# My new MacBook came! What should I do first (no Internet access) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 25, 2007, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-macbook-came-what-should-i-do-first-no-internet-access/423972 "2007-10-25T15:38:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2007, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-macbook-came-what-should-i-do-first-no-internet-access/423972/21 "2007-10-27T20:07:31Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] I _think_ that the Ethernet port on the MB Pro can auto-configure itself to be a crossover port [/QUOTE] THAT would be cool. Tired of trying to remember, “no, the PURPLE cable, not the blue one.” ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2007, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-macbook-came-what-should-i-do-first-no-internet-access/423972/22 "2007-10-27T20:40:43Z")
You can also directly connect two Macs with a FireWire cable, then tell one of them to be an external drive. Here are the docs: [http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58583](http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58583) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-macbook-came-what-should-i-do-first-no-internet-access/423972/23 "2007-10-29T14:30:47Z")
Actually, I figured out how I used to connect the iBook and the iMac. I hooked them up directly together with an ethernet cord and then turned on File Sharing and then went into the Chooser and the other computer would be there. So I’ve now hooked up my iMac and MacBook, turned on File Sharing on each, but … I don’t see the iMac in the MacBook’s network window and I don’t see the MacBook in the iMac’s chooser. Now what? ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-macbook-came-what-should-i-do-first-no-internet-access/423972/24 "2007-10-29T20:51:27Z")
You might or might not need to use a “crossover cable” rather than a normal ethernet cable-- one set of wires is arranged differently. Someone smart can clear this up, though. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-macbook-came-what-should-i-do-first-no-internet-access/423972/25 "2007-10-29T20:57:52Z")
I was wrong. Looks like you need a crossover cable: [descriptive article from AppleLinks](http://www.applelinks.com/index.php/more/connecting_two_macs_using_an_ethernet_crossover_cable/). These cables are not expensive. Be sure to get one with the speed rating of your slowest machine, so that the transfer can go as quickly as possible. The MB Pro has “gigabit Ethernet” that can carry data at a rate of 1 billion bits per second. I’m niot sure what your iBook can handle, but the original Ethernet was only 10 million bits per second, and the original cables couldn’t handle any more. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-macbook-came-what-should-i-do-first-no-internet-access/423972/26 "2007-10-29T21:01:53Z")
Thanks. That article describes exactly how I used to connect my iBook to my iMac. So I assume that the Ethernet cable I already have must be a crossover cable. Right? But now I want to hook my MacBook up to my iMac. Following the instructions in the Moore article will work on the iMac side. But what about on the MacBook side? So far as I can tell, there isn’t a Chooser any more. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-macbook-came-what-should-i-do-first-no-internet-access/423972/27 "2007-10-29T21:06:11Z")
[QUOTE=acsenray] Thanks. That article describes exactly how I used to connect my iBook to my iMac. So I assume that the Ethernet cable I already have must be a crossover cable. Right? But now I want to hook my MacBook up to my iMac. Following the instructions in the Moore article will work on the iMac side. But what about on the MacBook side? So far as I can tell, there isn’t a Chooser any more. [/QUOTE] Arrghh. Board seized up at just the wrong moment. Anyways… Maybe I was right. This [Apple doc](http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=42717) states that Intel-based Macs have auto-configuring Ethernet ports, and the iBook only needs a crossover cable if it is connecting to another iBook. Now, what has to be done on the MB or MB Pro side, I’m not sure. Edit: here’s an artcle about [file sharing between Macs](http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106461). Looks like you toss the files into the Shared directory on the MB Pro and they’re visible to other computers. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-macbook-came-what-should-i-do-first-no-internet-access/423972/28 "2007-10-30T04:17:21Z")
Ok, if you do the apple-K thing on the desktop or pull down the “Go: Connect to server” on the macbook and put in the other computer’s IP address does it still not work? ETA: that is, IP address as “afp://192.168.whatever.orwhatever”-- I think the afp (Apple File Protocol?) is the old “Apple Talk” ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-macbook-came-what-should-i-do-first-no-internet-access/423972/29 "2007-10-30T13:57:56Z")
[QUOTE=capybara] TA: that is, IP address as “afp://192.168.whatever.orwhatever”-- I think the afp (Apple File Protocol?) is the old “Apple Talk” [/QUOTE] Where do I locate the IP address? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-macbook-came-what-should-i-do-first-no-internet-access/423972/30 "2007-10-30T14:35:32Z")
[QUOTE=acsenray] Where do I locate the IP address? [/QUOTE] I think yiou’d set it at both ends. Just use two different ones. 192.168.0.1 and 192.168.0.2, for example. (There are certain sets of addresses that are intended for local internal use, and which aren’t used on the wider internet. 192.168.x.x are among them.) ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-macbook-came-what-should-i-do-first-no-internet-access/423972/31 "2007-10-30T14:36:36Z")
Go to system preferences, network, TCP IP. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-macbook-came-what-should-i-do-first-no-internet-access/423972.md?page=1)