Crossover Ethernet Cable Connecting Linux Mint 19.1 with High Sierra

ericlindellnyc · 07-01-2019, 12:35 AM

I'm connecting two PCs, Linux & mac, using crossover cable.

Linux Mint sees the imac,
but when I try to copy a file to the imac folder,
I get an error message ..
Error while copying .. operation not supported by back end.

On the imac, for Ethernet, location is "automatic" & status is "connected,"
but when I try to copy a file to "network" in sidebar, nothing happens.

Suggestions?
Thanks.

michaelk · 07-01-2019, 06:02 AM

What do you mean by see?

Typically computers are configured using dhcp and will acquire an IP address from your router. Computers directly connected assuming neither are running a dhcp server may default to a 169.254.xxx.xxx address which should still work.

The network in the file browser sidebar is for locating and connecting to windows computers or anything else that runs samba. Is samba running and do you have shares and a samba password configured on the mac. I've never used samba on a mac before so can't tell you the exact steps.

If ssh/sftp is running on the mac you can copy files via sftp but you need to find the macs IP address.

rtmistler · 07-01-2019, 06:38 AM

With modern NIC's you would not need a crossover cable. However also with modern NIC's, they'll also detect it and be fine.

As michaelk says, you need to set up these stations so as to have an actual network communicating. Merely connecting them together provides the physical pathway, but if no addresses are configured, then there will not be any communications.

ericlindellnyc · 07-03-2019, 11:02 PM

iMac’s IP address
Okay, I found iMac’s IP address from SystemPreferences, Network,

Code:

169.254.203.163

Screenshot attached.

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I also have checked "Sharing" in SystemPreferences. Screenshot attached.

LinuxBox address
I found my HP’s “Hardware address” by clicking NetworkConnections Ethernet Wired:

Code:

00:24:81:C6:89:F7

I obtained the following with terminal command, “ifconfig | grep inet”:

Code:

* * * * inet6 fe80::84eb:3dc9:19a6:cca9 *prefixlen 64 *scopeid 0x20<link>
* * * * inet 127.0.0.1 *netmask 255.0.0.0
* * * * inet6 ::1 *prefixlen 128 *scopeid 0x10<host>
* * * * inet 10.0.23.72 *netmask 255.255.0.0 *broadcast 10.0.255.255
* * * * inet6 fe80::9ff2:60c2:2ff:1064 *prefixlen 64 *scopeid 0x20<link>

I don’t know which if any of this info is an IP address.

In Linux, Network, Wired, Ethernet, Device, is the following info:

Code:

enp0s25 (00:24:81:C6:89:F7)

I don’t see anything called “IP address” anywhere in Linux.

Any assistance much appreciated !!

ericlindellnyc · 07-03-2019, 11:03 PM

Here's the Mac Sharing screenshot, which didn't upload to previous post.

michaelk · 07-04-2019, 07:36 AM

Mac IP address 169.254.203.163 mask 255.255.0.0

Although everything posted about from the ifconfig command is an IP address this really the one that counts. 10.0.23.72 mask 255.255.0.0

They not on the same subnet which is why they can't "talk" to each other. I'm guessing that you unplugged the cable from the Mint computer that connected to a router and plugged it into the Mac?

To change the linux computer address run the command
sudo ifconfig enp0s25 169.254.203.164 netmask 255.255.0.0

The easiest way to copy a file would be to use sftp from your linux file browser. ssh has to be running on the Mac. From the browser file pull down menu you select connect to server, select ssh and enter the IP address, username, password and the directory you want to access. Click ok and if everything works you should be connected. To copy files drag and drop.

JeremyBoden · 07-04-2019, 07:48 AM

Do you have a router?

X-LFS-2010 · 07-05-2019, 01:37 PM

TRY USING A BRIDGE. APPLE USES THEM AND ALREADY IS READY FOR IT. you'll be online without glitches in no-time

(i assume your copying using a graphics shell that uses scp (not rcp or nfs) (note - read your software manual and tell us which if you can)

i assume you tried turning off your firewall to see if that is blocking traffic in a bad/illegal way.

in any case - setting up an interface and routes and firewall "that work" with imac can be difficult: imac has seemless networks that are graphically configured easily and can connect to multiple devices effortlessly and that means: their networking code, their routes interfaces, are both more and less complicated

the BRIDGE INTERFACE (needs no routes) is not super secure but hey - you can shore that up if you need to later. it's super simple to get working (you need to find linux docs on making your lan connection on the linux side a bridge - on the apple side do nothing it'll know it'll work)

JeremyBoden · 07-05-2019, 03:32 PM

An ethernet switch would do this without any configuration - but it would be nice if there was a router device handling things like DHCP etc

X-LFS-2010 · 07-06-2019, 07:20 PM

i'm not sure you need crossover cables. but diagrams are easy to google.

that depends whether or not both your cards can "sense".

infact i just grab a cable and plug these days i don't even look to see if the cable is crossed or not

i bet they can

make sure you can test the cable without assuming it needs to be crossed over