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My ISP allows connecting only two devices. The MAC addresses of both my devices (MacBook Pro laptop and iPad) are registered with them.

The problem is that I do not have a router, and the internet I receive is via ethernet cable. I want to share internet on my laptop with my iPad. But it does not work. ISP returns an error message saying that I am not allowed to do network sharing or using routers with DHCP. It goes on: "you CAN use a router if you switch DHCP off".

This is the ISP guide on setting up the router to work as access point: http://portal.ask4.com/support/wireless-access-point/

I am sure it is doable and I can replicate a "router with DHCP off" by my laptop. I just don't know how!?

Any idea?

P.S. I already tried:

  • Network sharing from system preferences,
  • Assigning manual two manual IPs for each device in the same range.

None worked :(

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  • if you receive the internet through an ethernet cable.. but do not have a router... do you just get a public ip?
    – barlop
    Jun 15, 2014 at 20:24
  • The easiest way that comes to my mind to skip the dumb ISP rule is to share using Bluetooth. As for the part they're saying no DHCP, I'm not sure how they check that. You just buy a normal router, clone your MAC address (physical address) of your network adapter on your Mac or iPad and all should be good (unless they check the TTL of packages, in which case, things get a bit more complicated).
    – user127350
    Jun 15, 2014 at 20:42
  • They probably 1. don't want you giving out ip addresses to others on the network and 2. don't want you avoiding their device limit rule.
    – apple16
    Jun 15, 2014 at 23:44
  • @barlop, I receive internet through cable and do not have a router, my settings are on automatic IP. After connecting to intenet i checked network config, and my IP was: 10.186.193
    – cybergeek654
    Jun 17, 2014 at 1:50
  • @apple16, No they don't. And I am not doing that. I am entitled to use two devices and I am trying to use my laptop and my tablet. I have already registered their mac addresses in their site. I am just curious to use my laptop wifi capacity, and avoid buying a router (I know they are cheap! but still, I am sure it is doable by my macl alone!)
    – cybergeek654
    Jun 17, 2014 at 1:54

1 Answer 1

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There's a way to make Internet Sharing from System Preferences work.

  1. Make sure you set "Share your connection from:" as "Ethernet".
  2. Make sure you set "To computers using:" as "Wi-Fi" (Important: Make sure you only have Wi-Fi checked, not Ethernet. Otherwise you'll be providing DHCP service on their network, which they don't like.)

Although it's technically possible to detect when someone is using NAT, it can be a bit tricky, and I doubt they're doing it. Unless they force you to run some special software on your client devices. Or unless they have a web-based login page that sets a cookie in your browser.

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  • i did steps 1 and 2. No result. (same error page form ISP nagging about internet sharing and saying me to avoide DHCP. balh blah) There is NO software that they require I run in my computer. For the first time connecting my laptop to this network, there was a web bases sign up and log in process, and since then i just plug in the cable and I am online.
    – cybergeek654
    Jun 17, 2014 at 1:56

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