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

how to get 2 ethernet cables into 1 MBP ethernet port

M

malch

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 20, 2008
466
9
Hi there,

I know there are ethernet 'hubs' out there, but when I google it I see that it seems to be for networking a group of computers or some such thing.

I just want to be able to plug two ethernet cables (one is for my internet, the other connects to my Time Capsule) into the one ethernet port in the side of my MBP.

Is an ethernet hub what I need?
thanks,
malch
 
Yes, you need such Ethernet hub. I guess, your Time Capsule is not responsible for connecting your devices to the internet? It is capable to do so, thus you could just run one cable to the Time Capsule, let the TC connect to the Internet and let your Mac connect to the internet and also be able to connect the Mac to the TC to have faster data transfers.
 
thank you sim.
I see what you mean about using my Time Capsule as a hub of sorts, but I think in my case it would just be easier to get an ethernet hub (TC is one floor above my Airport Extreme)...
regards,
malch
 
Your time capsule has several ethernet ports and a switch built in (you need a switch not hub anyway, perhaps $20).

Plug the internet cable into the Time capsule. Plug another cable from your MBP to the TC. Done. You can turn the TC wireless function on, and skip the MBP cable connection, it will connect to the TC wirelessly and then the internet.

Now perhaps some clarification.... how is your service provider connected to your MBP? I am assuming there is some kind of router between the cable running into the house and the MBP.... if not, just turn on your TC router function an make sure the internet connection is in the uplink (yellow) socket. You don't have to turn wireless on, but if you do, you can eliminate one cable.

Edit... I didn't see your latest post before hitting send.

Why are you not running wirelessly off of your AE? The TC can connect to it wirelessly, if you can take the performance hit. You may want to draw a picture. The TC has a ethernet switch/hub built in. You do not want to daisy chain hubs. You want to use a switch as hubs introduce data packet collisions which significantly degrade performance when both devices are using the connection at the same time.
 
Last edited:
ColdCase—I appreciate your patience with this.
I've done what you suggest I think. I've plugged the ethernet cable from the Airport Extreme (that until now I've plugged into the side of my MBP) into the Time Capsule. Now the ethernet cable from the Time Capsule (that I used to plug into the side of my MBP only when I wanted to back up) is connected to my MBP, and I have both internet access and TC access.
Problem solved! (without having to buy a hub)
Quick question: will my internet connection be just as fast, going through my Time Capsule, as it was before, when it came right from the Airport Extreme?
Thanks very much,
malch
 
I'm not sure I understand your network setup.

You have an internet source (cable/DSL modem?), an Airport Extreme base station, and Time Capsule (which is also an Airport Extreme base station).


I would suggest plugging the DLS/Cable modem into the WAN port of the Time Capsule and using that as your primary wireless base station and router.

Then when you connect to your wireless network, you will also be able to access the Time Capsule.

Edit: Your recent post cleared things up a little, but I'm still not sure why you have both a Time Capsule and an Airport Extreme when a Time Capsule basically is an Airport Extreme.
 
I don't exactly know why I have the set-up I have.
I got the Airport Extreme before I got the Time Capsule, and the Airport Extreme is situated quite nicely, I think, for wireless that my wife and kids need.
I got the Time Capsule just for the purpose of backing up my hard drive, so didn't pay any attention to the fact that it could also do other things.
I knew I could connect to it wirelessly, but I didn't like to have Time Machine running when I was editing (it seemed to interfere somehow), and I was annoyed at how long the odd big backup was taking, so I long ago decided to connect it to my MBP via ethernet.
I hope all of this makes sense.
It all seems to be working now... one ethernet cable plugged into the side of my MBP, that connects me to both the internet and my Time Capsule!
regards,
malch
 
Actually, my Time Capsule no longer seems to be connected. When I try to do a backup, a message comes up saying "The backup disk image... could not be accessed (error -1".
I suspect that I'm using the wrong ethernet port on the back on the Time Capsule.
Right not, the ethernet cable coming from my Airport Extreme (downstairs) and going to the Time Capsule is connected to the ethernet port on the left, and the ethernet cable that goes from the Time Capsule to my MBP comes out of the ethernet port just to the right of that one.
There are two unused ethernet ports to the right of that one.
Should I connect things differently, so that my MBP 'sees' my Time Capsule?
thanks,
malch
 
You need to not connect the WAN port, the one on the left with the 0 above.

Use any of the LAN ports with <...> type markings.

You only use the WAN port when you are using the TC as a router, which you are not.

I used a TC for a router for a couple years but found it to be not as reliable as I would like. I now have both a TC, for NAS and TM management and a AEBS, for LAN and WAN management. I haven't had a problem in years except when the TC HD failed. It was nice not to have to take down the LAN and internet connection to fix that. The AEBS seems more reliable hardware and seems to work better managing the WAN and LAN, where the TC does a much better job managing disks. The temperature of the TC dropped dramatically when I turned its router and wireless off, which should make it more reliable. So I ended up with something close to what you have.
 
Last edited:
Ethernet

TC connect to the Internet and Mac connect to the internet and also be able to connect the Mac to the TC and you have to able data transfers in good speed.
 
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