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ravenvii

macrumors 604
Original poster
Mar 17, 2004
7,585
492
Melenkurion Skyweir
Is it possible for my Mac mini to receive a AirPort signal, then share it with a different security scheme? For example, my AirPort Extreme basestation is secured by WPA, then my Mac mini connects to that network, and then in turn creates a wireless network of it's own, that's secured by WEP. Is this possible? And if so, how do I do this? Thanks.
 

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Raven VII said:
Is it possible for my Mac mini to receive a AirPort signal, then share it with a different security scheme? For example, my AirPort Extreme basestation is secured by WPA, then my Mac mini connects to that network, and then in turn creates a wireless network of it's own, that's secured by WEP. Is this possible? And if so, how do I do this? Thanks.

In Sharing -> Internet, when you select the outgoing port as Airport, you can specify the new network's features via the Airport Options button, including a name, and a password. But you only get the option of 40 bit and 128 bit WEP keys. It doesn't seem like you can do WPA1/2. So if you're on a WPA network, I think you will automatically still create an open or WEP network under your Mac....
 

ravenvii

macrumors 604
Original poster
Mar 17, 2004
7,585
492
Melenkurion Skyweir
Actually, turns out you can't share your AirPort while connected to a wireless network. You can only set the AirPort card to communicate with the wireless network OR create a wireless network of it's own, not both.

Great. I wanted to play online with my Nintendo DS, but it can only understand WEP security, not WAP, and I'm not going to turn my basestation back to WEP.
 

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Oooh, yeah, I see you are correct now. It seemed to be working, but I couldn't actually use my internet connection.

Any chance you can run a wire from your AEBS to your Mini so that it could share via airport?

You wanted to use sharing with a less restrictive method so that you could turn it on and off easily when you want to play DS, right? I guess changing the Airport settings between WEP and WPA over and over again would be very tiresome.... :(

When I shopped for a handheld, WPA was very important to me. It's too bad the DS doesn't support it.
 
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