Quick background

I have Indigo Server running on a MacMini (named SRP-Mini for the discussion below) that has a static IP address for WiFi and dynamic IP for a part-time hard-wired connection (the mini is my central media and backup repository). When I have to move/archive large quantities of data (100gb+) on the mini's RAID array, I generally plug in a hard-wire to make the process "faster". The hard-wired connection becomes primary (what I want for the file transfers), but during this time none of my clients can connect. They are all set up to connect to the static, wireless IP (since that's the one I know will always be there).

It appears that the Mini doesn't support true "dual connections", but is excluding the wireless connection in favor of the wired connection when it's there.

The Question

Is there a way to ensure that both connections are active? Should I be putting something else in the "Server" field on the "Connect to Remote Server" field? I've tried using SRP-Mini, SRP-Mini.local, but I'm not sure what else I might be able to try to "find it" regardless of it's primary IP?

TIA for any advice!

Steve

Apple doesn't support having both network interfaces connected to the same subnet (and, in fact, most OS vendors don't either). There's nothing an application can do because the problem is in the OS networking stack.

jay (support) wrote:Apple doesn't support having both network interfaces connected to the same subnet (and, in fact, most OS vendors don't either). There's nothing an application can do because the problem is in the OS networking stack.

Thanks Jay. I do a lot of work on machines in Data Centers, and know the dual-interface thing "can be done" (but generally not at the "consumer level"). I just had to ask if anybody could improvise a solution...

Luckily I don't have to move the massive amounts of backup data around often. I'll just learn not to use the client when "the Cat5 is plugged in"...

Steve

You can bond the interfaces together by creating a 'Link Aggregate'. Try this:

Open Network PrefPane
Click the wheel (gear) button under the interface list.
Select 'Manage Virtual Interfaces...'
Click the + and 'New Link Aggregate..'


Terry

sparker wrote:know the dual-interface thing "can be done"

It's not a problem if the two interfaces are on different subnets - the problem is when they are on the same subnet. I believe you can configure Linux and some other *nixes to do it but in general it's not recommended since it doesn't really benefit you to have two interfaces on the same net (virtual hosts are the obvious exception).

jay (support) wrote:

sparker wrote:know the dual-interface thing "can be done"

It's not a problem if the two interfaces are on different subnets - the problem is when they are on the same subnet. I believe you can configure Linux and some other *nixes to do it but in general it's not recommended since it doesn't really benefit you to have two interfaces on the same net (virtual hosts are the obvious exception).

Jay,

You're right about the dual subnet's. I've always configured those *nix boxes to run in kind of a DMZ (one connection facing out, one connection facing in). I don't know why I couldn't come to that realization when I was trying this out.

I have a summer project to rewire everything physically anyway except for the notebook, and then only when it's moving around the house. That's be the final solution...

Steve

@sparker... It seems like you know what you are doing and have setup the network this way for some specify reason. Maybe I missed something, but, I was just curious as to why you didn't want the MacMini on the wired ethernet full-time. What was the benefit you saw in having the Mini on Wi-Fi with the wired interface off?

Thanks.

I'm not sure if this helps in your case, but changing the interface priority might also help (System Prefs -> Network -> sprocket pop-up menu at bottom of interface list -> Set Service Order...). By dragging the wireless interface to the top of that list, clicking OK, then Apply, does this fix the issue? I tried replicating the trouble being reported last night on my own Mac mini, having both Ethernet and wi-fi active with IP addresses on the same subnet (192.168.1.100 on the Ethernet interface and 192.168.1.103 on the AirPort interface). I put the wi-fi interface at the top of the service order list (giving it higher priority). I was able to connect to both the Ethernet and wi-fi interfaces though AFP separately from another computer on the same subnet. I was able to connect to the Ethernet interface from an off-site host outside the NATed IP range (my router puts the 192.168.1.100 IP in the DMZ). I was also able to connect to IndigoServer from an Indigo Client on another computer on the same subnet as well as from an off-site machine.

I'm running Mac OS X 10.7.3 on all 3 computers used to test this (the Mac mini with IndigoServer, the Mac on the same subnet and the Mac at the off-site location). I'm not sure if this helps or if it replicates the reported problem, but thought I'd give the input in case it helps.

berkinet wrote:@sparker... It seems like you know what you are doing and have setup the network this way for some specify reason. Maybe I missed something, but, I was just curious as to why you didn't want the MacMini on the wired ethernet full-time. What was the benefit you saw in having the Mini on Wi-Fi with the wired interface off?

Thanks.

The real reason is the house isn't physically wired for Gigabit Ethernet yet, and I have to string a 60' cable from my Gigabit switch down the stairs, across the front room to the back of the Mini. Once I get the house wired "properly", it won't be an issue. Until then, I run it on wireless unless I need to move huge amounts of data on to the RAID array that's attached to the mini (I keep weekly backups of all our corporate webservers at home just for redundancy)

In other words, I drag the cable out when I have to move large quantities of data (and no guests are around, and when that cable's there, I definitely want it to take precedence over the wireless, just for raw speed...

Steve

sparker wrote:...The real reason is... ...I have to string a 60' cable from my Gigabit switch down the stairs, across the front room to the back of the Mini.

Got it . That makes complete sense.