one around here (Japan) seems to know anything about networking.
Is there any way to tell my DSL modem/router to stop being a modem and only be a router? I have the ethernet cable connected to the network port on the back, not the input (but I guess you already knew that) so why is it still acting as a modem when I'm only using its router assets?

Any ideas are welcome. Thanks in advance
 
-db2six9

Hmm. Does your ISP require User ID and Password before you use it?

I'm wondering how it knows who's logged in.

As for disabling the modem thing. Well, that would cut you off completely. A typical DSL modem Modulates/Demodulates (Mo-Dem) the binary signal that is the internet between you and the ISP. You need to keep this. The Modem then translates that binary WAN communication into an Ethernet signal that your computer can use, all anchored by an IP address.

A router would then take that address, and create many internal to your network to use. By attaching one mac to that ethernet, and sharing the connection wirelessly, you are turning that mac into a router (thus creating the LAN). OSX is actually pretty good at that, with the UNIX underpinnings and all.

I'm beginning to doubt routing is the cause of your issue - that login your ISP requires is the source. and there seems to be little you could do about that.

It sounds to me that you need a new ISP. One that only gives you an IP, and you can route from there.
 
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