Set Mac to specific ip address

[Fearless Leader]

I have a mac pro which I use for an internal server on my network. I want to be able to use it to connect my files over the internet, how can I set my mac to be at an ip address always the same inside my network so I can leave certain ports open on my router.
edit: I have a wrt54g linksys router.

 

[rogersmj]

You CAN set a static IP address if you really want to, but it's typically not necessary. Most modern routers -- including the WRT54G, which I also have -- will always assign computers the same address. It remembers the computer's MAC (not Mac, MAC) address.

As far as accessing your files from the internet, you'll have to make sure you've got the right setup going for that on the Mac Pro. I personally store all my stuff on a Linux server with SFTP and SSH access from the Internet.

 

[Fearless Leader]

thanks It sometimes changes which worries me a little.

woops did I say mac pro I ment G5. not that it matters but thats kinda weird. How would I go about setting up static ip's, is their a nice guide? I can't seem to figure it out just by playing with it.

 

[rogersmj]

There's two ways you can approach this:

1. You can setup address reservation on the router, which will ensure that it always assigns the same IP address to the same computer. However, I'm not sure that the default Linksys firmware offers this option (I use third-party firmware).

2. You can set your Mac's IP statically. Just go into the Network preference pane for the ethernet connection and type one in that's within the scope of your network. Your network is probably running 192.168.1.x, where the router is 192.168.1.1, and the DHCP leases start at 192.168.1.100. You can set the IP on your Mac to be anything NOT in the DHCP range, so 192.168.1.2 up to .99. Subnet mask is 255.255.255.0, and your DNS servers are whatever your ISP's are (check your router)...or for DNS you could use OpenDNS, which is what I use.

 

[Fearless Leader]

thanks much

 

[mkrishnan]

It would be really nice someday if this system were re-designed so that one had the alternate option of opening a port based on a MAC address instead of an IP address, so that a device using DHCP could still be seen outside the network. At least for home users, it seems like it would be much more straightforward.