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I have the latest macbook pro and a windows laptop both connected to the same wifi. Then I need to connect an external device which uses RJ45 network cable. The macos is the main computer but it does not have the hardware RJ45 port.

One option is to connect the device to the windows laptop and do windows remote desktop from macos to that laptop. However that laptop is not mine and I should not make major changes on it, i.e. reinstall windows.

Another option is to use a windows virtual machine on macos and a usb to ethernet dongle.

And yet another option is to use a windows virtual machine on macos and a special virtual ethernet port. I'm imagining this port should be linked to the port on the windows laptop so that I'll connect the device on that laptop and use it through a virtual machine on macos. With this approach I don't use the dongle.

Am I being to imaginative or such a piece of software which allows me to create a virtual network interface to another machine's network interface already exist?

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  • The external device which uses RJ45 network cable is what exactly?
    – ChanganAuto
    May 14, 2021 at 0:51
  • There is not really enough to go on here, but the first option (connect the device to Windows and remote in from MAC) appears to be the best option and simplest option. That should not involve reinstalling Windows.
    – John
    May 14, 2021 at 1:26
  • Its a custom made imaging device, which might require ethernet jumbo packets (not found in many usb to ethernet dongles)
    – KcFnMi
    May 14, 2021 at 1:39
  • So then I still think the first option is the best one. Your device will adapt to Windows and the MAC can remote in.
    – John
    May 14, 2021 at 1:42
  • I have to setup a development environment and develop/debug device’s software. Doing it over windows desktop is possible but doing it on a virtual machine will be much faster
    – KcFnMi
    May 14, 2021 at 1:47

1 Answer 1

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Background: An imaging device with an Ethernet connection needs to be seen by both MAC and Windows Computers.

Two alternatives make sense:

  1. Connect the device to the Windows Computer. If I interpret your post correctly, the imaging software works on Windows. Then connect the MAC by remote connection software when the MAC needs to use the software. This seems to be the simplest solution.

  2. Get a USB Ethernet connection for the MAC. If the imaging software has a MAC version you are done. I am not clear about what imaging software versions there are.

If you need Windows Software on the MAC then a virtual machine on the MAC will work well. This will serve if you wish to use the MAC a lot. I think option 2 is the best for this. I use virtual machines a lot myself and I like the concept for the flexibility virtual machines provide.

I hope this helps. I think 1 and 2 are less complicated than alternative 3.

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  • Imaging device software only runs on windows, sorry I forgot to mention it before
    – KcFnMi
    May 14, 2021 at 1:52
  • My answer included the method to run on the MAC so I hope that helps.
    – John
    May 14, 2021 at 1:53

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