Is the Airport Extreme base a router?

No, the Airport (and Extreme) bases are not routers, they are more like hubs, as in they split the connection to how many computers you want, but they don't actually do anything (except for giving you a wireless connection, of course). Although, you could easily add a router to your wireless network... this is from Apple's Airport FAQ:

Can I use a router with the AirPort Extreme Base Station?
Yes. You can plug the AirPort Extreme Base Station directly into a router on your network. With this network configuration, you may need to turn off DHCP on the AirPort Extreme Base Station via the AirPort software. It is also possible to connect the router to the LAN port of the AirPort Extreme Base Station. With this network configuration, you may need to turn off DHCP on your router. It is not recommended that you have DHCP turned on for both a router and the AirPort Extreme Base Station.

Click to expand...

And Airport Extreme is 802.11g.



irmongoose

Well..

It's not really a router in the true sense of the word but for a home network it is...

The AE base station provides a NAT'd firewall and converts an incoming broadband signal to wireless and on some models one extra Ethernet port so technically it becomes a router...

The AE base station runs at either 802.11b or g depending on how you set it.

SLJ, more specifically what are asking... how do you want to use the AE Base Station?

I don't own one but I bought one for my parents and I have configured it as such:

Comcast Cable Modem --> AirPort Extreme Base Station --> Compaq P.O.S. Machine running WinMe

Also my sister and mother user their iBooks on the AirPort Extreme base station at 802.11b.

I also jump off and on her network when I visit.

I know that both versions of the AE Base Station (one has a dialup modem and external antenna hookup and one doesn't) have a LAN port as well as the WAN port and you could hook up a hub to the LAN port to hook up more Macs/PCs to it. Because it's south of the firewall in the set up it should protect them all via the NAT. Also the AE Base Station is a DHCP server so you can also use it in that way.

Keep in mind there are other less expensive means of getting a Wireless SoHo Network setup such as Linksys's combo Etherfast Router/Wireless Access Point for around 100 bucks US on line.

Hope that helps..

MacBoyX

Originally posted by SLJ
The reason why I ask such a question: I am trying to share internet with my XP desktop and my powerbook system... I can confirmed that my wireless is working because I am playing with it now but I want to hook my xp system as well...

Click to expand...

Not a problem. Configure the XP system to be DHCP and plug it into the LAN port of the AE Base Station. You should get an IP right away.

MacboyX

I've never tried with any other cards than Linksys, but I've never gotten it to work with WEP encryption, if your Windows XP machine can see the network but won't sign on, try disabling WEP encryption.

Also run Software Update and download the latest AE Software (3.1.1), and update the base-stations firmware to 5.1.1 using the AirPort Admin Utility.

Matt