Networking question...kinda technical...kinda long :-)

[MattG]

I've got a Powermac G5 and a Powerbook G4 that I use at work. Work is a school, and we've got two campuses. For conversation's sake, I'll refer to them as "Campus 1" and "Campus 2."

The G5 is permanently located at Campus 1. When I'm at Campus 1, both of my computers can see each other on the network. I can connect to volumes, share my iTunes libraries, etc., without any special settings. All I have to do is go to one computer and find the other on the network and it connects.

The problem enlies when I bring my Powerbook up with me to Campus 2. Campus 1 and Campus 2 are connected together via a T-1 line, and each campus is on it's own subnet. When I turn on my Powerbook and go into "Network," it shows an icon for the G5, but it's grayed out. When I double click on it, it says "the alias 'mguditesg5' could not be opened, because the original item cannot be found." I can't open shares on ANY Campus 1 computer from Campus 2, whether it be a Windows machine or a Mac. I'm even running Thursby Dave 5.0 on the G5 in an effort to make it more Windows compatible, and even that doesn't seem to help.

The thing that gets me is that on all of the Windows computers, the fact that I'm on another campus makes no difference--the T-1 line is totally "transparent" to users at each campus. I can be at Campus 2 and open a share on a computer at Campus 1 like I was sitting there at Campus 1. It works just the same, and with no additional configuration at the client end.

Now, one thing that I am able to do is connect via IP. What I have to do every time I go to Campus 2 is go to a Windows computer, type in "ping mguditesg5," it gives me the IP address for my G5 at Campus 1, and then on my Powerbook I can do a Apple-K, type in the IP address instead of "mguditesg5," and it connects to it like normal. I have to do this in order to connect to Windows shares as well. This is an okay temporary solution but it's a pain in the ass. This suggests to me some kind of DNS issue...but how do I resolve it?

 

[javabear90]

try using apple +K to connect to masdfasjh or whatever. Or manually assign the G5 it's own special IP so it never changes. That way you can just have the IP saved in the Apple+K menu. Hope this helps,
Ted

 

[MacManDan]

Or manually assign the G5 it's own special IP so it never changes.

You could do that .. but then you could be cutting off someone else's internet service. Not a terrific thing to do, and if your campus is smart, they'll hunt you down and shut down access to the internet based on your MAC address.
Instead, check the network settings of the windows computers - they may use a DNS server that resolves the IPs of the machines on Campus 1. This is unlikely, though, if most of the machines use DHCP in that campus.
Also, the Windows machines may be on an Active Directory. You could have one server that allows computers from both campuses to join the active directory (therefore making it easy for windows machines to locate one another). If that's the case, you can try enabling Active Directory on your (assuming you have the latest) 10.3 machine from the Directory Access application in the Applications->Utililties folder.

It really depends on how its set up. There could be tons of reasons why you can't connect to Campus 2, and finding out how the windows machines do it is probably your key.
Hope this helps,
--Dan

 

[MrBubbles]

I think the problem you're having is related to AppleTalk. Clearly, your G5 has a DNS entry because you can ping it using its name instead of just its IP address. Also, the Windows machines can probably find each other just fine because (in all likelihood) there's a central WINS or Active Directory server for that purpose. The AppleTalk name resolution is (I think, at least in this case) based on broadcast, which doesn't cross subnets, typically.

As a workaround, I would suggest connecting to your G5 however you can from Campus 2 and then making an alias of the connection so you can use that in the future.

 

[MattG]

If that's the case, you can try enabling Active Directory on your (assuming you have the latest) 10.3 machine from the Directory Access application in the Applications->Utililties folder.

I didn't even know this existed I'll try that out! Thanks!

 

[tomf87]

Isn't this just Rendezvous? Rendevous picks up other Rendezvous-enabled machines on its subnet so it can do it there. However, when you cross the edge of a router, Rendezvous stops.

The DNS thing may work, however, iTunes only streams music from the local subnet so that may not work without a hack.

EDIT: For spelling... Ack.