internal and external IP address?

phil4u2 · 10-13-2005, 08:05 PM

I would like to be able to do file sharing between my Mac at home and my PC at work. I can connect the two computers when I take my work XP laptop to home and connect via WiFi no problems.
The IP address i have at home is an internal address that I recieve from the ISP (i.e 192.168.1.15). The address I see when I go to http://whatismyip.com is another address (i.e. 60.209.241.xxx). I guess it's the routers address out to the world...
Now, if I want to connect from work to home, what is the ip address I should use, or is it at all possible?
How do I find out the specific ip address for my Mac for the outside world?

thank you for your help

mclbruce · 10-13-2005, 08:12 PM

The IP you get from whatismyip.com is the one you need to connect to your Mac from the outside world. You also need to tell whatever it is that is giving you the 192.168.x.x address to pass along queries from the outside world to your Mac.

That's the short version. If you want to do this you'll have to find out what is giving you the 192.168 address and how to change some of it's settings.

phil4u2 · 10-13-2005, 08:39 PM

in other word, I can't do it.
"what is giving me the 192.168 address" is my ISP. I doubt they would configure their router just for me................

Thank you for your quick answer!

giskard22 · 10-13-2005, 08:40 PM

To correct something from your original post: 192.168.x.x should be the internal IP from your router, not your ISP. The 60.209.x.x is the external address that your router is getting from the ISP.

You'll need to find out what ports are used for the "file sharing" you're talking about and configure the router to direct queries to the appropriate internal IP. Be aware that this is a fairly major security risk; someone could attempt to brute-force guess a valid username and password, then gain access to your files. This is one of the reasons that many people favor some sort of intermediary service (like the iDisk in Apple's .Mac service) for transferring data: none of your own computers are exposed to the outside world.

phil4u2 · 10-14-2005, 07:59 PM

the IP address I got from my ISP is 10.60.1.152. I think that this also is an private IP address.
When I say ISP: I live in a big building and some company provides us with the net. They have assigned us with these IP numbers. (us being the ppl living in this building)
I don't think that the company providing us with the net will open or modify its router just for me.
In other word, it can't be done.

acme.mail.order · 10-15-2005, 12:20 AM

You give up too easily.
Yes, 10.n.n.n numbers are private networks, and it does appear that your "ISP" (that's not really correct, but close enough) is dealing with the routing.

Here's what you do:
Call the building's tech support and ask them to forward port 548 to your computer
-or-
supply your office with a single global IP address and you will deal with the routing yourself.

If the answer is no, cancel your account and get cable or ISDN. Be sure you check that they offer global IP's before you sign up.

phil4u2 · 10-17-2005, 11:18 PM

it's not that straigtforward, but thank's for your suggestions...

just to sumarize my situation in short... I am in "small-town Main-Land China".

The "ISP" doesn't speak English, half of the sites on the net are blocked by a global firewall, nothing is done easily here.... everything has to be "gov-aproved"...

When I say it can't be done, I mean it! We can't even get "decent" TV channels without resorting to pirate parabols...

hayne · 10-17-2005, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phil4u2


	just to sumarize my situation in short... I am in "small-town Main-Land China"

Then you might want to update your user profile - having it showing you as being in Sweden is a bit confusing.

phil4u2 · 10-18-2005, 09:14 PM

sorry... I didn't think about it. I am from Sweden, and my home is there... I am in China now for 6 months only, for work...

10-13-2005, 08:05 PM	#1
phil4u2 Triple-A Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Sweden Posts: 50	internal and external IP address? I would like to be able to do file sharing between my Mac at home and my PC at work. I can connect the two computers when I take my work XP laptop to home and connect via WiFi no problems. The IP address i have at home is an internal address that I recieve from the ISP (i.e 192.168.1.15). The address I see when I go to http://whatismyip.com is another address (i.e. 60.209.241.xxx). I guess it's the routers address out to the world... Now, if I want to connect from work to home, what is the ip address I should use, or is it at all possible? How do I find out the specific ip address for my Mac for the outside world? thank you for your help

10-14-2005, 07:59 PM	#5
phil4u2 Triple-A Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Sweden Posts: 50	I must correct one thing the IP address I got from my ISP is 10.60.1.152. I think that this also is an private IP address. When I say ISP: I live in a big building and some company provides us with the net. They have assigned us with these IP numbers. (us being the ppl living in this building) I don't think that the company providing us with the net will open or modify its router just for me. In other word, it can't be done.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

10-13-2005, 08:12 PM	#2
mclbruce Hall of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 3,341	The IP you get from whatismyip.com is the one you need to connect to your Mac from the outside world. You also need to tell whatever it is that is giving you the 192.168.x.x address to pass along queries from the outside world to your Mac. That's the short version. If you want to do this you'll have to find out what is giving you the 192.168 address and how to change some of it's settings.

10-13-2005, 08:39 PM	#3
phil4u2 Triple-A Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Sweden Posts: 50	in other word, I can't do it. "what is giving me the 192.168 address" is my ISP. I doubt they would configure their router just for me................ Thank you for your quick answer!

10-13-2005, 08:40 PM	#4
giskard22 Moderator Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 4,251	To correct something from your original post: 192.168.x.x should be the internal IP from your router, not your ISP. The 60.209.x.x is the external address that your router is getting from the ISP. You'll need to find out what ports are used for the "file sharing" you're talking about and configure the router to direct queries to the appropriate internal IP. Be aware that this is a fairly major security risk; someone could attempt to brute-force guess a valid username and password, then gain access to your files. This is one of the reasons that many people favor some sort of intermediary service (like the iDisk in Apple's .Mac service) for transferring data: none of your own computers are exposed to the outside world.

10-15-2005, 12:20 AM	#6
acme.mail.order Hall of Famer Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,285	You give up too easily. Yes, 10.n.n.n numbers are private networks, and it does appear that your "ISP" (that's not really correct, but close enough) is dealing with the routing. Here's what you do: Call the building's tech support and ask them to forward port 548 to your computer -or- supply your office with a single global IP address and you will deal with the routing yourself. If the answer is no, cancel your account and get cable or ISDN. Be sure you check that they offer global IP's before you sign up.

10-17-2005, 11:18 PM	#7
phil4u2 Triple-A Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Sweden Posts: 50	it's not that straigtforward, but thank's for your suggestions... just to sumarize my situation in short... I am in "small-town Main-Land China". The "ISP" doesn't speak English, half of the sites on the net are blocked by a global firewall, nothing is done easily here.... everything has to be "gov-aproved"... When I say it can't be done, I mean it! We can't even get "decent" TV channels without resorting to pirate parabols...

10-18-2005, 09:14 PM	#9
phil4u2 Triple-A Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Sweden Posts: 50	sorry... I didn't think about it. I am from Sweden, and my home is there... I am in China now for 6 months only, for work...