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figureitoutjohn

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 4, 2010
7
0
I have an additional question about the Airport Express. I am interested in buying one but don't want to commit until I get a few questions answered.

1. I own a D-link wired router and a d-link wireless router. I have been tempted to buy the express, hook it into my wired router and run wireless off of the apple. I want the express so I can run itunes on my stereo from anywhere in the house.

Would there be any advantages to me using the wireless router in conjunction with the airport express instead?

2. I am interested in the DHCP comments from above. If I turn off DHCP on the airport express then any friends who come over to use the wireless internet will need to be personally configured. Could I just assign the Airport Express a static IP address on the wired router, keep a DHCP on on the express for my friends and turn off DHCP on the wired router?

3. I have a PS3. I don't want to slow my gaming speed down. I intend on plugging the PS3 into my existing router (wired or wireless router, I will have it wired though) Will daisy chaining the express off of the router slow down my PS3 connection when other users are not using it?

Thanks for your help guys,

John
 

Darwin

macrumors 65816
Jun 2, 2003
1,082
0
round the corner
If your main aim is to use the Express to send music to your stereo then that can be done without the need to complicate your network with multiple DHCP servers.

The Express can be placed in Client mode which means that it connects to the network wirelessly just like any other computer. Now the ethernet jack is no longer active in this mode however you can still use the headphone jack as well as the usb port for printer sharing.

Anymore info on the D-link Wireless Router? If its only using wireless G or N for example.
 

theBB

macrumors 68020
Jan 3, 2006
2,453
3
I am not sure I understand you problem, but you can put Express in bridge mode so that it distributes IP addresses based on DHCP of the wired router. Therefore, a desktop connected to the wired router, a laptop connected wireless and your AirTunes would look like they are all on the same network. No manual intervention required. Your friends would not even know that it is the wired network that is assigning them the IP addresses.

In such a case, your existing wireless router becomes useless unless you can use it to extend the range of your Airport Express, but if you don't have any range problems to begin with, why bother?
 

figureitoutjohn

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 4, 2010
7
0
Darwin - The Router is a G router I believe. It is probably 3 years old and I got it pretty cheap.

So you are saying that I can plug the express into my current router w/ a network cable, turn on "Client mode" and the express will just act like another computer? That is awesome! That wouldn't slow my connection down at all.

Can I connect the express into my router wirelessly? That would be even more slick.

theBB - The method you mentioned is actually the way I was originally thinking of setting it up. I like the idea that one can extend their wireless service combining the 2. I don't know if this setup will slow down my network though. I want to keep my wired PS3 running as fast as it can. It is good to hear that I can still use DHCP to simplify it for my guests.

It is nice to hear that I can use the express in both ways. It is so flexible. I like having these options.

Thanks to both of you.

~John
 

figureitoutjohn

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 4, 2010
7
0
I just checked and I have a SMC **54G CABLE/DSL ROUTER. I think that my wired one is a DLink. I will try using the wired one w/ the airport express first so I can benefit from the express's higher speed transfers. I can compare that to my current setup with the express bridged on.
 
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