Help with Airport Express

sammick · July 16, 2004 12:50PM

I just received Airport Express and am trying to set it up with my imac and and Airport base station--must I have an Airport card installed in the computer to use itunes remotely or can I send the signal out directly from the base station? Airport Express doesn't want to recognize the base station.

sammick · July 16, 2004 2:20PM

After spending over 2 frustrating hours with my new Airport Express-I found out that:

1. You have to have an airport card in the computer you are using to send the signal--that it doesn't work from the base station directly.

2. That the base station has to be Airport extreme.

so.....my one and a half year old computer will not work since it is obsolete and so I am sending the Airport Express back

was this made clear to the rest of you??

anders · July 16, 2004 2:29PM

A lot of things are still unclear with Airport Express. But I had the impression you only needed a airport card equipped computer for setting up the network. After that you can use almost any 802.11 equipment to stream and surf with.

I asked some questions in this thread and thats is what I was told:

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...hreadid=220318

sammick · July 16, 2004 3:11PM

After speaking with 2 support reps they said that in order to extend my network to include the new base stations--I needed Airport Extreme--you might want to check with Apple before you buy Airport Express--the requirements such as having a card in addition to the base station was never made clear as was my need for Airport Extreme

sammick · July 16, 2004 5:38PM

Apparently any of the Airport cards will work--it's the base station that has to be Airport Extreme and since I have an Airport base station ( not extreme) it will not work.

john whitney · July 17, 2004 7:16AM

From the Airport Admin Utility, when configuring the Airport Express, there is a "Basestation Options" button. On that sheet, there is an "Enable AirTunes over Ethernet".

I don't know if that will help your situation, but it appears that you might still be able to use AirTunes without an airport card.

John

kishan · July 17, 2004 7:54AM

Has anyone tried to configure the AE for a windowsPC or heard any info on PC configuration?

sammick · July 17, 2004 8:01AM

Quote:

Originally posted by John Whitney

From the Airport Admin Utility, when configuring the Airport Express, there is a "Basestation Options" button. On that sheet, there is an "Enable AirTunes over Ethernet".

I don't know if that will help your situation, but it appears that you might still be able to use AirTunes without an airport card.

John

sammick · July 17, 2004 8:04AM

I tried to use Airport Express with my ibook which does have an Airport card, but the limiting factor was the base station which was not Airport Extreme--it was the original one ( one and a half years old) and it doesn't work--I need a new one with Extreme.

john whitney · July 17, 2004 8:22AM

I have not configured the AirPort Express from Windows, but since you asked I did bring up the Windows-based configuration program. It looks the same (relatively speaking, some of the controls were moved around a little) as the Mac one and seemed to communicate with it just fine...

Did you have any specific questions about it?

John

john whitney · July 17, 2004 8:29AM

Quote:

After spending over 2 frustrating hours with my new Airport Express-I found out that:

1. You have to have an airport card in the computer you are using to send the signal--that it doesn't work from the base station directly.

2. That the base station has to be Airport extreme.

so.....my one and a half year old computer will not work since it is obsolete and so I am sending the Airport Express back

was this made clear to the rest of you??

I assume you are trying to extend the range of your original Airport Basestation, and this is what you can't get to work? (the Apple website does say that this only works with an Airport Extreme or Airport Express, but I can see how it would be easy to miss that statement).

I'm using mine as my sole basestation (replacing an older Linksys AP that won't do WPA or 802.11g), so I don't have the problem you do.

John

kishan · July 17, 2004 8:34AM

Quote:

Originally posted by John Whitney

I have not configured the AirPort Express from Windows, but since you asked I did bring up the Windows-based configuration program. It looks the same (relatively speaking, some of the controls were moved around a little) as the Mac one and seemed to communicate with it just fine...

Did you have any specific questions about it?

John

No, nothing specific. My AE's delivery was delayed from 15 July to 23 July for some reason, and I was considering cancelling the order after hearing rumors about limitations and problems with the windows config. Ipodlouge has a nice article on using the AE's music streaming features, but has minimal info on the print sharing and networking capabilities. To some extent I am just going on faith that I will, without too much trouble, be able to make my AE work as well as my iPod/iTunes combo. I am moving to a small studio in Brooklyn Heights, NY, and intend to use my AE as a wireless base station/print server/music bridge for my winXP laptop. All the specs say it should work, but I have yet to read about anyone who has used all three on a windows PC.

madmax559 · July 17, 2004 9:54PM

hi,

could some with express test this out

i have an airport base station (not extreme)

i would like to get express & use it as a bridge

ie it will link to the airport base via wifi & the lan part on the express

will go into a tivo

will this scenario work ? i aked this question to 2 different "geniuses"

at the local store & drew a blank

Note: Im not extending the range...simply using it as a bridge

so any info would be appreciated

thanks

john whitney · July 17, 2004 10:02PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kishan

No, nothing specific. My AE's delivery was delayed from 15 July to 23 July for some reason, and I was considering cancelling the order after hearing rumors about limitations and problems with the windows config. Ipodlouge has a nice article on using the AE's music streaming features, but has minimal info on the print sharing and networking capabilities. To some extent I am just going on faith that I will, without too much trouble, be able to make my AE work as well as my iPod/iTunes combo. I am moving to a small studio in Brooklyn Heights, NY, and intend to use my AE as a wireless base station/print server/music bridge for my winXP laptop. All the specs say it should work, but I have yet to read about anyone who has used all three on a windows PC.

Printer sharing apparently does not work with a Windows PC (but it works nicely with my two Macs, of course).

santoslo · July 18, 2004 1:06AM

Quote:

Originally posted by madmax559

hi,

could some with express test this out

i have an airport base station (not extreme)

i would like to get express & use it as a bridge

ie it will link to the airport base via wifi & the lan part on the express

will go into a tivo

will this scenario work ? i aked this question to 2 different "geniuses"

at the local store & drew a blank

Note: Im not extending the range...simply using it as a bridge

so any info would be appreciated

thanks

madmax, the configuration you are describing will not work because the lan port is an "in" port meaning that the you can only use it to connect it to a cable or DSL modem, or a wired connection to the lan. It is not intended to be used as an "out" line to connect other devices to use the signal. Let me know if you need more help with this.

santoslo · July 18, 2004 1:23AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kishan

Has anyone tried to configure the AE for a windowsPC or heard any info on PC configuration?

Kishan, I installed my Airport Express using a laptop running Windows XP and the installation process was flawless. I already had an Airport Extreme base with my printer connected to it for wireless printing so I am using my Airport Express for extending the base range and streaming music thru my Bose Wave Radio/CD in my bedroom...it sounds great! I have 2 iBooks, 1 Compaq Laptop, and 1 Compaq desktop running at full wireless speed throughout my house. At the present time I have no need for a printer on the Airport Express, but if you need help in testing that configuration I will gladly try it out and report thru the forum. If you need more specifics about my configuration please email me.

madmax559 · July 18, 2004 9:22AM

anyplace where i can check the manual online ?

i thought i read somewhere it works in bridge mode

as well

Quote:

Originally posted by santoslo

madmax, the configuration you are describing will not work because the lan port is an "in" port meaning that the you can only use it to connect it to a cable or DSL modem, or a wired connection to the lan. It is not intended to be used as an "out" line to connect other devices to use the signal. Let me know if you need more help with this.

santoslo · July 19, 2004 10:14PM

Quote:

Originally posted by madmax559

anyplace where i can check the manual online ?

i thought i read somewhere it works in bridge mode

as well

The manual is not online yet, but you are correct, the Airport Express can be used as a bridge if you have an Airport Extreme base station or another Airport Express that is setup as a base station.

john whitney · July 22, 2004 7:05AM

Quote:

Originally posted by John Whitney

Printer sharing apparently does not work with a Windows PC (but it works nicely with my two Macs, of course).

My previous statement turns out to be wrong. You can print from windows, it just isn't as easy to configure as it is on a Mac (you have to set up an IP "local port", etc.).

Check out the Ars Technica review that describes this and other information about the AirPort Express:

Art Technica Review

othello · July 22, 2004 9:57AM

has anyone tried connecting their airport express to a PS2 yet?

Help with Airport Express

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