Internet sharing without wifi?

[hologram]

A friend of mine just switched from Windows and bought a new MacBook Air. I'd like to help her set it up with a number of online services, forums, etc, but I don't have wifi, my iMac is directly connected to the modem with an ethernet cable.

Is there any way to share my internet connection with her computer? I've never even seen a MacBook Air, but from the pictures on the Apple Store there's no ethernet port. Maybe connect hers as a bluetooth device? Can we connect through USB or Thunderbolt? Or is wifi the only way to get an Air online?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Kaylor]

There are Thunderbolt to gigabit ethernet adapters available. You're not stuck with wifi-only.

 

[hologram]

Thanks, but shopping opportunities are really limited around here and she's leaving town on Monday so she can't order online. I don't know if we can get an adapter in time. I should have mentioned that in my original post.

Anyway, I think it might be possible by connecting both computers with a Thunderbolt cable, then enabling sharing under prefs.

If anyone thinks this won't work, or has an alternate suggestion, I'd like to hear it.

 

[960design]

Is there any way to share my internet connection with her computer?

https://support.apple.com/kb/PH13855?locale=en_US

You can share your Internet connection with other users on your local network.

1. Open Sharing preferences if it isn’t already open, then select the Internet Sharing checkbox.
2. Choose the Internet connection you want to share from the “Share your connection from” pop-up menu. For example, if you’re connected to the Internet over Ethernet, choose Ethernet.
3. Select how you want to share your Internet connection in the “To computers using” list. For example, if you want to share your Internet connection over Wi-Fi, select Wi-Fi.
   If you share your Internet connection using Wi-Fi, click Wi-Fi Options, then give your network a name and password.

If your Internet connection and your local network use the same port (Ethernet, for example), investigate possible side effects before you turn on Internet sharing. In some cases, sharing your Internet connection disrupts the network. If you use a cable modem, for example, you might unintentionally affect the network settings of other ISP customers, and your ISP might terminate your service.