Network G5, External HDs, MacBook Pro?

[BicyclePunk]

Ok...this might be a bigger question than I think....but I just got a MacBook Pro 17". I am going to use that as my main machine. I have my dual G5 desktop that I'm keeping and am thinking of using as a server of sorts. I also have four external hard drives where I keep all my files...none are really kept on the G5 since it was so unreliable.

Now...I have the external HDs connected to the G5...firewire and USB. I have a DSL connection with a static IP that I use on the G5. That means I can access the files on the G5, and the files on the HDs connected to the G5, from anywhere...through the static IP. But it's kind of slow to work that way when I'm in the office.

I have a ethernet hub and a router...and this is where I start to get confused. I am running ethernet right into my MacBook, as well as the G5. I have file sharing turned on for the G5. But when I go to connect to it from the PowerBook, I can't get in for some reaosn. But if I do connect to the remote server...via the internet...I can get to the G5 and the HDs connected to it.

Can I just make a small network here in my office, and connect to the G5 and the HDs from my MacBook, via ethernet? And then, can I still connect remotely to the G5 and HDs via my static IP address?

ANd how would I do it all?

Please tell me if you think I should just take a class. Thanks!

 

[varmit]

Ok...this might be a bigger question than I think....but I just got a MacBook Pro 17". I am going to use that as my main machine. I have my dual G5 desktop that I'm keeping and am thinking of using as a server of sorts. I also have four external hard drives where I keep all my files...none are really kept on the G5 since it was so unreliable.

Now...I have the external HDs connected to the G5...firewire and USB. I have a DSL connection with a static IP that I use on the G5. That means I can access the files on the G5, and the files on the HDs connected to the G5, from anywhere...through the static IP. But it's kind of slow to work that way when I'm in the office.

I have a ethernet hub and a router...and this is where I start to get confused. I am running ethernet right into my MacBook, as well as the G5. I have file sharing turned on for the G5. But when I go to connect to it from the PowerBook, I can't get in for some reaosn. But if I do connect to the remote server...via the internet...I can get to the G5 and the HDs connected to it.

Can I just make a small network here in my office, and connect to the G5 and the HDs from my MacBook, via ethernet? And then, can I still connect remotely to the G5 and HDs via my static IP address?

ANd how would I do it all?

Please tell me if you think I should just take a class. Thanks!

I don't think a class is needed, I just think your description of your network is making difficult to understand. But what you want to do is very simple and all you need to do is go and get a piece of hardware like the Linksys WRT54G, which is a router with a built in switch for adding more than one wired computer, plus the WRT54G has wireless for your mac book. What you will do is connect your DSL modem to the Linksys or similar router product. Depending how your DSL provider works, you will either need to manually input the IP address you get from them or if your DSL provider is like most companies, the router will pick it up automatically. Now the router will give out IP addresses that usually start with 192.168.1.XXX to all the computer that are connected to the internal LAN ports or connected wirelessly. The G5 and the Mac Book should find eachother easily now since they will both be on the same network with 192.168.1.XXX addresses.

Since you want to get to your G5 from the internet you need to set that computer up with a static IP, so you will manually have the G5 take a certain IP, something like 192.168.1.200. Then in the router you use something called port forwarding. What port forwarding does is when the router recieves a request from the internet on a certain port, it knows which computer on the internal LAN it is needs to go to. I would prefer to setup SSH for accessing my files from the Internet since it is more secure than just regular file sharing over the internet and you can use a program like Fugu to make it easy to connect to your G5 remotely, so I will tell you how to set that up, but you can use the info below to setup things like FTP, or file sharing, you just need to forward the correct port to the correct computer.

All you need to do on the G5 is inable Remote Login (AKA. SSH) in the Sharing area of the System Preferences. Now in the router we put in the port forwarding area that when it recieves a request on port 22, which is ssh, that it goes to 192.168.1.200, the G5. Now when you want to get into the G5 remotely, you type in the IP address that your internet provider gives you, which will probably be the same IP address you use currently to get to it. When the router recieves the request on the IP address your DSL provider gives you, it will past that request onto the G5.

I know my answer is long, but I'm trying to make sure I cover everything for you.

 

[BicyclePunk]

Thanks, varmit! That's a big help. I still have a couple of questions here for you.

- Will I still be able to see my external HD's through the wireless on my MacBook while I'm in the office?

- Will I still be able to see my external HD's through the remote connection?

Ok....everything you wrote sounds good. I'm goign to stop at MicroCenter on the way to the office to get the router (I actually have that exact one, but it started dropping connections about a week ago), and then we'll see how it goes.

Stay tuned. Thanks!

 

[BicyclePunk]

Ok...I've made it so I can see my G5 on my local network in my office. I do the Apple+K and connect to the server, which is 192.168.1.100. I assume that's how I get to that machine from my MacBook here in my office.

Now I tried to Apple+K to connect to my static IP address, to theoretically connect to the G5 over the internet. But it's not working. Maybe I have to connect from home to see if it works?

I got into my router admin area, and went to Port Range Forward. In the first line, I left "application" blank. Then I put 22 in both the start and end boxes. I chose TCP in the drop down, and then completed the IP assigned on my network settings on the G5. Enabled, it and went. Nothing.

Could it be that I have DHCP automatic set up as my connection on the G5 network pref?

Thanks for any and all help!