Newbie: Questions about Airport Express Base Station

[NJRonbo]

I just bought a Mac Pro and an Airport Express Base Station.

The reason I bought the base station was so that I could
hook up a printer located in a separate room, wirelessly.

I am a bit confused by what I see in the product link below:

http://reviews.cnet.com/Apple_AirPort_Express_Base_Station/4505-3265_7-30910240.html

It looks like ONE unit.

Shouldn't there be a transmitter that plugs into my Mac with
the receiver plugging into my printer?

Unless, the Mac transmits via my Linksys wireless router to the
base station plug-in.

Can someone explain if I bought what I should have and includes
everything I need?

 

[uNext]

Connect your cable/dsl modem to the airport station. Or just connect the airport into the wall
and use your macpro do a search for it to extend your network.
Connect the printers usb to the usb plug on the base station.
connect your macpro wirelessly to the airport express station
from there configure your macpro to wirelessly print using the base station.

Use the airport assistant to set all this up.


you need your macpro to have airport express installed.
and you need a usb printer that is all

 

[NJRonbo]

uNext,

Still a little confused.

If this is just ONE piece, does the Airport act as the
transmitting or receiving device?

The printer needs to have a device plugged into its USB
port to wirelessly receive the signal.

The Mac needs a device (unless its my Linksys wireless router)
to transmit that signal.

I am just confused by the fact it is just ONE piece of hardware.

 

[WildCowboy]

Your Mac connects wirelessly to the AirPort Express, which is connected to your printer via a USB cable.

 

[NJRonbo]

WildCowboy,

Does the Mac itself have a built-in antenna that's standard
that transmits the signal wirelessly to the airport connected
to my printer?

 

[WildCowboy]

You have to specially configure your Mac Pro at the time of ordering to include the AirPort Extreme card. It is not standard in the Mac Pro, as most people in need of high-performance machines will be using Ethernet for faster connectivity.

 

[tilman]

Unless, the Mac transmits via my Linksys wireless router to the
base station plug-in.

If you already have a Linksys wireless router, and your MacPro is networked through it, then you have all the parts. You just set up the Airport Express with the Airport utility to become part of your existing network (wired or wireless through your Linksys router), locate it close to your printer, and plug the printer into the USB port. Once it is all done, the printer will show up on your Mac Pro as a network printer.

 

[NJRonbo]

Tilman,

I take it this is void...

You have to specially configure your Mac Pro at the time of ordering to include the AirPort Extreme card. It is not standard in the Mac Pro, as most people in need of high-performance machines will be using Ethernet for faster connectivity.

My Mac Pro arrives in a few days.
It has ethernet standard, I believe. No airport card.
It will plug into a Linksys router that transmits wirelessly
The Printer will plug into the airport base station

This is all I need, and I need no airport card -- right?

 

[iW00t]

Tilman,

I take it this is void...



My Mac Pro arrives in a few days.
It has ethernet standard, I believe. No airport card.
It will plug into a Linksys router that transmits wirelessly
The Printer will plug into the airport base station

This is all I need, and I need no airport card -- right?

Ahh I see, so you are using your Linksys as a wireless bridge.

It should work, which router is the one with the DHCP server on it?

 

[NJRonbo]

Not sure what DHCP server is.

The main router I have is a Linksys wireless. My Verizon Fios
and Mac Pro will both plug into it via ethernet. It then broadcasts
broadband throughout my home for my laptop.

The router has already been programmed through my old PC
that the Mac is replacing. With my web browser configured
to the Linksys address, I was able to set up the router and
even secure the network with encryption.

That should answer your question about the Linksys router.

So, in order to add a wireless printer, I simply add the Airport
Base station to the USB port of my printer and through software
setup I imagine I can set my Mac to wirelessly transmit to the
printer.

Am I correct?