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cwhaley

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 16, 2010
5
0
I just acquired the latest iPod Touch (guess it's called 4G) and now want to access Internet via the wi-fi connection to my iMac (2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo) running the latest Snow Leopard.

The iMac currently has an ethernet cable directly to my DSL modem, so no problems accessing the net from there.

In System Preferences I went to Network, clicked on Airport and turned it on.
The Network Name field says No Network Selected. When I click the pop-up menu I see the names of lots of networks (probably elsewhere in my building, but locked). I know from the names that none of these is my iMac.

I went to Sharing and I checked Internet Sharing. At the right "Share your network from:" has Ethernet next to it, but it's grayed out. "To computers using:" has Ethernet, Firewire, and Airport listed with check boxes, but again everything is grayed out. I can't check Airport. Ethernet is checked, but I can't change that because it's locked out too.

BTW.. the padlock is definitely unlocked in both cases.

What hurdle haven't I jumped yet??? I'm excited to get started with the new toy!!
 
I just acquired the latest iPod Touch (guess it's called 4G) and now want to access Internet via the wi-fi connection to my iMac (2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo) running the latest Snow Leopard.

The iMac currently has an ethernet cable directly to my DSL modem, so no problems accessing the net from there.

In System Preferences I went to Network, clicked on Airport and turned it on.
The Network Name field says No Network Selected. When I click the pop-up menu I see the names of lots of networks (probably elsewhere in my building, but locked). I know from the names that none of these is my iMac.

I went to Sharing and I checked Internet Sharing. At the right "Share your network from:" has Ethernet next to it, but it's grayed out. "To computers using:" has Ethernet, Firewire, and Airport listed with check boxes, but again everything is grayed out. I can't check Airport. Ethernet is checked, but I can't change that because it's locked out too.

BTW.. the padlock is definitely unlocked in both cases.

What hurdle haven't I jumped yet??? I'm excited to get started with the new toy!!

Pretty sure you need a wireless router...
 
You need to get an Airport Extreme or an Airport Express. You hook your DSL to one of those puppies and then you have a wireless network.

I have an Airport Extreme connected to two iMacs and an iPod Touch and I've been very happy with it.
 
You need to get an Airport Extreme or an Airport Express. You hook your DSL to one of those puppies and then you have a wireless network.

I have an Airport Extreme connected to two iMacs and an iPod Touch and I've been very happy with it.

I'm not necessarily questioning the need for a router (which I should probably have anyway), but I read elsewhere that it shouldn't be necessary for a simple two device connection, where both have WiFi built in. Any other opinions on this?
 
... but I read elsewhere that it shouldn't be necessary for a simple two device connection, where both have WiFi built in.

They both have the ability to connect to WiFi... but they don't generate the WiFi signal to connect to.

But if there's another opinion on the subject, I'd be happy to hear it.
 
They both have the ability to connect to WiFi... but they don't generate the WiFi signal to connect to.

But if there's another opinion on the subject, I'd be happy to hear it.

Here's one other opinion I've found...

What you want to do is create a computer to computer or ad-hoc network using your iMacs AirPort card. You can click on the AirPorts icon up by the clock and choose "Create network..." then follow the prompts. Click the question mark in the window that pops up for more help. If you don't have the AirPort icon by the clock you can open network preferences and enable the icon there. You can also access the "Create network" command by clicking the arrows in the Network Name drop down box in Network preferences.

I'm not sure how good of range you will get using this method. You may want to upgrade to WiFi wireless router you plug into the modem. Then you will also be able to connect to it with the iMac making it wireless too.


This actually works as far as establishing a connection goes (using the iPod's network settings), but the iPod apps are still not able to connect to the net.
 
iMac as a wireless network

You've got it right in that you want to "share the connection from ethernet to computers using airport." But I think the reason "airport firewire and ethernet" are greyed out is because you checked internet sharing too soon.

You just wanna go to the internet sharing page, pick to share from ethernet, to computers using airport, then click on airport options. From there you can make a network name, Enable encryption, pick a password and use 40-bit wep key length. Your password should only be 5 characters if you are using 40-bit. The channel doesn't really matter, but if you're not getting good results I believe you can change the channel to one someone is not already using in your area.
Then you click ok, NOW you check the box next to internet sharing, itll ask you if youre sure, and you click start.

then, you should see whatever you named your network show up on your ipod touch, click on it, enter the password you chose earlier, and you should be set.

hope this helps and i didn't repeat anything you already knew!

I currently do this to use my iPad at college. but have recently started using an airport express in order to use a wireless printer.
 
...

I went to Sharing and I checked Internet Sharing. At the right "Share your network from:" has Ethernet next to it, but it's grayed out. "To computers using:" has Ethernet, Firewire, and Airport listed with check boxes, but again everything is grayed out. I can't check Airport. Ethernet is checked, but I can't change that because it's locked out too.

...

I apologize for the completely wrong answers some people are giving you… maybe…

You can't mess with the settings of "Internet Sharing" while it is enabled. You first need to uncheck (disable) internet sharing then select from Ethernet to Wireless, then you can enable it.

To all the people who said otherwise, why would that option be there if it didn't do anything?
 
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