Airport wireless/card?

justin · November 6, 2005 3:03PM

This is probably another dumb question, but I can't figure it out. If I have an Apple wireless modem, do I need an airport express card to run it on a 17" powerbook?

How do I know if my powerbook has a built in airport wireless or not? It seems to have bluetooth btw....

kingofsomewherehot · November 6, 2005 4:20PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Justin

...Apple wireless modem....

What is that ???

If you mean an Airport, that is different from a modem. In the case of Airport, new pBooks come with it standard, an older pBook may not have an airport card installed ... system profiler can tell you. (And you DO need airport in the pBook to connect to a wireless access point.)

lundy · November 6, 2005 8:33PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Justin

How do I know if my powerbook has a built in airport wireless or not? It seems to have bluetooth btw....

System Preferences -> Network -> under "Show", choose "Network Port Configurations". If you have an Airport card, "Airport" will be in the list.

justin · November 10, 2005 5:58PM

thanks guys - I do have an airport wireless - I ca find it once I know how to find it.

The apple wireless modem thing I have looks like a flattened cone. It's got airport something in its name. I'll have to open it and check but I did ask the shop keeper and he told me it was a wireless modem base unit for Apples..

project2501 · November 10, 2005 6:32PM

Just to clear lingo, what you got is Airport base station with modem, Airport is apple's term for 802.11g wireles network, Your computer makes wireles network connection to the base station, base station then calls to your internet operator. So even though Airport modem is guite accurate description to your setup, It's bit distracting because that Airport card in your PB has nothing to do with modems.

justin · November 10, 2005 7:01PM

Errr....if you say so!

I've read what you've written twice, and I'm almost understanding it.

Such a long way to go

justin · November 10, 2005 7:01PM

So what is the wireless airport card used for then??

theapplegenius · November 10, 2005 9:38PM

to talk to the Airport Extreme...

lundy · November 11, 2005 12:39AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Justin

So what is the wireless airport card used for then??

You connect the base station (the thing that looks like a cone) to whatever internet source that you have (cable modem, DSL modem, or phone line).

The Airport card in the PowerBook will communicate wirelessly with the Base Station, and the Base Station communicates with the outside world (internet). If you only have a phone line (no cable modem or DSL modem), then the Base Station will dial the phone thru the phone line. That is why the guy called it a "modem" - it is a modem, but a regular modem for the telephone line, not a DSL or cable (broadband) modem.

kingofsomewherehot · November 11, 2005 1:24AM

Quote:

Originally posted by lundy

...not a DSL or cable (broadband) modem.

Which isn't really a modem at all

The data comes across the line in digital format, so ther is no "modulation/demodulation" thaat is infered by the term "modem".

Take no offense, people... a little education never hurt anybody

justin · November 11, 2005 5:41AM

" That is why the guy called it a "modem" - it is a modem, but a regular modem for the telephone line, not a DSL or cable (broadband) modem."

Oh.

So I didn't need to buy the conical modem - I could've just got one of the airport conical bases?

I'm thinking it made sense all along except I didn't know what to call anything - everyone is expressing it more accurately than I am.

project2501 · November 11, 2005 6:16AM

As I tried to say earlier it's wireles network (Airport) base station including modem. Modem is used to make data connections over telephone line (56 Kbit/s) modulating digital data to analog sound and then demodulating it back to digital data at the other end. Wireles network is used to make completely digital local area connections between computers (54 Mbit/s). The conical device works as intermediator between wireles network clients. That same conical device also has means to deliver packets to outside world via modem line if needed, hopefully I said it clear enough this time, So usually people don't refer it as modem, but as as Airport base station, because that is it's main purpose. And what comes to the question if you could have gotten that device without that modem is NO, not that cheaply anyways. so in short

that conical thing = Airport base station including modem

that card in your computer = Airport network card to connect base station

modem = thing to call outside world, included in your base station

lundy · November 11, 2005 8:06AM

Quote:

Take no offense, people... a little education never hurt anybody

No offense taken! I know that, you know that, but if you don't call it a "cable modem", what else are you going to call it?? Heh heh.

lundy · November 11, 2005 8:08AM

Quote:

Oh.

So I didn't need to buy the conical modem - I could've just got one of the airport conical bases?

There is only one - the Airport Base Station. It comes with a modem inside whether you need it or not. You bought the right thing.

project2501 · November 11, 2005 9:06AM

Lundy, actually there are two types of Airport base station sold according to apple store , but only one of them is reasonable for normal user, the one with modem, then again that is from finnish store, I couldn't find that other one from US store.

brclark82 · November 11, 2005 9:58AM

Ok, I thought I understood this. Is the only difference between the Airport Express base station and the Airport Extreme base the fact that the latter has a modem, or does the extreme use g and and express use b.

I guess what I need to know is, I need to replace my current WAP and I have a cable "modem", would the Express base station be all I need or would I have to have the Extreme.

BTW- I want 802.11g

Thanks

project2501 · November 11, 2005 10:07AM

Both use same 802.11g standard so in that there is no difference, in your case Ap Express should be enough, Extreme provides modem and external antenna port.

iomatic · November 12, 2005 11:00AM

Unless you want to do WPA or Radius authentication relay, the Airport Express is plenty for most users, allowing wireless connections to both a modem connection and broadband, and stream audio from iTunes to speakers or optical audio input. But the Airport Extreme (flattened conical thing) will work as well.

poor guy!

Quote:

Originally posted by Project2501

Both use same 802.11g standard so in that there is no difference, in your case Ap Express should be enough, Extreme provides modem and external antenna port.

Airport wireless/card?

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