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Airport Express (802.11n): Connecting A Hard Disk

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BennyB

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 19, 2008
4
0
I have recently purchased an Apple Airport Express and have successfully set up a wireless network, connecting AirTunes and my printer. However when reading through the manual (I know who reads the manual nowadays) i discovered something interesting. Chapter 3: Setting Up Your Airport Express, page 25, states the following,

"If you connect a USB printer or hard disk to your Airport Express, all of the computers on the network can print to the printer or share files on the hard disk."

The Apple website clearly indicates that sharing a Hard Disk through an Airport Express is not possible. Is my discovery a one of dodgy print of the manual or are other people seeing this as well? A possibility that Apple could be enabling AirDisk use on the Airport Express in the near future?
 
catachip

catachip

macrumors regular
Jun 7, 2007
224
0
Vancouver, British Columbia
BennyB said:
I have recently purchased an Apple Airport Express and have successfully set up a wireless network, connecting AirTunes and my printer. However when reading through the manual (I know who reads the manual nowadays) i discovered something interesting. Chapter 3: Setting Up Your Airport Express, page 25, states the following,

"If you connect a USB printer or hard disk to your Airport Express, all of the computers on the network can print to the printer or share files on the hard disk."

The Apple website clearly indicates that sharing a Hard Disk through an Airport Express is not possible. Is my discovery a one of dodgy print of the manual or are other people seeing this as well? A possibility that Apple could be enabling AirDisk use on the Airport Express in the near future?
Click to expand...

I'm guessing its a typo, but, it is entirely possible. Official Time Machine support for the Airport Extreme, and AirDisk support (and even Time Machine support) for the Airport Express is not out of the question. However, Apple may be trying to differentiate product lines in order to justify the higher price of the Airport Extreme.
 
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mckyvlle

macrumors 6502a
Nov 21, 2007
575
5
London, UK
Could it be true?

BennyB said:
"If you connect a USB printer or hard disk to your Airport Express, all of the computers on the network can print to the printer or share files on the hard disk."
Click to expand...

I am dithering on my decision to buy the AirPort Express. If this is true, the AirPort Express will be super-sweet!

Have you tried plugging in a USB disk to see what happens?
 
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BennyB

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 19, 2008
4
0
I have tried plugging in a USB powered Hard Drive but nothing appeared on my computer or sharing areas so i presume i doesn't work. However i must say when i was downloading the firmware update for my Airport Express, the Airport Utility programme started to download the firmware update for Airport Extreme + Time Machine which is weird because i do not have an Airport Extreme only an Express. Hopefully in the near future Apple will update the Express with a AirDisk capabilities
 
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ginger72

macrumors newbie
May 12, 2008
2
0
I have just purchased the N version of the Airport Express as well. I tried plugging in my USB 2.5" HD and it seems I would require an external power source, as the Airport Express does not seem to provide enough power for the HD (my MacBook does though). I also noticed that the Airport Utility (v5.3.1) does give me an option to manually setting up and share hard drive. But I wasn't able to test this due to the reasons I mentioned before.

Any of your findings regarding this would be extremely helpful.
Thanks,
G
 
K

kolax

macrumors G3
Mar 20, 2007
9,181
115
Maybe 10.5.3 will improve wireless backups with Time Machine and the AirPort Express N will have a firmware update to enable hard drive use.
 
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ginger72

macrumors newbie
May 12, 2008
2
0
BennyB said:
I have tried plugging in a USB powered Hard Drive but nothing appeared on my computer or sharing areas so i presume i doesn't work. However i must say when i was downloading the firmware update for my Airport Express, the Airport Utility programme started to download the firmware update for Airport Extreme + Time Machine which is weird because i do not have an Airport Extreme only an Express. Hopefully in the near future Apple will update the Express with a AirDisk capabilities
Click to expand...

Have you tried to enable the HD sharing option in your Airport Utility?
 
M

mckyvlle

macrumors 6502a
Nov 21, 2007
575
5
London, UK
ginger72 said:
I have just purchased the N version of the Airport Express as well. I tried plugging in my USB 2.5" HD and it seems I would require an external power source, as the Airport Express does not seem to provide enough power for the HD (my MacBook does though). I also noticed that the Airport Utility (v5.3.1) does give me an option to manually setting up and share hard drive. But I wasn't able to test this due to the reasons I mentioned before.

Any of your findings regarding this would be extremely helpful.
Thanks,
G
Click to expand...

I plugged in a powered 3.5'' USB hdd, but AirPort Utility 5.3.1's "Disks" button remains grayed-out. Do you mean you can access the "Disks" page in AirPort Utility?
 
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BennyB

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 19, 2008
4
0
Have you tried to enable the HD sharing option in your Airport Utility?
Click to expand...

I have plugged in a powered hard drive in to the Airport Express as mentioned before. However i have looked at every option possible in my Airport Utility (v5.3.1) which i believe is the most up to date version out and I have had no luck in locating a HD sharing option. If there is such an option where would it be located?
 
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grant.west

macrumors newbie
May 4, 2009
1
0
I hooked up my Western Digital Elements Self Powered hard drive and nothing happened. Note though that after about 30 minutes the HD was very hot. Luckily it was not damaged. Turns out the whole time it was connected the drive was spinning at a good clip. It was making more noise than usual. (Normally it is silent, even when working). So, just a note of caution. If you are going to try it out, keep and eye on the HD.
 
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Vyvyenne

macrumors newbie
May 7, 2009
5
0
What can I say you are all very lucky that airport express even works for you. I purchased a new Macbook and an export express just last month. Did everything as the manual says and yes it is connected I have the green light. But when I take the computer to another room no connection to the internet and as for my printer that as the yellow exclamation mark permanently. So the only way I get access to the internet is my unplugging airport express. As for printing I have to physically plug in the printer to the laptop. Who says wireless is the way forward!!!!! Anyone else with this problem. Or can anyone please point me in the right direction.

regards
Lesley Vyvyenne
 
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gnordic

macrumors newbie
Jan 21, 2008
2
0
Airport express not working in other room

I've found the antennas are pretty bad on these things, so you probly have some interference in the 2.4 ghz spectrum. Try using the 5 ghz spectrum if you can, or switching to wireless N. ALso, make sure your power is at 100%, not some other value such as 10%. These settings are in the Airport Admin utility.
 
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