How to Connect Your Mac to an Ethernet TCP/IP Connection

Here's a quick set of instructions for doing this task.

(I'm assuming that you have a "live" Ethernet patch cable from a port of your router plugged into the RJ-45 port in the back of Deborah's G3.)

Configuring AppleTalk

Macintoshes use two networking protocols, AppleTalk and TCP/IP, typically both on the same network "port." This is how you configure AppleTalk to use the G3's Ethernet port.

• On the Macintosh screen, pull down the Apple Menu in the upper left-most corner of the display.
• Select Control Panels, and then AppleTalk from the hierarchical pull-down menus:

:

• The AppleTalk control panel window opens. Click on the "Connect Via:" pull-down in the window and select "Ethernet":

• Then close the window by clicking on the "close box" (the small square in the upper-left corner of any Macintosh window).
• You may be presented with the following dialog box:

• Click "Save." The dialog will go away.

Configuring TCP/IP

• Select Control Panels, and then TCP/IP from the hierarchical pull-down menus (shown here half-size):

• A window resembling this should open:

• From the File menu, select Configurations

• The Configurations window opens. This is a list of saved TCP/IP configurations created by the user.

• Make a note of the current configuration name. You may wish to Rename the current configuration to include the word "modem" to facilitate returning to modem use for emergencies.
• Click the "Duplicate" button to create a new configuration, keeping some of the old data (you may not keep any of this data).

• Type in a meaningful name, like "PacBell DSL Ethernet" and click OK.
• Click the "Make Active" button.
• In the resulting window:
  • change the "Connect via:" pull-down to "Ethernet"
  • change "Configure:" to "Using DHCP Server"
    • This assumes that you've set up your router as a DHCP server, where it provides different IPs for any machines that boot on your home LAN. If you decide to use fixed IPs (to run virtual http or ftp servers, for instance) you'll need to set "Configure:" to "Manually" and type in an IP of your own choosing (typically using 192.168.1.xxx for non-Internet LAN IPs).
  • you can leave "DHCP Client ID:" blank (unlike this example)
  • in "Search Domains," type the domain of your ISP (in this example, "pacbell.net")

• Close the window by clicking on the "close box."
• A dialog box will appear:

• Click "Save" (or press Return or Enter). The new TCP/IP configuration is saved.

Well, that should do it. Restarting the Mac should not be necessary. Try Web browsing to test the configuration.

If Deborah should wish to return to use the modem (in the event of DSL failure, etc.), open the TCP/IP control panel, open the Configuration menu and select whatever the previously selected configuration was named. Modem TCP/IP operation will be restored.

Let me know if you need more help. I'm sorry I've been hard to catch - I've been night-owling (it's 6:04am right now) and working on configuring a lab all day and night, so I haven't really had human(e) hours. You can try to catch me at home anyway, or email me.

Regards,

Ellsworth

(c)2001 Ellsworth Chou