Share a printer with multiple Airport Expteme's

They'll need to be on the same network for this to work (i.e., any computer will need to be able to "see" the router the printer is connected to--i.e., by IP address) so I'd suggest figuring out what was wrong with your earlier attempt to extend the network. If you don't actually need the network extended (i.e., greater distance for the original signal), you can also try using it in bridge mode.

LumbermanSVO said:

The WAN port of the downstairs Extreme is connected to the LAN port of the upstairs Extreme. I tried several times to get the downstairs Extreme to extend the upstairs Extreme, but Apple doesn't seem to allow that.

Click to expand...

Can't you use "bridge" mode for this? I don't know if there's a separate option or if you just have to disable DHCP (or "automatically assign IP addresses" or whatever Apple calls it) on the second Extreme.

Or, at least, that would work for wired. I assume wireless would take the same settings (automatically, after the wired connection is bridged), i.e., defer DHCP to the original router and avoid double NAT or having two separate networks. But I don't have two to try, and I'm too lazy to find the documentation...

Turn DHCP off on the downstairs Extreme. In the Internet tab turn Connection Sharing to Off (Bridge mode). This effectively makes your second AEBS act as a wireless access point, allowing it to create SSIDs that clients can connect to downstairs and still be able to communicate with clients connected to the AEBS upstairs. This also works for printers connected to either Extreme.

Wireless Moron

OK... that's me, a wireless moron. I always have trouble setting up a network and adding computers to the internet, until I used a Cisco Valet plus with my imac. The software did everything for me effortlessly.

Then I upgraded to Lion and bought a new MBA 13" (Lion) and guess what. Cisco tells me their router doesn't work with Lion (they're working on a fix.

I can still get internet on the other computers, but I can't seem to file share or share printers. The two computers act as if the other one does not exist.

I have a memory of having a PC network where they all 'saw' each other and it was a breeze to save files to other computers. (No, I am not going back to PC's. My first computer was a Mac 512ke in 1985 or so and I regret ever straying from Macdom)

So having only slightly more money than brains, last week I buy a Netgear dual band router that's supposed to be faster than airport extreme.

So I hook it up with no problem, internet on all three computers, plus the TV so I can watch Netflix movies online on the big screen, but...

I still can't share printers or files or see a 'network image' if such a thing exists.

I need a basic course in this stuff I guess.

I guess I can return the Netgear router (I now have 3 up to date routers) but am intrigued by this notion of using one for each computer. I REALLY don't understand how THAT works.

If it matters, I have a satellite modem, "Clear"

Wireless Moron

OK... that's me, a wireless moron. I always have trouble setting up a network and adding computers to the internet, until I used a Cisco Valet plus with my imac. The software did everything for me effortlessly.

Then I upgraded to Lion and bought a new MBA 13" (Lion) and guess what. Cisco tells me their router doesn't work with Lion (they're working on a fix.

I can still get internet on the other computers, but I can't seem to file share or share printers. The two computers act as if the other one does not exist.

I have a memory of having a PC network where they all 'saw' each other and it was a breeze to save files to other computers. (No, I am not going back to PC's. My first computer was a Mac 512ke in 1985 or so and I regret ever straying from Macdom)

So having only slightly more money than brains, last week I buy a Netgear dual band router that's supposed to be faster than airport extreme.

So I hook it up with no problem, internet on all three computers, plus the TV so I can watch Netflix movies online on the big screen, but...

I still can't share printers or files or see a 'network image' if such a thing exists.

I need a basic course in this stuff I guess.

I guess I can return the Netgear router (I now have 3 up to date routers) but am intrigued by this notion of using one for each computer. I REALLY don't understand how THAT works.

If it matters, I have a satellite modem, "Clear"