The title lays out the scenario: we had an iMac running Mac OS X 10.6.2, connected to the internet via a DSL modem. We wanted to create a wifi network so we could get a Mac laptop, an Asus Eee PC 901 running Ubuntu GNU/Linux 9.10 (Ubuntu Netbook Remix, Karmic Koala), and a Roku Netflix player all on the net. Turns out you can use the iMac itself to create a wifi network. No additional equipment is required, just some tricky configuration.

Part One: Internet Sharing

This article was helpful, though I had to combine the main instructions with something suggested in the comments.

On the iMac:

1. System Preferences->Sharing.
2. Click on “Internet Sharing.”
3. In the pull-down menu, “Share your connection from” Ethernet.
4. “To computers using” AirPort.
5. Channel: Automatic.
6. Enable encryption.
7. Select a 5-digit password. (Important for getting this to work with Ubuntu.)
8. WEP Key Length should be “40-bit.”
9. OK.
10. Make sure the box next to “Internet Sharing” is checked.

    Now the Mac laptop should be able to join the wireless network.

    Log on to your Ubuntu laptop and we’ll configure the connection there.

11. Right-click the network icon.
12. Edit Connections->Wireless.
13. Select the new wifi network and click Edit.
14. Under “Wireless Security”, change “Authentication” to “Shared Key.”
15. Save the changes.

Part Two: Roku configuration

These instructions were very helpful.

On the iMac:

1. System Preferences->Sharing.
2. Make sure the box is checked next to “Internet Sharing.”
3. Applications->Utilities->Terminal.
4. In the Terminal, enter this command: sudo cp /etc/bootpd.plist /etc/bootpd.plist.roku

   (It will ask for your password.)

5. Now stop Internet Sharing by un-checking the box.
6. sudo /Applications/TextEdit.app/Contents/MacOS/TextEdit /etc/bootpd.list.roku
7. TextEdit will launch. Near the end of the text file, you’ll see this:

   <key>reply_threshold_seconds</key>
<integer>4</integer>

8. Change “4″ to “0″.
9. In TextEdit, File->Save. You can close TextEdit.
10. In Terminal: sudo cp /etc/bootpd.list.roku /etc/bootpd.list
11. Check the box next to “Internet Sharing” again.

You should now be able to connect your Roku to this new wifi network. You can double-check that your editing worked by, in Terminal, entering more /etc/bootpd.list and looking to see that “reply_threshold_seconds” is still set to “0″.

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 24th, 2009 at 1:07 pm and is filed under Tech. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.