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

Mac mini network connection

B

brettO5

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 11, 2012
47
0
Hi, I'm having trouble finding the optimum setup for my home network. I have a Mac mini used as a media server fixed to the wall behind my TV and it is quite some distance from my wifi router (Time capsule). I've added an Airport Express to the network to extend the wifi range and I have the mini wired via ethernet into the lan port of the Airport Express. When I turn off wifi on the mini, I am unable to browse the internet for some reason. I have checked that the ethernet adapter is configured to automatically receive an address, which it does. Airport utility also shows green lights on both the AE & TC.
Does anyone know what might be going wrong here?

My intention is to plug an ATV2 into the other port on the Airport express and run Plex Media Server on the mini.

Cheers, Brett
 
The APE should be in extend network mode, and not serve DHCP addresses as well.
I would really recommend to wire TC and Mini though. UTP goes up to 50m in Gigabit, so that should cover most in house connections.
 
There are network 'adapters' that plug into your AC outlet at the router and at your MM. You can run a network connection virtually anywhere you have an outlet.

I have had good luck with them - around $40 at Amazon. If you can't run a network cable, it might be a good choice...
 
Thanks for the feedback guys. My APE is in extended mode.

I was actually considering the internet over power adapters seeing as a physical connection would be extremely difficult.

If I run ethernet from a power adapter to the Mac Mini, but then the mini has only one ethernet port so how would I connect the ATV2? How would I best cable this up?
 
brettO5 said:
Thanks for the feedback guys. My APE is in extended mode.

I was actually considering the internet over power adapters seeing as a physical connection would be extremely difficult.

If I run ethernet from a power adapter to the Mac Mini, but then the mini has only one ethernet port so how would I connect the ATV2? How would I best cable this up?
Click to expand...

If the ATV is within range, can't you just use it wirelessly? As long as you have good reception, it shouldn't be a problem. Both the ATV and Express have 100 mb/s connectors, so there won't be any speed advantage to hardwiring.
 
COrocket said:
If the ATV is within range, can't you just use it wirelessly? As long as you have good reception, it shouldn't be a problem. Both the ATV and Express have 100 mb/s connectors, so there won't be any speed advantage to hardwiring.
Click to expand...

OK. So if I have my TC at one end of the house connected to a internet over power adapter. Should I then have the Airport Express connected to the other adapter at the other end of the house?.... then I can wire the mini to the AE and have great wifi to the ATV?
 
brettO5 said:
OK. So if I have my TC at one end of the house connected to a internet over power adapter. Should I then have the Airport Express connected to the other adapter at the other end of the house?.... then I can wire the mini to the AE and have great wifi to the ATV?
Click to expand...

Yeah that sounds right. You could even leave the mini wireless if it is convenient. If the mini is working as simply a media server, wireless N networks offer sufficient bandwidth to stream HD content.
 
You could come out of the wall adapter into a switch, then out to however many devices you have ports for....this would be way cheaper than the AE, if you are still within period to take it back.
 
I use the AC socket type network extenders (known to me as Powerline). They work well provided you have the extenders plugged into the wall socket and less well if they are plugged into socket multipliers (I don't know word used in the US but blocks which take one socket and turn it into many plug points).
 
Jambalaya said:
I use the AC socket type network extenders (known to me as Powerline). They work well provided you have the extenders plugged into the wall socket and less well if they are plugged into socket multipliers (I don't know word used in the US but blocks which take one socket and turn it into many plug points).
Click to expand...

Surge protectors might give these things fits.....good point. Also, the outlets at both ends should preferably be on the same electrical circuit...or, at the very least, on the same phase bus at the distribution panel.
 
Thanks guys. Is there anything (good or bad) that I should look out for when buying a powerline adapter?
 
Perhaps this post will have no relevance, but...

... have you considered installing ethernet between the Time Capsule and the Mini for a wired connection?

Where possible, wired is always less trouble (and faster than) wireless...
 
Fishrrman said:
Perhaps this post will have no relevance, but...

... have you considered installing ethernet between the Time Capsule and the Mini for a wired connection?

Where possible, wired is always less trouble (and faster than) wireless...
Click to expand...

I have considered it and would love a wired connection. While not totally impossible, the construction of the house makes it not entirely feasible unfortunately.
 
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