Easily move between wired and wireless networks

Aug 26, '04 10:24:00AM

Contributed by: crispyking

I thought I'd post my experiences here since I haven't found anything on this topic.

I run a small LAN with networked home directories, Library and Apps (using a FreeBSD NFS server), and I wanted to be able to seamlessly move my laptop between wired and wireless interfaces without disrupting my connections (ssh sessions, and especially my NFS home directory).

I just got an AirPort Express and it was a lot easier than I expected. All I did was set my base station in LAN-bridging mode (by unselecting "Distribute IP addresses) and configured my own DHCP server to give the same IP address to my laptop's wireless interface as its wired interface. Mac OS X allows both interfaces to have the same IP address (it complains a bit in system.log).

Everything just works from that point. On my server, I get a log message from arp saying that my IP address moved from one MAC address to another, but it happens almost instantly; I don't have to flush the arp cache at all.

The only hitch I've run into so far is that I need to be plugged into my LAN in order to wake my laptop from sleep: when my laptop wakes from sleep and isn't plugged into the wired LAN, it doesn't automatically associate with my AirPort network and when I click on the AirPort menu item to associate it, it evidently tries to read something from my home directory, which isn't available and I get the spinning cursor. If I then plug into the LAN, everything is fine.

Anyways, it's working far better than I had ever hoped!

Comments (22)


Mac OS X Hints
http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20040825130724548