Changing the range of addresses served to clients connected via Internet Sharing

Question

Macbook Pro Running 10.7.4 attempting to share ethernet connection via Airport(Wi-Fi) and trying to serve 192.168.1.x addresses to connected clients.

I've tried the guidance provided here (Dead link as of June 2016) and the article Mac OS Hints: Change the default subnet for Internet Sharing
My com.apple.nat file has the following:

NAT =     {
    AirPort =         {
        40BitEncrypt = 0;
        Channel = 0;
        Enabled = 0;
        Extreme = "";
        NetworkName = *****;
        NetworkPassword = <*****>;
    };
    Enabled = 1;
    NatPortMapDisabled = 0;
    PrimaryInterface =         {
        Device = en0;
        Enabled = 0;
        HardwareKey = "";
        PrimaryUserReadable = Ethernet;
    };
    PrimaryService = "352E1799-A5BD-45F7-8C1C-49A963899CFC";
    SharingDevices =         (
        en1
    );
    SharingNetworkNumberStart = "192.168.1.0";
};

But no dice. ifconfig still shows en1 as 10.0.2.1 I've rebooted, made sure System Preferences was closed. en1 up'd and down'd

I'm guessing I need to be modifying a different file. I've looked at the binary for InternetSharing but it has way too much cruft in the file for me to confidently edit it.

Any help? Thanks!

Answer 1

This is specifically for Ethernet > Ethernet Sharing connections, rather than WiFi (it might work for WiFi but I haven't tested) - I thought the answer would best belong here, for Google.

Tested as working up to El Capitan 10.11.5

Apparently since Yosemite, adding just the SharingNetworkNumberStart key is no longer sufficient.
Also, System Prefs caches the NAT file located at /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.nat & will just overwrite your settings again, if you do things in the wrong order.
Actual addresses are, of course, your choice.

• Switch off internet Sharing.
  Close System Prefs

• In Terminal type these 3 commands

  sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.nat NAT -dict-add SharingNetworkNumberStart 192.168.0.0
  sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.nat NAT -dict-add SharingNetworkNumberEnd 192.168.0.20
  sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.nat NAT -dict-add SharingNetworkMask 255.255.255.0
  

• Open System Prefs > Network
  Select what is to be your shared port & set as follows

  Configure IPv4: Manually
  IP Address: 192.168.0.1
  Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
  Router: 192.168.0.1
  Then in Advanced... > DNS add the same Router Address as DNS server, in this case 192.168.0.1

  OK, Apply.

• Switch on Internet Sharing

Test your Bridge address in Terminal with ifconfig -a & check the line inet 192.168.0.1 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.0.255 is what you expected.

Info worked from Mac OS Hints: Change the default subnet for Internet Sharing

Answer 2

Apparently, as you say, you need to modify the InternetSharing file, adding:

<key>AirPort</key>
        <dict>
            <key>40BitEncrypt</key>
            <integer>0</integer>
            <key>Channel</key>
            <integer>0</integer>
            <key>Enabled</key>
            <integer>1</integer>
            <key>Extreme</key>
            <string></string>
            <key>NetworkName</key>
            <string>imacnet</string>
            <key>NetworkPassword</key>
            <data>cwB0AHUAYQByAA==</data>
            <key>SharingNetworkNumberStart</key>
            <string>10.0.99.0</string>
        </dict>

It seems pretty straight forward.