DSL, OS X, and PC network problem

[~vert]

First, let me apologize for the length of this post, but it covers everything I could think would be needed for background info. Many thanks for anyone who can help walk me through this. I would also like to preface that I am trying to avoid spending money on any new hardware (hubs, routers) or software.

Here is my problem: I currently have a DSL connection, a Mac running OS X and a PC with WinME. I want to be able to use the Mac as a network router of my DSL to my PC and also to be able to share files between the 2 computers (I use the Mac more than I use the Win box). Let me give you the particulars of my setup and what I have accomplished so far:

• DSL - PPPoE through Verizon, Dynamic IP, only 1 IP address available (not a Cisco router/modem).
• G4 Mac running OS X 10.1, Built-In Ethernet card connected to the DSL modem and a PCI NIC that is connected to the PC. I have installed SAMBA on the Mac and can access file on the PC.
• DELL Dimension 8200 running WinME (waiting for WinXP upgrade to come in the mail). 1 installed Ethernet card. Currently connected to the Mac's #2 Ethernet card w/ crossover cable. Can't see any files on Mac, but is successful in pinging the IP of both Mac NIC's.

I have been combing the forums and the net for information on how to do this, but I haven't had much success. By using some tips and techniques I've found I have been able to set up a one-way network using a crossover cable and the second NIC on the Mac connected to the NIC on the PC. Using this tip I have been able to see the PC from OS X. I have not been able to see the Mac from the PC yet using these instructions.

The Built-In Ethernet Card on the Mac is connected to the DSL. Here are the settings:
Configure: Using PPP
IP 141.xxx.xx.xx (provided by PPP provider)
Subnet: Blank
Router: 10.6.4.1

My settings for the NIC in the G4 that is connected to the PC is
IP: 192.168.0.1
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
Router: Blank

The PC NIC is set to:
IP: 192.168.0.2
Subnet: 255.255.255.0,
Gateway: Blank
DNS: Disabled

There isn't so much rhyme or reason to those settings, but in my trial and error they have at least allowed the Mac to see the shared folder on the PC. I can't however, see any files on the Mac from the PC or get to the Internet. I have enabled file sharing in OS X, but it defaults to whatever NIC is listed first under the Network Preference:Active Network Ports setting. If I move the NIC for the internal network to the first position, I get the IP that I want to use for sharing but now I can't access the Internet (even so, the PC can ping, but can not see the Mac in the Network Neighborhood).


So, what I want to do is keep the External Ethernet connection to my DSL modem and use the second NIC to network local files and the Internet to the PC.

I came across something that looked very promising, as far as sharing the Internet, in a program called gNAT. The only problem is I have yet to be able to make it work. I think part of the problem is that the instructions seem to assume you are using 1 Ethernet card on each machine and connecting through a hub. I want to avoid spending more money on hubs and routers so these examples don't help all that much.

This is what I have tried using gNAT:
gNAT settings:
DSL/Cable or other ethernet based connection (DHCP or other dynamically assigned IP), secondary ethernet card to internal network.
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Router Address: 192.168.0.1
Preserve Ports: Yes
Use Sockets: Yes
Create Aliasing Log: Yes
Deny Incoming Requests: No
Create Denial Log: No
External Interface: Ethernet Card 1
Internal Interface: Ethernet Card 2
Dynamic IP Binding: Yes

Then I get stuck when setting up my network cards. My ISP dynamically sets my IP and the setup instructions for gNAT speak to setting this manually. If I do, I lose the DSL connection. It gets even more complicated when trying to enter the info into the PC. The networking options in Windows are much more complicated and I'm not sure what info is needed and what is not.

Can anyone help walk me through setting this up? I am fairly technically proficient, but I must confess that it falls apart when it comes to networking. So any help can be at a fairly high level with the understanding that I don't carry a lot of specific networking know-how.

Thanks in advance...,

[~vert]

Still not working, but some additional info:

When I run smbstatus -d from the terminal I get:

using configfile = /usr/local/samba/lib/smb.conf
Opened status file

Samba version 2.2.1a
Service uid gid pid machine
----------------------------------------------

No locked files


and, when I restart smbd in the SAMBA browser config tool (under Status) I get:

Active Connections
PID Client IP address Date Kill

7358 smbd 0.0.0.0 Sun*Oct*14*13:47:55*2001 X

So it looks like, to the untrained eye, that I have SAMBA configured improperly - although I am pretty sure that I followed the instructions to the letter. Shouldn't there be some info attained from running those commands?

[~vert]

Here is the text from my smb.conf in /usr/local/samba/lib

# Samba config file created using SWAT
# from localhost (127.0.0.1)
# Date: 2001/10/14 13:40:57

# Global parameters
[global]
workgroup = MSHOME
netbios name = OSX SAMBA
server string = Samba %v running on OSX
security = SHARE
encrypt passwords = Yes
hosts allow = 192.168.0.1

[vertigo]
path = /Users/vertigo

Still trying to troubleshoot and having no luck. Since I can ping the Mac from the PC I figure it has to be in the SAMBA configuration, but I could be wrong.

[~vert]

OK..., This is getting a little one sided but I wanted to keep things up to date

I finally was able to get SAMBA to work using this tool: Samba Server Config Tool (SSCT) 2.1 (link).

I am still working on how to pass the DSL from my Mac to my PC.

[~vert]

After I got the SAMBA thing working, I still couldn't figure out how to get NAT set up properly. There is a lot of info on the boards, but it mostly centered around a NAT hack for Airport cards.

Anyway, I found the simple solution on a German web page that made a reference to BrickHouse (which is good, because mein Deutsch ist nicht sehr gut). BrickHouse apparently has the ability to enable IP forwarding (like gNAT, but BrickHouse works on my setup).

If anyone wants particulars on what I've done, just post a question or comment.

[Darkshadow]

Cool. But um...you know only you and the volunteers can see the post, right? So only the volunteers could ask about it

I gotta look up the NAT stuff. I guess I'll add that to my growing list of stuff to look into.

[~vert]

Originally posted by Darkshadow
Cool. But um...you know only you and the volunteers can see the post, right? So only the volunteers could ask about it

Yeah, I just wanted to let the volunteers know in case someone else in this forum was coming up with the same problem. I am going to try and wipe my OS X installation today and start from scratch (I have a nasty network time error that keeps setting the date back to 1969 when I log out and back on and some other weirdisms that are likely due to all of the CLI tweaking I have done). I will document the process of adding the PC, SAMBA, IP forwarding and post in the open forums when I get it down.