setting destination MAC address

I'm running on a university network. I have a switch that connects 4
computers, and DCHP is covered by the school's router, which is also a
stateful firewall. Therefore, file transfers between my computers run
at snail speed (3-4 Mbps), and doing any significant file transfers
involves recabling to set up my own network. I'm wondering if there's
any way I can set the destination MAC address of ethernet frames
destined for my other computers' IP addresses. In other words, my
computer would substitute a specific MAC address into all frames
destined for a certain IP, so, essentially I would maintain a very
basic routing table on each computer. Can anyone point me to tips on
how to do this? I'm still new to Linux, and I have a Mac and Windows
machines that I'd want to do it with, too.

Thanks,

Tom

"Tom V" <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:

>I'm running on a university network. I have a switch that connects 4
>computers, and DCHP is covered by the school's router, which is also a
>stateful firewall. Therefore, file transfers between my computers run

Therefor? There is no "therefor" about that. University networks can be
capable of 1000Mbps. It sounds to me like you bought a 10MBpS switch and
are using that.

>at snail speed (3-4 Mbps), and doing any significant file transfers
>involves recabling to set up my own network. I'm wondering if there's
>any way I can set the destination MAC address of ethernet frames
>destined for my other computers' IP addresses. In other words, my

That is what your system already does. IF the IP address is on your own
local net, then your system sends via mac, not via IP.

It is only if the IP is on a different subnet that it uses the IP address,
and lets the gateway take care of the IP to mac translation at the other
end.



>computer would substitute a specific MAC address into all frames
>destined for a certain IP, so, essentially I would maintain a very
>basic routing table on each computer. Can anyone point me to tips on
>how to do this? I'm still new to Linux, and I have a Mac and Windows
>machines that I'd want to do it with, too.

>Thanks,

>Tom

I'm dealing with Cisco Clean Access. Everybody gets his or her own
subnet. I think I can accomplish what I want by spoofing my subnet
size, but I'm not sure what else that will mess up.

On Feb 18, 12:28 pm, Unruh <unruh-s...@physics.ubc.ca> wrote:
> "Tom V" <twva...@hotmail.com> writes:
> >I'm running on a university network. I have a switch that connects 4
> >computers, and DCHP is covered by the school's router, which is also a
> >stateful firewall. Therefore, file transfers between my computers run
>
> Therefor? There is no "therefor" about that. University networks can be
> capable of 1000Mbps. It sounds to me like you bought a 10MBpS switch and
> are using that.
>
> >at snail speed (3-4 Mbps), and doing any significant file transfers
> >involves recabling to set up my own network. I'm wondering if there's
> >any way I can set the destination MAC address of ethernet frames
> >destined for my other computers' IP addresses. In other words, my
>
> That is what your system already does. IF the IP address is on your own
> local net, then your system sends via mac, not via IP.
>
> It is only if the IP is on a different subnet that it uses the IP address,
> and lets the gateway take care of the IP to mac translation at the other
> end.
>
> >computer would substitute a specific MAC address into all frames
> >destined for a certain IP, so, essentially I would maintain a very
> >basic routing table on each computer. Can anyone point me to tips on
> >how to do this? I'm still new to Linux, and I have a Mac and Windows
> >machines that I'd want to do it with, too.
> >Thanks,
> >Tom