Airport Express Question!

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I have a Linksys WRT54G hooked up to a cable modem in one room. I have an Airport Express in another room. I want to connect an iMac G3 to the Airport Express via Ethernet for internet. Is this possible? If so can you please explain the steps. I've tried a bunch of things, but nothing seems to work.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    tilttilt Posts: 396member
    I have a similar request: I have a Mac Mini and a PC connectd to a Netgear Router (wired, not wireless).



    Can I connect an Airport express to the Netgear and use my MacBook wirelessly through that? If yes, what do I have to do to my Airport Express?



    Thanks and cheers
  • Reply 2 of 15
    almalm Posts: 111member
    Check if your Linksys can do WDS. I have following config: Mac Pro (via ethernet) -> AirPort Express (as remote base station) -> WDS -> AirPort Express (as main base station) -> Cable Modem.



    When setting up WDS make sure both base stations (remote and main) have same channel and same network name. Everything else is pretty much straightforward.
  • Reply 3 of 15
    almalm Posts: 111member
    2tilt: I think you should be able to connect AirPort to the router, just need to configure it properly. I can't provide instructions as I don't have wired router to test it.
  • Reply 4 of 15
    tilttilt Posts: 396member
    Thanks ALM. I am at this very moment googling this query, but all the responses seem to do only with connecting an Airport Express to another WIRELESS router or to do with extending he range of another Airport Extreme or to do with connecting a stereo or ptinter.



    I seem to be the only one in the whole world who wants to do this specific thing!



    Cheers
  • Reply 5 of 15
    almalm Posts: 111member
    Theoretically, if you plug Airport Express to your router it will work just like if you were plugging it into cable modem. I'm not big on networks, but your wired router have DHCP and supposedly will issue new IP for Airport and Airport will create another subnet with it's own IP pool. But that's speculations, I never tried it. If you can borrow Airport for couple of hours you could try and see what happens.
  • Reply 6 of 15
    almalm Posts: 111member
    If you can't get Airport Express, you can try same trick with any other wireless router. If they work, then there's a good chances that Airport will work too.
  • Reply 7 of 15
    ....I discovered that it seemed the ethernet port on the A.E. could only be used in this way if it were a bridge from another Apple wireless router. I was able to find someone people who were able to configure it to work with certain others, but not with mine (Belkin Pre-N). It seemed that most people were trying to use the A.E. to hookup their PSX, Xbox, or Slingbox, if I remember correctly.



    I am hoping that the Apple 802.11n comes out soon.. I'd like to pick one up for this very reason. I gave up on trying to use the A.E. as a bridge with my Belkin. I hope the same isn't the case for yours. Good luck!
  • Reply 8 of 15
    sandausandau Posts: 1,230member
    you can't do this. It isn't supported in the airport express which is unfortunate.



    you can plug it into your non wireless router and make a wireless network.

    you can plug it in the wall and stream music to it through your router from your computer.

    but you can't plug it in the wall and wirelessly extend your network to the rj45 jack.



    sure would be nice though. Its a very apple thing: disable the expected feature for no apparent reason.
  • Reply 9 of 15
    almalm Posts: 111member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sandau


    but you can't plug it in the wall and wirelessly extend your network to the rj45 jack.



    Oh, you can. I did. Configure WDS and AirPort will transfer your WiFi network to the ethernet port.
  • Reply 10 of 15
    almalm Posts: 111member
    You also can hook it to the switch and connect several computers to it.
  • Reply 11 of 15
    almalm Posts: 111member
    Have no idea if it will work with non-Apple wi-fi. I have two A.E. so...
  • Reply 12 of 15
    tilttilt Posts: 396member
    Hi ALM,



    Guess what! I just plugged in the AE to the Netgear router and it just worked! No work to be done, no nothong. Guess I forgot I was working with Apple - Just works!!!



    Cheers
  • Reply 13 of 15
    sandausandau Posts: 1,230member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ALM


    Oh, you can. I did. Configure WDS and AirPort will transfer your WiFi network to the ethernet port.



    he has a wrt54g. end of message. unless he wants to pay $45 for the firmware that a 3rd party makes for his router. this answer (and the previous) is based on the hardware specified by the author.
  • Reply 14 of 15
    almalm Posts: 111member
    tilt, that's great, that's how it supposed to be. Now you need to make is a little secure. Make your network closed, turn on WPA and MAC filtering (you will need to specify MAC address of your notebook so AE won't let any other wifi cards to connect). It won't make you 100% secure, but at least young hacker living next door won't use your internet for free.
  • Reply 15 of 15
    tilttilt Posts: 396member
    Thanks ALM. I only needed to do this for this weekend as I was visiting someone who has a wired network. Tonight I go back home where I only have my one laptop and one Airport Express



    Cheers
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