Wireless networking with Mac Mini, PS3 & 3g USB?

Hi Tony You can connect the ethernet port on the PS3 to the ethernet port on the Mac Mini, but you will need a cross over cable and not a standrd cable. Once you do that turn on sharing on the Mac and the PS 3 should connect.

Could you could use an Airport Express?

I would share the Internet connection using the Airport on the Mac Mini. This is what I currently do to control the Transporter from the headless Mac Mini.

When set up the Internet Sharing using Airport, you need to give the wireless network a name and a WEP password. As far as I know, WEP is the only security option.

quote:

Originally posted by Symonds14:
Hi Tony You can connect the ethernet port on the PS3 to the ethernet port on the Mac Mini, but you will need a cross over cable and not a standrd cable. Once you do that turn on sharing on the Mac and the PS 3 should connect.

You shouldn't need a crossover cable on a Mac Mini because it uses Auto-Medium Dependent Interface Crossover (Auto-MDIX), unless there is something special about the connection to a PS3 that defeats Auto-MDIX. A straight through or X-over should both work.

I don't have a PS3, but you need to set up a wireless network on your router and note the SSID and WPA/WEP pass phrase if you are using security. (WEP is rubbish by the way, but it may be your only option). The Mac Mini is irrelevant in this.

According to somebody I asked

1. Make sure that your wireless Internet is turned on and working properly.

2. Turn on the PS3.

3. Access "Network Settings" screen under the "Settings" screen in the main menu.

4. Select the "Internet Connection" tab and select "yes" when the system displays a new screen.

5. Select "easy" on the new screen that pops up asking what type of installation you want to use.

6. Select "wireless" when it asks you what type of Internet connection you have.

7. Select "scan" on the next screen so that the system searches for all available Internet connections in the area.

8. Select your home Internet when the screen pops up displaying the available Internet options.

9. Save your settings on the next screen.

10. Test it.

There are problems with some PS3s according to the guy I asked; he set his IP parameters up manually, but it should be automatic if you have the latest and greatest software.

Why make things more complicated than it is necessary - The Mac Mini is itself a wireless router

Well its not really. Its a computer with network built in.

For my money I would purchase a router which can take the 3G dongle, Draytek do them for one. All you do is plug the usb stick in when you goto your holiday home and bob is your uncle as it were.

Or get one of those 'me fi' things.

quote:

Originally posted by garyi:
Well its not really. Its a computer with network built in.

This is a very confusing statement? What does it really mean? And what does a router do that a Mac with Internet sharing turned on does not do?

Of course, there are million solutions but it depends how much you want to spend and how clustered your system is going to be.

Well what I am saying is yes, with a lot of work arounds and a heck of a lot of fiddling the mini could be a router of sorts (though with only one ethernet socket fwiw)

http://www.tuaw.com/2007/03/26...mac-as-a-nat-router/

That right there is whats known in the business as a cludge. Its possible only because it can be done net because its a good idea.

What the OP wants to do can be achieved a lot more easily and with no hassles for like 40 quid. A proper router with USB input. when you arrive at your holiday home, pug the 3G in and settle down to your holiday, all devices accessing immediately.

One other thing, a 3G dongle is not going to give you a good feeling for online gaming if thats what the OP wants the PS3 for.

Setting up a Mac Mini as a wireless hub could be challenging for some people, but it could be really straightforward. I did it in a few minutes and it has been working fine since.

Besides, there are lots of instructions out there in the internet, all you need to do is googling.

Peter are you saying to use the Mac Mini as a wireless hub rather than a router - so the PS3 should get its IP parameters from the DHCP server in his router, which is then his default gateway to the Internet. If so then I think the instructions above should still work given the Mac Mini has been configured as a wireless hub.

The PS3 should get a DHCP TCP/IP address from the Mac Mini.

Actually, it was a typo, I meant wireless router as opposed to a hub.

But one thing I am not sure, being not familiar with USB 3g dongle and not having a Mac with me right now, is how the USB dongle shows up when you configure the Internet Sharing, maybe as one of the built-in Ethernets?

It should just appear in network connections under network.

I hadn't realised that you could use a Mini Mac as DHCP server without installing dhcpd - I've only got Tiger so that is probably why I missed that.

Ok, thanks guys, I think I understand what to try.

I can't have a fiddle with it for a week or so when I'm next up in our other place but it does seem a bit more straightforward than I thought.

A slightly outdated tip but it is about 95 % accurate.

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:
I hadn't realised that you could use a Mini Mac as DHCP server without installing dhcpd - I've only got Tiger so that is probably why I missed that.

Apparently, Internet Sharing only works for Intel-based Macs (including Tiger).

Get one of those mifi devices instead. It's a 3G mode/wifi access point built into one. Just turn it on, it connects to the 3G network and then you just connect the Mac mini and the ps 3 to it's wifi network. Dead easy.

I said that and I gets ignored! Well I sort of said it.

OK, I've now got the Mini working as a wireless hub. My iTouch can see the wireless network & connect to the internet via the USB 3G dongle, so can SWMBO's Macbook. It's transmitting quite a strong signal, she can pick it up in another room about 8 Metres away.

But the blasted PS3 can't see it, and it's sitting less than a metre away in the same room!

The PS3 can pick up a neighbour's wireless network OK so that bit's working. I've even tried an ethernet cable between the Mini & the PS3 - all that does is say it can't obtain an IP address via DHCP.

I'm flummoxed!

I do not own a PS3 but apparently some users out there having the same issue as you do. Perhaps this link will help you.

Bl**dy thing! Stupid Mac! F*ck it all...

I've just wasted the morning trying to get this thing to work with zero success. Gary, you're right, this Mac's a waste of space for trying to get anything to connect to it via the computer to computer thing.

The really stupid thing is that just with Airport working the PS3 sees this, but it won't connect of course.

I've just ordered a Zoom 3G USB modem, which hopefully will make life rather easier.

Hate sodding computers...

Have you tried customizing the PS3 network settings by manually entering IP and DNS addresses. My impression of the most common issue is that PS3 does not like DHCP with the Internet Sharing on the Mac.

Yep, did all that Peter, but still no joy. I've got a Netgear wireless router here which, although not connected to the internet, is still seen immediately by the PS3.

Surprise! Strange!

How could other PS3 users manage to make it work with the Mac Mini with Internet Sharing on? I have it work honky dory with my Transporter + Mac Mini.

BTW, did you also try to fiddle with the WEP security? Make sure that you enter the right WEP password for the PS3.


Good luck with your next experiment.

quote:

Originally posted by Peter Dinh:
Surprise! Strange!

How could other PS3 users manage to make it work with the Mac Mini with Internet Sharing on?

I can assure you I went though everything possible; the obvious things like security of course I did!

The biggest puzzle - with the Mac's wireless network share set up, my wife's Macbook sees this no problem, as does my iTouch, yet the PS3 cannot. If I turn off the computer-to-computer wireless network with just Airport running, the PS3 sees this but of course won't connect to it.

Give up...